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# Senior Principal Systems Engineer

- **Company:** Pacific Defense
- **Location:** Sunnyvale, CA, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Hardware Design, Software Architecture, Systems Development Life Cycle, Software Engineering, Verification and Validation (Software), Systems Architecture, Information Technology
- **Published:** November 3, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.thejobnetwork.com/job/3540c7a0-4f22-4e27-a039-d1505be49b61/senior-principal-systems-engineer

## About the Role

** Due to the classified nature of our work, U.S. citizenship is required. Candidates must be willing to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance., * Passion for both program startup and test and integration.

 * A proven drive for rigor in system and subsystem verification.
 * Skills needed for program startup including requirement generation, allocation, and verification.
 * Lab experience to support/lead the Integration and Test efforts up to and including verification/validation/acceptance with a focus on automation in testing.
 * Experience with Electronic Warfare (comms and/or non-comms), PNT, and Communications waveforms.
 * Proven field experience that demonstrates the ability to understand customer use cases and to rapidly adapt to changing needs.
 * Perform supporting analysis needed for proposals and documentation.
 * Be a voice into the direction of product development and future pursuits.
 * Work solutions to program problems across the company.
 * Support new business initiatives as required to include contribution to technical content, distribution, and collection/validation of Engineering artifacts across all Engineering disciplines.
 * Mentorship and growth of System Engineers., * Communications and Non-Communications Electronic Support (ES) and Electronic Attack (EA) System development and deployment experience.
 * Communications and Non-Communications signal properties, their detection, measurement, identification, and degradation, disruption, and denial.
 * Expertise in EW System verification using standard test equipment and special purpose subsystems.
 * Strong preference for hands-on work.
 * Understanding of Open Systems standards and experience using them (SOSA, CMOSS, MORA, VICTORY).
 * Possess acute attention to detail and be proactive and self-motivating.
 * Willingness to help refine processes and procedures to optimize rapid but assured system realization in a growing small company atmosphere.
 * Experience with hardware architecture, specification, design, integration, and testing, especially transceivers, amplifier subsystems, and antenna subsystems
 * Ability to work with customers to develop and document system requirements.
 * Demonstrate a strong understanding of hardware engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, computer architectures, and software architecture.
 * Coordinate work to analyze and translate requirements into system architecture, hardware and software designs and interface specifications.
 * Ability to design, analyze, and evaluate hardware products.
 * Experience following processes to ensure quality and predictability of hardware development.
 * Develop models or simulations and apply advanced computer programs, analytical techniques, or control strategies to effectively meet requirements and resolve problems.
 * Critical thinker, with prudent risk tolerance to balance risk and technology with requirements, cost, and schedule.
 * Competitive spirit accepting of challenges with a willingness to learn and recover from mistakes.
 * Willingness to learn and explore on your own, and travel, when necessary, in support of business goals.
 * Strong desire to work at a smaller company free of many of the "big company" roadblocks.
 * Strong written and oral communication skills with experience presenting technical material.

Preferred Experience

 * 5+ years of experience
 * Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, or other relevant technical field.