Principal Systems Engineer

Principal Mission Engineer

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We're a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation's health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future.

MITRE Technology and Engineering's Systems Engineering Division delivers innovative, multidisciplinary systems engineering solutions that address complex national security challenges and advance mission outcomes for sponsors across the federal government. The division serves as a center of excellence in systems engineering, bringing together expertise from across MITRE and collaborating with government, industry, and academia to develop and apply next-generation engineering approaches.

Core technical capabilities include:

• Mission, Enterprise, and Domain Engineering
• Systems Engineering, Architecting, and Lifecycle Integration
• Digital Engineering, Prototyping, and Modernization
• Architecture, Interfaces, and Open Systems
• Performance Analysis, Test, and Evaluation
• AI-Enabled Systems Engineering

The division applies these capabilities across sponsors and mission domains to accelerate innovation, integrate lessons learned, and strengthen MITRE's ability to deliver objective, mission-focused engineering solutions.

Roles & Responsibilities:

As a Principal Mission Engineer, you will serve as a senior technical leader supporting Army sponsors in the development of mission architectures, operational concepts, and systems-of-systems solutions that address critical warfighting challenges. You will work collaboratively across the Systems Engineering Division and broader MITRE enterprise to integrate diverse technical expertise, align engineering efforts to Army priorities, and deliver mission-driven recommendations that inform strategic investment and acquisition decisions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Partner with Army sponsors to define, shape, and execute high-priority mission engineering, architecture development, and capability assessment activities that address operational needs and emerging mission challenges.
• Collaborate across the Systems Engineering Division and MITRE technical community to integrate expertise in systems engineering, digital engineering, modeling and simulation, communications, data analytics, and operational analysis to support Army mission outcomes.
• Lead the development and evaluation of mission architectures, operational concepts, and system-of-systems solutions using mission engineering, MBSE, digital engineering, and quantitative analysis techniques.
• Assess capability gaps, mission effectiveness, operational risks, and technical tradeoffs, translating complex analyses into actionable recommendations for senior government decision-makers.
• Evaluate alternative architectures and investment strategies through qualitative and quantitative analysis, including assessment of cost, performance, interoperability, resiliency, and operational effectiveness.
• Identify critical technical risks, uncertainties, and dependencies, and lead rapid experimentation, prototyping, and risk-reduction efforts to inform technology, architecture, and acquisition decisions.
• Provide technical leadership for requirements management, architecture development, interface management, integration planning, modernization activities, and test and evaluation efforts.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of engineers and analysts, fostering collaboration, mentoring staff, and ensuring delivery of high-quality, mission-focused products.
• Build trusted advisor relationships with Army leaders, operational users, industry partners, and MITRE leadership to influence mission outcomes and shape future technical work.
• Contribute to the growth of MITRE's systems engineering capabilities through innovation, technical leadership, knowledge sharing, and development of new sponsor opportunities.

Basic Qualifications:

• 10+ years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; 8+ years with a Master's degree; or a PhD with relevant experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated technical leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Expertise in Systems Architecture, Mission Engineering, Digital Engineering, Systems-of-Systems Engineering, Modeling & Simulation, or Operational Planning.
• Experience with C2 and communications architectures and mission-level trade studies.
• Ability to assess mission effectiveness, cost-performance tradeoffs, and technical risk.
• Experience collaborating with operational users, government stakeholders, industry, and technical teams.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and translate technical findings into actionable recommendations.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.
• Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active SECRET or TS/SCI clearance.
• Advanced degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Expertise in mission, systems, or enterprise architecture.
• Experience with Army modernization, mission engineering, operational analysis, C2, or communications systems.
• Proficiency with MBSE and Digital Engineering tools (e.g., Cameo, SysML, DOORS, Rhapsody).
• Experience with quantitative analysis, modeling and simulation, and data analytics.
• Experience leading complex, multidisciplinary technical efforts.
• Demonstrated technical innovation, research, publications, or prototype development.
• Established trusted advisor relationships with senior government leaders.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s): Secret

Salary compensation range and midpoint: $162,400 - $203,000 - $243,600 Annual

Work Location Type: Onsite

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.