Principal Systems Engineer
About The Position
Leidos Defense is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to drive the architectural design, hardware-software integration, and deployment of next-generation tactical systems and advanced technologies for Department of Defense initiatives. The role serves as a primary subject matter expert, translating customer concepts into flight-ready hardware solutions and providing technical direction across multidisciplinary Integrated Product Teams (IPTs). The engineer will manage complex engineering challenges, design embedded architectures, and guide teams through hardware lifecycles. Leidos Defense Systems Sector delivers systems, solutions, and services across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace, including enterprise and mission IT, intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence operations support.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in engineering or a related STEM discipline and 10 or more years of systems engineering experience, or a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a similar discipline and 12 or more years of relevant systems engineering experience.
- Proven background as an architect or technical lead creating flight-worthy weapon systems.
- Comprehensive working knowledge of, and implementation experience with, defense standards.
- Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams as an IPT Lead, product owner, or scrum master within an agile framework.
- U.S. citizenship.
- Active Top Secret security clearance.
- Ability to travel 25% or more.
Nice To Haves
- Prior experience developing high-complexity hypersonic systems.
- Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML concepts, or requirements tools such as Cameo/MagicDraw and IBM DOORS.
- Hands-on experience implementing open system architectures such as WOSA or Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) messaging standards.
Responsibilities
- Architect, lead, and deliver hypersonic vehicle designs and custom or commercial off-the-shelf Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) for missile systems.
- Support complex system designs using highly integrated multidisciplinary techniques and Weapon Open System Architecture (WOSA) frameworks.
- Direct multidisciplinary Integrated Product Teams and serve as the primary internal technical authority.
- Host weekly technical interchange meetings with external subcontractors to maintain design consistency.
- Work with engineering teams to translate military standards into rigorous hardware requirements.
- Support Control Account Managers with technical write-ups, work breakdowns, and schedule estimates for Earned Value Management, CapEx initiatives, and competitive proposals.
- Serve as a certified test conductor or lead verification engineer to establish system-level test plans, environmental stress screening, HWIL integration, and launch-readiness countdown actions.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
