Principal Director, Mission Engineering and Integration Activity

About the role

The Principal Director, Mission Engineering and Integration Activity (MEIA), is the senior career executive and principal advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Mission Integration. The incumbent provides continuity, executive management, technical integration, and disciplined execution for MEIA as a Department-wide mission engineering reform effort.

What you will do

• The Principal Director, Mission Engineering and Integration Activity (MEIA), leads a large, multidisciplinary enterprise of military, civilian, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, University Affiliated Research Center, and contractor personnel, and performs the following major functions: Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Directs the day-to-day operations, administration, and execution of the MEIA enterprise and serves as the principal source of organizational continuity across changes in political leadership, priorities, personnel, and fiscal conditions.
• Provides executive integration and oversight across the full range of MEIA functions to ensure they operate as one Department-level enterprise rather than as independent activities.
• Directs advanced mission engineering and systems-of-systems analysis to decompose Blue and adversary kill chains, identify limiting factors and capability gaps, and develop integrated options that create measurable operational advantage.
• Provides executive oversight of MEIA programs, projects, contracts, analytic efforts, digital products, infrastructure, and capability-development initiatives; maintains accountability for cost, schedule, performance, technical risk, transition, and return on investment.
• Leads MEIA participation in the Department Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process and translates mission engineering findings into executable resource options, Program Element impacts, budget recommendations, budget priorities, spend plans, and transition strategies.
• Institutionalizes business case analysis and return on investment as core MEIA decision disciplines for capability development and Department resource decisions.
• Provides executive oversight of MEIA multi-cloud, multi-classification digital environments supporting analysis, mission engineering, modeling and simulation, Artificial Intelligence, data integration, software development, and secure collaboration.
• Provides executive oversight of structured industry engagement and technical due diligence to identify and assess commercial and defense technologies relevant to priority mission problems.
• Demonstrated senior executive experience leading complex technical organizations, translating strategic vision into measurable outcomes, and operating effectively across organizational boundaries under conditions of ambiguity and pressure.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• All newly appointed Career SES leaders must sign the Reassignment Rights Obligations Agreement as a condition of appointment into the SES.
• You must submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test before you can be appointed into this position.
• Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required.
• In order to qualify for this position, you must be able to obtain a Top Secret security clearance and access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).
• Submit resume and all other required documents online by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 11/27/2026 The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
• You will serve a one-year probationary period unless you have previously completed the probationary period in the SES.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see ***).

How you will be evaluated

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above.

ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

External USA Hire Assessment: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Civic-Mindedness Fiscal Responsibility Managing Resources Leveraging Technology Technical Skill Problem Solving Agility and Resilience Accountability Developing Others Executive Judgement Operational Mindset Innovation Strategic Thinking Customer Service Influencing/Negotiating Conflict Management Team Building Interpersonal Skills Integrity/Honesty Continual Learning Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position.

The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB through a Structured Interview process, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible).

Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to ***

Documents you must provide

• A complete application includes items described below.
• Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
• Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit.
• Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
• RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience.
• Your resume must address your technical and executive core qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages.
• Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 1" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font.
• If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will receive no further consideration.
• PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.
• ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: CURRENT OR FORMER SES MEMBERS: Must provide your SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
• SES CANDIDATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SESCDP) GRADUATES: Verification of successful completion of an OPM-approved SESCDP and OPM SES QRB certification.
• CURRENT FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE: Must provide a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting you are a current Federal Civil Service employee.
• DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as award certificates will not be considered.

What to expect next

To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (***), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: ***

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Additional information

DoW Joint Enterprise-Wide Experience Statement: In addition, DoW requires an Enterprise Perspective. This individual must have the ability to apply a broad point of view and an awareness and understanding of individual or organizational responsibilities in relation to DoW or government-wide strategic priorities is required.

Executives must demonstrate ability to work with internal and external partners to support national security objectives. This perspective is typically gained through a variety of diverse work experiences. This information should be embedded within the resume.

Veterans preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service. Applications MUST be submitted through USAJobs. Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders.

Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement. Tiering: The Office of the Secretary of War structures its SES positions into tiers to determine the pay range for each position.

The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: *** Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: *** OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch.

If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Check your email closely following the closing of this vacancy on 11/27/2026 for the invitation to complete the USA Hire Assessment.

You will have four (4) calendar days to complete the assessment. Please check both your junk and spam email as the assessment will come from a no-reply email.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency-Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within four (4) calendar days of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (***)