Senior Principal Engineer

Leidos•Bridgewater, VA

About The Position

The Senior Principal Engineer supports airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) programs by assessing customer technologies and future requirements, identifying system performance gaps, and recommending platform-agnostic sensor solutions. The role supports engineering evaluations of products, processes, integration standards, and operational plans for current and future ISR technologies. The engineer is accountable for technical project budgets and communicates engineering costs to customers and program management. The role coordinates with U.S. Government customers, subcontractors, vendors, OEMs, technology vendors, and strategic industry partners; evaluates emerging technologies and mission capabilities; and influences stakeholders on policies, practices, and procedures. It also leads technical solution development and proposal support, including architecture assessments, trade studies, technical documentation, and capture and review activities. The position provides systems engineering direction across the development lifecycle, including design, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment. It oversees development of test plans and procedures, test planning and airborne flight test execution, and troubleshooting of product issues. The engineer also maintains operational oversight of engineering staff and Sensor Integration Lab equipment and performs other duties as needed to support program responsiveness. Travel is required, generally 25%, with surge travel up to 50% for integration, installation, or test events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with at least 8 years of relevant experience, or a master’s degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience.
Active DoD Secret clearance and ability to acquire and maintain Top Secret/SCI clearance.
Experience determining solutions and providing direction across all phases of the Systems Development Lifecycle for mission systems.
Expertise in solutioning LRR, SIGINT, and GEOINT remote sensing systems for U.S. Government customers, including experience with Army Airborne ISR systems.
Ability to direct and oversee development of project test plans and procedures and manage test planning and airborne flight test execution.
Proficiency investigating product issues during testing, determining root cause, and identifying appropriate resolutions.
Expertise selecting, developing, modifying, integrating, and evaluating airborne sensors, rack-mounted equipment, and electrical components.
Ability to communicate effectively with Leidos and subcontractor functional leads, managers, and employees.
Ability to travel 25% and accommodate surge travel up to 50% for integration, installation, or test events.
Ability to obtain a passport for international travel.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience leading Integrated Product Team meetings among Leidos, U.S. Government, and subcontractors.
Experience leading OML Engineering efforts and modifying Long Range Business Class platforms.
Systems engineering experience focused on Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) within DoD or aerospace programs.
Systems Modeling Language Model User certification.
Familiarity with Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles.

Responsibilities

Understand customers’ current technologies and future requirements; identify system performance gaps and recommend platform-agnostic sensor solutions for bridge projects and programs of record.
Support division engineering evaluations of products, processes, integration standards, and operational plans for existing and future airborne ISR technologies.
Maintain technical project budget accountability and report engineering costs to customers and Program Management.
Communicate with U.S. Government customers, subcontractors, vendors, and other external constituents, and influence stakeholders and decisionmakers on policies, practices, and procedures.
Develop teaming strategies and coordinate technical engagement with subcontractors, OEMs, technology vendors, and strategic industry partners while evaluating emerging technologies and mission capabilities.
Lead development of technical whitepapers, architecture products, technical briefings, CONOPS, RFIs, RFP responses, BOEs, technical proposal volumes, risk assessments, and solution narratives.
Conduct technical trade studies, architecture evaluations, integration planning, and solution assessments to ensure proposed solutions are executable, interoperable, competitive, and aligned with customer mission objectives.
Provide subject matter expert support for capture and proposal activities and lead or participate in IDR, Red Team, and FEDSIM oral presentation reviews, including storyboard development, rehearsal support, and executive-level presentations.
Maintain operational oversight of engineering staff and Sensor Integration Lab equipment.
Determine solutions and provide direction throughout systems development lifecycle phases, including design, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment of mission systems.
Direct and oversee development of project test plans and procedures; manage test planning and airborne flight test execution.
Investigate product issues during testing, determine root causes, and identify appropriate resolutions.
Select, develop, modify, integrate, and evaluate airborne sensors, rack-mounted equipment, and electrical components.
Travel to support stakeholder meetings and integration, installation, or test events.