Sr. Principal Systems Engineer – Airborne PNT

Quest Defense Systems & Solutions•Cedar Rapids, IA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

Quest Defense Systems & Solutions is seeking a Sr. Principal Systems Engineer to lead systems architecture, requirements development, integration, and validation for next-generation GPS and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions. The role serves as a technical authority across Airborne PNT product lines, contributing to resilient navigation, anti-jam systems, and precision approach technologies. The position is hybrid, combining on-site engineering collaboration and remote analytical work, with access to secure labs and critical hardware. The work supports reliable, survivable navigation systems for challenging air and maritime environments. The engineer leads systems engineering across requirements, architecture, integration, verification, and validation; applies MBSE methods; collaborates across engineering disciplines; mentors systems engineers; and presents technical information to internal and government or military stakeholders. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field such as Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
Minimum experience: 8+ years with a bachelor’s degree, 6+ years with a master’s degree, or 4+ years with a PhD.
Demonstrated experience across the full systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements, architecture, design, integration, and test.
Strong understanding of real-time embedded systems and system-level hardware/software interfaces.
Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly in documentation, presentations, and cross-functional discussions.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience with airborne certification processes or standards such as DO-178C, DO-254, MIL-STD-882, or MIL-STD-810.
Familiarity with military PNT systems, GPS receivers, anti-jam technologies, A-PNT architectures, or resilient navigation techniques.
Experience with MBSE tools such as Cameo, MagicDraw, MagicGrid, or SysML modeling frameworks.
Proficiency with requirements tools such as DOORS or JAMA and engineering analysis tools such as MATLAB or Python.
Active Secret or Top Secret clearance.
Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related field.
Experience using generative AI or automation tools to enhance system modeling, analysis, or documentation productivity.

Responsibilities

Lead requirement analysis, decomposition, and derivation of system-level specifications into hardware, software, and interface requirements.
Define and refine architectures for real-time embedded GPS/PNT systems optimized for airborne platforms, advanced receivers, and secure navigation processing chains.
Drive disciplined systems engineering processes, including traceability, configuration management, and audit-ready engineering artifacts.
Develop and execute test plans, integration procedures, and qualification activities to verify system performance under operational and stressed conditions.
Use MBSE tools and methodologies to improve requirements traceability, behavioral modeling, and system consistency.
Partner with software, RF, hardware, and algorithm engineering teams to resolve multidisciplinary challenges and conduct trade studies.
Provide guidance and technical mentorship to systems engineers across experience levels.
Prepare and present technical briefings to internal leadership, program management, and government or military stakeholders.