TS/SCI Clearance Aerospace & Defense Jobs
TS/SCI (Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information) is the highest tier most aerospace engineers will encounter, gating access to compartmented intelligence programs.
What is a TS/SCI Clearance?
TS/SCI builds on a Top Secret clearance by adding access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. It often requires additional briefings, a signed non-disclosure agreement for each compartment, and in some cases a counterintelligence or full-scope polygraph.
Why aerospace & defense employers need it
TS/SCI holders — especially with a current polygraph — are among the most sought-after and highest-paid technical professionals in defense aerospace and space. Intelligence-community-adjacent programs in ISR, satellite systems, and classified autonomy depend on this pool, which is intentionally small.
Typical roles requiring TS/SCI
Tips for cleared candidates
- Note whether you hold a current polygraph (CI or full-scope) — it materially expands the roles you qualify for.
- TS/SCI is the top of the hierarchy in our taxonomy, so you satisfy every lower clearance filter automatically.
- Keep compartment access and dates current; recruiters filter on recency as well as level.
Frequently asked questions
Does TS/SCI require a polygraph?
Not always. SCI access itself does not universally require a polygraph, but many compartmented programs and agencies add a CI or full-scope polygraph as a condition of access.
Is TS/SCI the highest clearance?
In practice, TS/SCI (often with polygraph) is the highest access level most aerospace and defense engineers will work under.
Find verified, cleared aerospace talent
WWAEN lets employers filter candidates by clearance level and verification status — the cleared-talent pool LinkedIn and Indeed can't surface. Hierarchical matching means a TS/SCI holder also appears for lower-clearance roles.
Other clearance levels
Secret clearance is the most common requirement for aerospace and defense engineering roles. It covers information whose unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to national security.
Top Secret clearance covers information whose disclosure could cause exceptionally grave damage to national security — required for the most sensitive aerospace and defense programs.
Public Trust is not a classified clearance but a suitability determination for positions of trust — common for federal contractors in aviation and aerospace support roles.