Principal Systems Engineer

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us.The Systems and Operations Department (L626) within MITRE’s Systems Engineering Division in the Center for Engineering and Analysis delivers innovative, mission-focused solutions using a multidisciplinary systems engineering approach to address sponsor challenges critical to national security missions. We advance engineering rigor, operational relevance, and mission effectiveness across complex systems and enterprises, with core focus areas in mission integration, lifecycle systems engineering, and acquisition systems engineering. Our teams develop, assess, and transition engineering solutions, provide strategic technical vision, and deliver data-informed recommendations that enable sponsor mission success from tactical through enterprise levels. Roles & Responsibilities:The Systems and Operations Department is seeking a Principal Space Systems of Systems Engineer to support complex space missions, architectures, capabilities, and modernization initiatives. The selected candidate will translate strategic objectives into mission capabilities, enterprise requirements, architectures, and executable plans. The role requires decomposing mission needs from the strategic level through operational concepts, mission threads, system functions, interfaces, and enabling technologies. In addition, the selected candidate will be expected to:Analyze, capture, and distill enterprise requirements and evolve enterprise requirements processes for Space Force across acquisition, force design, and operations at a System of Systems levelTranslate strategic objectives, operational needs, and mission priorities into capabilities, architectures, enterprise requirements, mission threads, and executable engineering plansDevelop integrated capability, architecture, technology, and transition roadmaps across near, mid, and long-term horizonsAssess end-to-end architectures across space, ground, communications, command and control, data, cyber, launch, and user segmentsIdentify capability gaps, dependencies, interoperability issues, technical risks, and modernization opportunitiesLead trade studies, architecture assessments, analyses of alternatives, and technical risk evaluationsIntegrate technical, operational, acquisition, test, and transition considerations into capability development and modernization plansPresent enterprise level recommendations, roadmap priorities, trades space findings, and investment implications to senior leadersLead multidisciplinary teams and mentor systems and mission engineersEffectively engage mission partners, United States Space Force Headquarters (USSF HQ), United States Space Force (USSF) Field Commands and Acquisition Commands, and stakeholders across the space mission enterpriseBasic QualificationsMinimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experienceExperience applying systems-of-systems engineering to complex space missions or national security space capabilitiesRelevant experience in one or more of the following areas: Space Operations, Force Design, Command and Control (C2), Test and Evaluation (T&E), and/or AcquisitionsExperience using one or more architecture, modeling, or digital engineering frameworks and methods, including DoDAF, UAF, SysML, model-based systems engineering, or digital engineering toolsExperience developing or analyzing enterprise processes, models, architecture products, or mission thread based analytical modelsDemonstrated ability to translate strategy and mission needs into capabilities, architectures, requirements, and technical plansExperience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams or complex technical activitiesExperience supporting the United States Space Force, United States Air Force, Joint organizations, the Department of War (DoW) or Intelligence Community (IC) to enhance capability development, systems integrations, force design, or operational analysisDemonstrated ability to influence decisions and build alignment in complex, matrixed environments without relying solely on formal authorityStrong analytical, communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skillsMust have an active Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance with SAP eligibility. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.This position has an on-site requirement of 5 days a week on-sitePreferred QualificationsExperience formally leading multidisciplinary engineering teams or serving as a technical lead, chief engineer, lead architect, systems of systems engineering lead or mission engineering leadExperience developing technical, capability, architecture, or transition roadmapsExperience applying operations research, mission engineering, enterprise analysis, or process improvement methods to complex defense or national security problemsExperience assessing resilient space architectures designed to operate in contested, congested, or degraded environmentsExperience evaluating cross segment dependencies involving space, ground, communications, command and control, data, cyber, launch, and user systemsExperience integrating operational, technical, acquisition, test, and transition perspectives into enterprise level recommendationsDemonstrated ability to build productive relationships across government, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), industry, and other mission partners to improve collaboration on enterprise challenges Experience facilitating senior level technical reviews, architecture forums, working groups, or decision boardsThis requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):Top Secret/SCIThis requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):SAP, Top Secret/SCISalary compensation range and midpoint:$162,400 - $203,000 - $243,600 AnnualWork Location Type:OnsiteCommitment to Non-DiscriminationAll 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.MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for general support and View email address on click.appcast.io for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply.Benefits information may be found here.Copyright 1997-2026, The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved. MITRE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. Material on this site may be copied and distributed with permission only. Job SummaryJob number: R117261Profession: Engineering