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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Systems Engineer - **Company:** CHAOS Industries - **Location:** El Segundo, CA, United States - **Salary:** $198,000.0 - $320,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Configuration Management, Network Interface Controllers, Integrated Development Environments, Rhapsody, Requirements Management, Software Requirements Analysis, Verification and Validation (Software), Systems Modeling Language, Systems Architecture, Digital Twin, MagicDraw, Data Management - **Published:** October 11, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=e564e7cc5103df6e ## About the Role We are seeking an experienced Principal Systems Engineer who will have a technical ownership of an autonomous Massed Modular Aircraft development program, holding end-to-end responsibility across the full program lifecycle - from concept definition and requirements development through design, integration, verification/validation, qualification, production transition, and in-service/sustainment support. This role requires deep command of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices using SysML, and the ability to establish and lead a model-centric development environment across a modular, multi-variant aircraft architecture. The ideal candidate combines strong systems engineering fundamentals with hands-on MBSE tooling experience and the leadership presence to drive technical decisions across a large, cross-functional engineering organization., * Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline; advanced degree preferred. * 15+ years of systems engineering experience within the aerospace/defense industry, including demonstrated ownership of a program across multiple lifecycle phases. * Strong hands-on experience with MBSE practices and SysML modeling (e.g., using tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler/MagicDraw, Rhapsody, or equivalent). * Demonstrated experience defining and governing system architectures for complex, multi-variant, or modular platforms. * Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including requirements management, architecture development, and verification/validation planning. * Experience leading technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and interfacing directly with government or commercial customers. * Experience with model-based verification and simulation-driven V&V approaches. Preferred Requirements: * Direct experience with modular aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or multi-mission/multi-variant platform architectures. * Experience establishing an MBSE environment and digital thread/digital twin capability on a new program from the ground up. * Ability to obtain/maintain Secret/Top Secret/SCI clearance ## Description * Serve as the senior technical authority for systems engineering across all phases of the program: concept development, requirements definition, preliminary and critical design, integration and test, qualification, production transition, and in-service/sustainment support. * Own the system architecture and requirements baseline for a modular aircraft platform, ensuring configurability and commonality across variants/mission modules while maintaining system-level integrity. * Drive technical decision-making at major program reviews (SRR, SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, qualification reviews) and own associated review packages and exit criteria. * Partner with the Chief Engineer and Program Manager to balance technical, cost, and schedule trades across the lifecycle. * Establish, govern, and continuously mature the program's MBSE environment using SysML, ensuring the system model serves as the authoritative source of truth for requirements, architecture, interfaces, and behavior. * Define and enforce modeling standards, viewpoints, and model governance practices across a multi-disciplinary engineering team. * Lead requirements decomposition and allocation from system-level down to subsystem and component levels within the model environment, maintaining full bidirectional traceability. * Drive integration of the SysML model with digital engineering tools across the toolchain (e.g., requirements management, simulation, verification tracking, configuration management) to support a true digital thread/digital twin environment * Define and maintain the modular system architecture, including interface control documents (ICDs) governing structural, electrical, data, and software interfaces between core airframe and mission/payload modules. * Lead trade studies evaluating commonality vs. mission-specific optimization across module variants. * Define the system-level verification and validation (V&V) strategy, ensuring full traceability from requirements through test/analysis/demonstration/inspection methods to verification closure. * Lead integration of model-based verification artifacts (e.g., simulation-based verification, model execution/analysis) alongside traditional test-based verification. * Support qualification planning and execution, ensuring the system design and supporting model artifacts meet contractual and regulatory certification/qualification requirements * Partner closely with Configuration Management, Data Management, Program Scheduling, and Contracts functions to ensure systems engineering artifacts align with program baselines and contractual deliverables. * Represent systems engineering in customer technical interchange meetings, program reviews, and audits. * Support proposal efforts with systems engineering approach development, technical staffing plans, and MBSE implementation roadmaps for new business pursuits.