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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Systems Engineer - **Company:** Red 6 - **Location:** Denver, CO, United States - **Salary:** $160,000.0 - $200,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Configuration Management, Software Documentation, Network Interface Controllers, Performance Tuning, Software Architecture, Systems Development Life Cycle, Rhapsody, Requirements Management, Software Engineering, Software Requirements Analysis, Systems Modeling Language, Systems Integration, MagicDraw, Software Verification - **Published:** September 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.builtincolorado.com/auth/login?destination=/job/principal-systems-engineer/11343493 ## About the Role * Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related STEM field. * 12 years+ of experience in aerospace, defense, or mission-critical system development. * Demonstrated experience across the full systems development lifecycle, from early concept and requirements through design, integration, verification, validation, production, and operations & maintenance. * Proficiency with requirements management tools and products, including requirements development, decomposition, tracing, validation and verification. * Experience authoring and reviewing Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Concepts of Operation, Trade Studies, Documentation Trees, Engineering Management Plans, Engineering Change Packages or similar systems engineering artifacts. * Experience supporting or leading formal design milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR). * Effective written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and cross-team coordination. * Demonstrated familiarity with the software development lifecycle and software architecture, including the integration of software within complex hardware and mission systems. * Knowledge of MIL-STD documentation standards and defense acquisition lifecycle processes. * Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance. This requires U.S. Citizenship, * Master's degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical field. * INCOSE CSEP Certification. * Experience with AR/VR technologies and head-mounted display systems. * Familiarity with avionics systems, aircraft integration, or similar platforms. * Experience applying MBSE methodologies using SysML tools such as Cameo, MagicDraw, or Rhapsody. * Familiarity with airworthiness certification processes and safety-critical system development. ## Description We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to support the development, integration, and verification of the Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) across the full product lifecycle. This role supports the overall system development of ATARS via requirements development and traceability, architecture definition, interface management, hardware/software integration, and conducting formal design milestone reviews. In addition, this role will lead requirements, architecture, and design work for the early lifecycle of the next generation ATARS. The Principal Systems Engineer will operate in a cross-functional environment supporting hardware, software, optics, test, and airworthiness teams to ensure technical performance, compliance, and mission readiness of complex integrated systems., * Lead cross functional teams across Systems Engineering, Configuration Management, and Systems Integration & Test to align technical execution, drive solutions, and guide discussions. * Develop, decompose, and manage system and subsystem requirements using approved requirements management tools. * Establish and maintain the Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix (RVTM), ensuring bidirectional traceability from system requirements through verification artifacts. * Develop and manage Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for internal and external system integrations (hardware, software, avionics, and platform interfaces). * Lead and support design milestone reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, and SVR. * Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies (SysML) to develop system architectures, functional decompositions, use cases, and interface models. * Conduct trade studies and technical analysis to support design decisions and performance optimization. * Manage allocations of weight, power, and other system resources across components. * Coordinate and oversee system integration and verification activities in both lab and aircraft environments. * Identify and manage technical risks, ensuring mitigation plans are in place. * Serve as a technical point of contact across internal teams and with external partners to ensure alignment on system design and performance. ## Related Videos - [Practical performance tuning for Serverless Java on AWS](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2075-practical-performance-tuning-for-serverless-java-on-aws) - [Model Based Systems Engineering in an Agile Product Development Process](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/68-model-based-systems-engineering-in-an-agile-product-development-process) - [Tour de Force: Open-Source LLM Inference Optimization from Simple to Sophisticated](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100099-tour-de-force-open-source-llm-inference-optimization-from-simple-to-sophisticated) - [Crew Management System for Airlines: Plan duties for pilots & flight attendants worldwide](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1444-crew-management-system-for-airlines-plan-duties-for-pilots-flight-attendants-worldwide) - [Security Pitfalls for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/726-security-pitfalls-for-software-engineers) - [Let's Get Aggregated: Custom UDAFs in Spark ](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1649-let-s-get-aggregated-custom-udafs-in-spark) ## Related Articles - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [What is Software Engineering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/289-what-is-software-engineering) - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers) - [Top Characteristics of a Software Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/166-top-characteristics-of-a-software-engineer) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers)