Engineer Senior Principal – Systems - Mission Architect

Job Description

BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems (SMS) is seeking a visionary leader to serve as a cornerstone of our Mission Engineering team. This is not a traditional systems engineering role; it is a strategic mandate to define the future architectures and technological trajectories of our business.

As a Mission Architect, you will operate at the critical intersection of technical excellence and business growth. You will lead the conceptualization of cutting-edge systems from the earliest stages of proposal and study through to implementation and launch. If you are an independent, action-oriented architect who thrives on ambiguity and possesses the technical gravity to guide multidisciplinary teams toward high-impact solutions, we invite you to shape the future of our mission capabilities.

You will be responsible for translating complex customer needs into discriminating technical architectures, ensuring BAE Systems SMS remains the partner of choice for the most challenging missions in the space and defense domains.

The Engineering, Science and Analysis (ESA) Strategic Capabilities Unit comprises the technical talent and organizational leadership that enables the successful delivery of high-impact discriminating technologies for our customers missions. Our collaborative, cross-functional teams are committed to innovation, integrity, continual learning and strong execution.
What Youll Do:

• Architectural Vision & Strategy:
  • Conceptual Leadership: Lead the end-to-end program lifecycle, transforming abstract concepts into rigorous designs and actionable requirement sets.
  • Advanced Trade Analysis: Develop and execute sophisticated technical trade studies to define system architectures, balancing performance, risk, and cost to determine the optimal path forward.
  • Operational Design: Define the System Concept of Operations (CONOPS), ensuring that technical architectures are grounded in operational reality and mission success.
  • Future-Proofing: Stay at the vanguard of emerging trends in data analytics, modeling and simulation, and space architecture to ensure our technology roadmap remains competitive.
• Business Growth & Capture:
  • New Business Architecture: Partner with business development teams to architect the technical responses for new pursuits, ensuring our proposals are both innovative and executable.
  • IRAD & Tech Development: Contribute to the internal research and development (IRAD) pipeline, identifying the "gap" in current capabilities and designing the technologies to fill them.
  • Customer Stewardship: Cultivate and expand strategic relationships with customers, aligning their mission needs with the BAE Systems SMS technology roadmap during both the capture and execution phases.
• Technical Leadership & Mentorship:
  • Team Orchestration: Lead and organize multidisciplinary teams to hit critical milestones, providing the technical guidance and problem-solving expertise necessary to overcome complex bottlenecks.
  • Professional Stewardship: Mentor and coach the next generation of systems engineers, elevating the team's collective capability in mission architecture and systems thinking.
• Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

On-Site Work Environment: This position requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site five days each normally scheduled week in the primary work location. Travel and local commute between company campuses and other possible non-company locations may be required.

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in an office, laboratory, production floor, or cleanroom, outdoors or remote research environment.
• May occasionally work in production work centers where use of protective equipment and gear is required.
• May access other facilities in various weather conditions.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Core Requirements:
  • BS degree or higher in Engineering or a related technical field is required plus 8 or more years related experience.
  • Each higher-level degree, i.e., Masters Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education.
  • A current, active Secret security clearance is required with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI.
• Technical Mastery:
  • Systems Architecture: Proven expertise in the full systems engineering lifecycle, with a specific focus on Architecture Development, the execution of complex Trade Studies, and the definition of Concept of Operations (CONOPS).
  • MBSE Proficiency: Demonstrated experience utilizing Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to design and validate complex system architectures.
  • Multi-Domain Expertise: Deep strategic understanding of mission sets and customer requirements across the Ground, Air, and Space domains.
• Strategic Leadership & Business Growth:
  • Capture & Proposal Leadership: Extensive experience in proposal development and delivery, with a proven ability to translate mission needs into winning technical architectures.
  • Technical Orchestration: A track record of leading and mentoring high-performing technical teams to achieve critical milestones in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
  • Executive Communication: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex technical analysis into professional presentations for senior internal leadership and external government/industry customers.
  • Strategic Relationship Management: Ability to cultivate and maintain high-level relationships with customers, aligning their operational needs with corporate technology roadmaps.

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Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Academic Depth: An advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Physics or Mathematics, providing the theoretical foundation necessary for complex architectural challenges.
• Aerospace Mastery: A proven track record of working with aircraft, spacecraft, and the critical ground systems that support them.
• Specialized Knowledge: A solid technical background in electro-optics and photonics, enabling the design of next-generation sensing capabilities.
• Digital Engineering Proficiency: Expert-level skill in the MBSE ecosystem, specifically leveraging Cameo, SysML, Jama, and DOORS to create rigorous, scalable system models.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $132962 - $226035

Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.

About BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems
BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.

Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.