Special Studies Project Manager

Leidos is seeking a talented Deputy Project Manager to lead special studies related to the TPS prototype program as member of the Strategic Hypersonics Division. With offices across the United States engaging in the defense, space, cyber and commercial fields, Leidos provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific and IT solutions.

The Deputy Project Manager will assist the Program Manager in leadership of all project management functions for efforts to execute under our Thermal Protection System Program. The position will have responsibility for planning, tracking, and execution of complex tasking within technical, schedule, and budget constraints. The program will involve advanced high temperature and composite materials development including manufacturing, characterization, and testing. The program will also involve management complexity related to performance by a large group of subcontracted team members, interactions with multiple government organization as part of a “badge-less” team, several geographically dispersed places of performance, and a complex multi-agency customer set including AvMC, Sandia National Labs, Navy, and Army.

Basic Qualifications.  

• Candidate must have a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution.
• 8-12 years of experience leading projects
• Willingness to travel up to 25%
• Candidate must have a strong technical and 2 years of experience in managing testing, planning, and scheduling in support of complex technical programs.
• Strong verbal and written skills along with a solid, practical knowledge of high temperature materials, composite materials, and materials testing and characterization, and system level testing is required.

• Candidate must have strong leadership credentials, good organizational skills, attention to detail and work well as a key member of a team often tasked to be highly responsive and agile in order to satisfy critical technology development needs.
• Disciplined, metric-driven program/task management
  • Proven experience managing to, and meeting accelerated schedules
  • Internally driven to solve complex problems
  • Effective communication of information between various functional disciplines as well as strong briefing skills with Sr. Gov’t customers and executive level leadership.
• The candidate must be able to manage in the following areas:
  • Cost estimating and Budget management
  • Earned value
  • Schedule Management
  • Leading a large and diverse team including industry, government and national labs
  • Strong understanding of hardware development, materials characterization and testing, manufacturing, production, and integration
  • Proficient using Microsoft Excel, Word, Project, and PowerPoint
• DOD Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications.

• Experience supporting a multi-year development/production program valuing more than $100M.
• Flight Programs (Aircraft, Missile, Space Launch or Rocket launch systems)
• Cost estimating and Budget management
• Organizational/IPT development
• Disciplined metric-driven program management
• Proven experience managing and meeting tight schedules
• Effective communication of information between various functional disciplines as well as strong briefing skill with Sr. Gov’t customers (SES, General Staff) and C level leadership.
• Strong understanding of hardware development, manufacturing, procurement, production, and integration
• Experience successfully leading in an IPT organizational structure focused on engineering design, manufacturing and/or supply chain activities desirable
• Project management qualification (PMP) or equivalent is desirable
• Experience in strategic and tactical planning is desirable
• Proven leadership skills
• Proven history of working in a team environment, fostering communication, listening to teammate concerns and reconciling internal issues or differences
• Proven ability to solicit and process complex information and data to solve complex problems and make sound decisions
• Strong interpersonal skills with measured and articulate communication skills
• Analytical and strong organizational skills, with excellent verbal and written ability

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

September 10, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $92,300.00 - $166,850.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.