Senior Principal Project Engineer - Chief Engineer (ONSITE)

About the role

The Open Systems Solutions (OSS) Products Team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is seeking a Senior Principal Project Engineer - Chief Engineer to lead next-generation Open System Architecture product development. This organization develops open standards compliant modular solutions and enables rapid deployment of mission critical capabilities to the warfighter.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical design authority for the Multi-Function Processing & Secure Solutions Products within OSS, ensuring architecture and decisions align with program & product line strategy
• Lead cross-discipline integration across systems, software, electrical, mechanical, and specialty engineering
• Develop and manage engineering plans, including scope, schedules, estimates, and project controls
• Cook up technical content for proposals, business cases, specifications, and contract commitments
• Set design direction and oversee development, integration, verification, validation, and qualification activities
• Identify issues, drive timely resolution, and maintain execution alignment to cost, schedule, and performance targets
• Cook up resources and partner with functional leaders to ensure the right engineering skillsets are applied
• Act as the primary technical interface for program leadership, customers, and suppliers
• Travel up to 25% required

Qualifications

• You Must Have:
  • Extensive experience in systems, software, or multi-disciplinary engineering leadership roles
  • Demonstrated authority in leading technical direction, architecture definition, and cross-functional integration on complex programs
  • Prominent experience planning and executing engineering scope, including work breakdown structures, estimates, schedules, and project controls
  • Strong background in technical risk & opportunity management, issue resolution, and execution within cost/schedule/quality targets
  • Proven experience leading verification, validation, and qualification activities for mission-critical systems
  • Prominent ability to collaborate with program management, customers, and suppliers in a high-visibility technical leadership capacity
  • Active and transferable Secret U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date with the ability to obtain Top Secret after start date
  • U.S. citizenship only (dual citizenship not permitted) is required, as access to information under this program/contract is restricted to individuals with sole U.S. citizenship
• We Prefer:
  • Prior technical leadership experience as a Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or equivalent architecture/ownership role
  • Experience with mission systems, avionics, or other complex, integrated software/hardware product families
  • Demonstrated success driving engineering strategy, process improvements, and architectural cohesion across large programs or portfolios
  • Background in supporting proposals, business plans, or contract negotiations for technically complex systems
  • Knowledge of regulatory, certification, or qualification requirements applicable to mission products
  • Experience leading within an agile execution model with knowledge and experience in agile tools such as JIRA & Confluence