Principal Software Engineer

Thales • Overland Park, KS

1d • $131,087 - $220,640 • Hybrid

About The Position

Thales is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to provide technical leadership in system safety, software assurance, and embedded software engineering within its Navigation and non-radar Surveillance (NAS) business. The role serves as a subject matter expert leading assurance activities for complex products, projects, and bids; resolving technical and compliance challenges; and supporting project milestones, product releases, and customer acceptance. It also provides advanced embedded software expertise for NAVAID and non-radar surveillance products, working across engineering, quality, cybersecurity, and program teams to achieve applicable safety, assurance, and lifecycle objectives.

The position is primarily based in the Overland Park, Kansas office on a hybrid schedule. The description states approximately 45% part-time salaried work, a Monday–Thursday 9/80 or 5/40 schedule, and less than 10% annual domestic and international travel. Candidates must be a U.S. Person as defined by applicable law, or otherwise authorized or eligible for authorization to access technology controlled under ITAR and/or EAR. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available. A post-offer background check is required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 8 years of progressively responsible engineering experience.
• At least 5 years performing or leading system safety and/or software assurance activities for Air Traffic Management, aviation, or similarly complex safety-related systems.
• At least 5 years of embedded software development experience in RTOS environments, with strong proficiency in C and C++, microprocessor-based systems, and hardware/software integration.
• Advanced working knowledge of applicable safety and software assurance standards, including DO-278A/ED-109A and, where relevant, ED-153 or MIL-STD-882; experience with DO-178B/C or ARP4761 may be considered where applicable principles transfer to ground-system assurance.
• Experience evaluating safety and assurance requirements, developing or reviewing compliance evidence, applying system safety analysis methods, and managing requirements traceability, configuration, defects, technical reviews, and verification activities.
• Ability to provide technical leadership with substantial autonomy, resolve complex engineering issues, assess software change impacts, guide multidisciplinary teams, and communicate technical recommendations effectively through strong writing, stakeholder engagement, and mentoring.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire; the position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or assumption of sponsorship now or in the future.
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined in applicable law, or otherwise authorized or eligible for authorization to access hardware, software, technology, or technical data controlled under ITAR and/or EAR.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience leading preparation for and participation in FAA, customer, or other approval-authority safety and software assurance reviews or audits, including support for Department of Defense and/or FAA programs.
• Experience with NAVAIDs such as ILS, DME, TACAN, or VOR, and/or non-radar surveillance products such as ADS-B, with familiarity in related hardware/software assurance interfaces, including DO-254 where applicable.
• Experience with Digital Signal Processor development, Linux kernel modification or administration, cybersecurity assessments, and/or Windows application development using Microsoft Visual Studio C++.
• Proficiency with requirements management, issue tracking, and engineering lifecycle tools and processes such as DOORS, Jira, Thales engineering tools, Chorus processes, and product lifecycle practices.
• Additional language capabilities supporting international collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical focal point for system safety and software assurance across assigned products, projects, and bids, defining assurance approaches and applying relevant standards, contractual requirements, and internal engineering processes.
• Lead safety and software assurance activities throughout the product lifecycle, including requirements, architecture, verification, compliance evidence, reviews, audits, release readiness, and resolution of assurance risks or gaps.
• Provide advanced embedded software engineering leadership for navigation and non-radar surveillance products, including design, development, integration, verification, and lifecycle support of complex software in C and C++ across RTOS, Linux/Unix, and Windows environments.
• Resolve complex technical issues involving software architecture, hardware/software interfaces, timing, performance, safety, cybersecurity, and compliance using structured analysis and evidence-based recommendations.
• Coordinate and influence multidisciplinary teams across Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Verification and Validation, Quality, Cybersecurity, and Program Management to align technical activities, risks, schedules, and customer or approval-authority requirements.
• Mentor engineers and drive continuous improvement in software development, safety, assurance, technical review practices, reusable evidence, and engineering methods.
• Communicate technical status, risks, and recommendations to leadership and key stakeholders.

Benefits

• Elective health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible spending account and health savings account options.
• Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life with LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident Insurance.
• Legal Plan, Identity Theft coverage, and Pet Insurance.
• Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment, with a company contribution and match and no vesting period.
• Company-paid holidays and Paid Time Off.
• Company-provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Principal