Navy Systems Engineer Jobs 2026 — Cooperative Engagement Capability (Dahlgren VA) Full Time

Introduction

If you have a background in systems engineering and a passion for national defense technology this opportunity with the U.S. Navy deserves your attention. The Naval Sea Systems Command is seeking a Cooperative Engagement Capability Systems Engineer to join the Integrated Combat Systems Department at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia

This is not a typical engineering desk job. The work here directly supports the combat readiness of the U.S. surface fleet. The systems you help design and improve play a real role in how Navy ships detect track and engage threats at sea. For engineers who want their work to matter beyond a spreadsheet or a product launch this kind of federal career offers something rare — genuine mission impact

The position is open to U.S. citizens and may be filled at the ND-03 or ND-04 pay band depending on your qualifications and experience level

Job Overview

About the Position

The Cooperative Engagement Capability or CEC is a sophisticated naval combat system that allows multiple ships and aircraft to share real-time sensor data and coordinate their defense responses as a single unified force. As a Systems Engineer supporting this program you will work within the Warfare Architecture and Engineering Division to help evolve and sustain this critical technology

Your work will sit at the intersection of engineering analysis software architecture and military requirements. You will not just be running tests or writing documentation. You will be helping define what future naval warfare systems look like and how they perform in real operational environments

This position can be filled under one of four occupational series depending on the candidate selected — General Engineering (0801) Operations Research (1515) Mathematics (1520) or Computer Science (1550). The series assigned will be based on your academic and professional background

Daily Duties and Responsibilities

Your main responsibilities include:

• Conducting engineering analysis to identify and recommend warfare systems that meet fleet capability requirements
• Consulting with stakeholders on software system design and ongoing maintenance needs
• Documenting technical work through detailed reports and formal engineering specifications
• Coordinating with architects and developers to guide the creation of design solutions
• Defining project scope setting objectives and building architecture and requirements for warfare systems
• Leading key systems engineering efforts and developing integration strategies for next-generation platforms
• Applying Agile development practices DevSecOps methodologies Data Analytics and Model Based System Engineering tools
• Researching emerging technologies to solve complex technical challenges
• Contributing expert guidance to implementation plans procedures and program documentation

The role requires genuine problem-solving ability. You will regularly face situations where there is no clear textbook answer and your ability to analyze research and recommend a path forward will be what drives progress

Work Environment

This position is based at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Dahlgren Virginia — one of the Navy’s premier research and engineering installations. The facility sits along the Potomac River and has been a hub of naval weapons and combat systems development for over a century

You will work within a team of engineers scientists and program managers who are focused on delivering real solutions to real operational challenges. The environment is collaborative and technically demanding. Depending on the nature of your assignments there may be travel required both within the continental United States and overseas including to remote or isolated sites. Travel will involve both military and commercial aircraft

Required Qualifications

Education

This is an interdisciplinary position with specific education requirements depending on which occupational series you qualify under

For General Engineering (0801) you need a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or a combination of education and experience that demonstrates equivalent technical competency including professional registration or passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam

For Operations Research (1515) a degree in operations research is required or at least 24 semester hours combining operations research mathematics statistics and related fields with a minimum of 3 hours in calculus

For Mathematics (1520) a mathematics degree or equivalent coursework of at least 24 semester hours is needed including differential and integral calculus plus four advanced math courses

For Computer Science (1550) a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a degree with at least 30 semester hours combining mathematics statistics and computer science is required with at least 15 of those hours covering calculus-based statistics or mathematics

Experience

ND-04 level requires at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the ND-03 pay band. This means you should have hands-on experience applying systems engineering principles to research analyze and evaluate complex engineering assignments including work with systems engineering analysis agile development data analytics and MBSE tools

ND-03 level requires at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the ND-02 pay band. Here the expectation is experience applying basic systems engineering principles to solve technical problems using established engineering techniques and methods

