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# Principal Systems Engineer

- **Company:** Epiq
- **Location:** Frederick, MD, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $145,000
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Data Analysis, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Digital Electronics, Firmware, Python (Programming Language), Radio-Frequency Identification, Systems Development Life Cycle, Software Requirements Analysis, Systems Architecture, Strategies of Testing
- **Published:** November 4, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.jofdav.com/jobs/60410048-principal-systems-engineer

## About the Role

Required
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or related disciplineMinimum 15 years of engineering experience, including at least 5 years in radio or RF hardware developmentBroad technical understanding of SDR systems, including RF front ends, digital hardware, firmware, and softwareStrong verbal and written communication skillsDemonstrated ability to develop and communicate system architectures, block diagrams, and interface definitionsExperience performing system-level trade studies, requirements definition, and design reviewsWorking knowledge of Python and basic modeling or data analysis techniquesAbility to manage multiple efforts simultaneously and prioritize across concurrent projectsAble to work on US Government Contracts which requires U.S. citizenship

Preferred
Master's degree in EngineeringExperience supporting customer-funded prototype development followed by internal productization or new product introduction effortsFamiliarity with customer integration challenges involving RF systems and embedded platforms

## Description

The Principal Systems Engineer provides technical leadership in the development and evolution of SDR platforms. This is an emerging role within the organization and will play a key part in aligning customer needs, product strategy, and technical execution. The position will collaborate closely with product management, customers, and cross-functional engineering teams to define system requirements, guide architectural decisions, and support programs from early concept through prototype delivery and commercialization.

The role requires a broad technical understanding of SDR systems - including RF, hardware, firmware, and software - and the ability to translate customer and product needs into clear system definitions. Depending on project needs, the Principal Systems Engineer may also serve as a technical lead for SDR development efforts with defined scope and delivery timelines., Collaborate with product management to develop and review technical content for proposals, statements of work, and customer engagements.Engage with customers and internal product development teams to develop system-level use cases that inform feature scoping and platform direction. Define and document system and feature-level requirements for new radio platforms and major capabilities, with primary ownership through initial definition and handoff to execution teams. Identify and scope technical trade studies to evaluate architectural, performance, and implementation options. Support initial project baseline planning by working with subject matter experts to guide scope, assumptions, and feasibility discussions. Balance customer-specific program needs with long-term SDR platform strategy, identifying opportunities for reuse and commonality. Develop high-level system architectures, including block diagrams, interface definitions, and support for critical component selection. Work closely with
a Technical Lead focused on execution (on some projects, serve as the Technical Lead) responsible for coordinating cross-functional technical efforts.Support projects through the full product lifecycle from early concept and customer-funded development through New Product Introduction (NPI), production, fielded support, and eventual product retirement. Define system-level acceptance and verification approaches, including how data should be acquired, structured, and reviewed to validate requirements. Guide troubleshooting of complex system-level issues, helping teams isolate problems to subsystems through structured analysis and test strategy guidance. Provide technical customer support related to integrating SDR products into larger customer systems. Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of Epiq's systems engineering processes, templates, and best practices. Lead a cross-functional engineering team through SDR hardware and system development efforts.Identify technical
risks and develop and implement mitigation plans.Work with engineering team members to define development tasks, dependencies, and priorities, and assist in removing technical blockers.Establish and track internal technical milestones to support delivery against contract and customer commitments.Collaborate with project management to ensure projects remain aligned with schedule, budget, and scope. Requirements