Senior Principal Spacecraft Concept & Mission Engineer/Sr Principal Systems Engineer Onsite

Date Posted: 2026-08-20 | Location: Tucson, AZ | Onsite role

An active and transferable U.S. government-issued Top Secret security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

About the Role

RTX, the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, unites 185,000 minds to solve complex problems through innovation. Within Raytheon’s Integrated Solutions Modeling and Architecture Directorate (ISMA), you will support Advanced Technology's Alternate Missions & Space product line, developing satellite technology, assessing mission CONOPs and constellations, and capturing new programs for national security space customers. This role involves research and development with opportunities to develop inventions and intellectual property.

Responsibilities

• Perform vehicle design, system sizing, mission performance analysis, and trajectory optimization.
• Analyze notional missions and hardware for feasibility, collaborating across disciplines to improve models and understand performance drivers.
• Develop mission analysis, performance analysis, and mission planning toolsets for a portfolio of systems.
• Utilize grid computing infrastructure to generate and analyze large datasets.
• Produce visualizations of complex systems and mission CONOPs using STK or similar tools.
• Coordinate with product line management, customers, and leadership to mature technologies for new business development.
• Pursue IRAD funding and author intellectual property disclosures.
• Engage in mission planning application software development and testing.

Requirements

• Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience (or equivalent per local laws).
• Depth in at least one system-level or subsystem-level technical domain:
  • Guidance, Navigation, and Control
  • Orbital Mechanics
  • Mission Planning
  • Mission Analysis / Performance Analysis
  • Satellite Technology
  • Multidisciplinary design, System-of-Systems design
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, and/or C++ to model physical systems.
• Experience in one or more of the following:
  • System performance, CONOPS
  • Algorithms and signal processing
  • Modeling and simulation (e.g., 6-DOF)
• Active and transferable Top Secret U.S. government-issued security clearance required at application, with ability to obtain special program access post-hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in STEM (may substitute for experience).
• Understanding of vehicle conceptual design, advanced design methods, numerical optimization, and data analytics.
• Experience building physics-based models and selecting appropriate fidelity for analysis.
• Highly self-motivated with an independent work ethic.
• Familiarity with Git version control and SLURM grid computing infrastructure.
• Experience with Ansys STK.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $132,400 – $251,600 USD. Factors such as experience, location, and skills influence the final offer.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance and short/long-term disability
• 401(k) match
• Flexible spending accounts
• Flexible work schedules
• Employee assistance program
• Employee Scholar Program (tuition support)
• Parental leave
• Paid time off and holidays
• Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs (performance-dependent)