Security Clearance

You must be able to obtain and maintain an interim and final security clearance before starting. Failure to secure the required clearance will result in withdrawal of any job offer

Skills Needed for Success

The engineers who do well here usually bring these qualities with them:

• Strong analytical thinking and the ability to break down complex technical problems
• Clear written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and stakeholder briefings
• Experience with modern engineering tools including MBSE platforms and agile frameworks
• Comfort working across teams and coordinating with architects developers and program managers
• Intellectual curiosity and the drive to research new technologies independently
• Attention to detail especially when producing technical reports and formal specifications
• Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple projects simultaneously

Career Growth and Advancement

Federal civilian engineering careers with the Navy offer a structured and rewarding path for professional growth. Starting at the ND-03 level you can advance to ND-04 noncompetitively once you meet all requirements and receive management recommendation. The ND-04 band covers GS-12 and GS-13 equivalent roles which represent senior technical positions with significant responsibility and compensation

Beyond pay band advancement you will have access to specialized training in defense acquisition systems engineering methodologies and leadership development programs. This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act meaning you will be working toward formal acquisition certification which adds long-term career value across the federal government

Salary and Benefits

Federal civilian engineers at this level earn competitive salaries with regular step increases built into the pay system. On top of your base salary you also get:

• Federal Employees Health Benefits program covering medical dental and vision
• Federal Employees Retirement System including a pension and Thrift Savings Plan with government matching
• Generous paid annual and sick leave
• Eleven paid federal holidays per year
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care
• Access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for eligible student loan borrowers
• Tuition assistance and professional development funding

Who Should Apply

This role is well suited for engineers scientists or mathematicians who are early to mid-career and looking to build a long-term federal career in defense technology. If you have a relevant degree are comfortable with systems engineering concepts and want to contribute to something larger than a commercial product this position offers exactly that kind of purpose-driven work

Ideal candidates will have some exposure to agile development model-based engineering or defense systems even if that experience came through academic projects or internships at the ND-03 level. More senior candidates with several years of professional engineering experience in defense or government environments will be competitive for the ND-04 level

How to Apply

Applications for this position are not submitted through USAJOBS. Instead send your resume and all required documents directly to:

Dlgr_nswc_jobinfo@navy.mil

Reference job announcement number DE-12820279-26-BWH in your email subject line

Your resume must be no longer than two pages. Illegible or incomplete resumes will not be reviewed. Include your employer names job titles dates of service hours per week and pay grades for any federal experience. Transcripts are required if you are using education to qualify

Submit your complete application package before the close date listed on the flyer. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered

Note: This position is currently subject to a Department of Defense hiring freeze. Offers of employment will not be made until an approved exemption is granted

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this position open to non-U.S. citizens? No — only U.S. citizens are eligible to apply

Can I apply through USAJOBS? No — you must email your application directly to Dlgr_nswc_jobinfo@navy.mil

What is the resume page limit? Resumes must be no longer than two pages. Resumes that exceed this limit or are illegible will not be considered

Does veterans preference apply? Veterans preference does not apply under this specific hiring authority. However veterans must still submit supporting documentation if claiming preference

Can education substitute for experience at the ND-03 level? Yes — two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a master’s degree or a combination of education and experience may substitute for specialized experience

Will relocation expenses be covered? The announcement does not specify relocation assistance — contact the hiring office for clarification

Is this a remote position? The position is based at NSWCDD in Dahlgren Virginia. Some travel may be required but this is primarily an in-person role

Conclusion

This kind of federal engineering role with the U.S. Navy does not come around often. The work is technically demanding the mission is meaningful and the long-term career value is strong. If you hold the right educational background have relevant engineering experience and are ready to contribute to U.S. naval readiness at a high level this position is worth serious consideration

Take time to review the qualification requirements carefully then put together a focused two-page resume and send your package to the email address above before the closing date

This article is published for informational purposes only. For the most current application instructions and deadlines refer to the official job announcement