Principal Systems Engineer / Sr. Principal Systems Engineer

Principal Systems Engineer / Sr. Principal Systems Engineer (Software Systems)

Level III: 5+ Years | Level IV: 8+ Years | Colorado Springs, CO | Active Secret Clearance Required

Help architect and integrate mission-critical software systems supporting the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) - where software systems engineering, radar technology, and national defense missions converge.
A Day in the Life - What you'll do

• Provide Software Systems Engineering leadership within Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), supporting requirements decomposition, architecture alignment, and technical integration across the program lifecycle.
  
• Translate customer requirements and CONOPS into system and subsystem requirements while maintaining traceability throughout the systems engineering lifecycle.
  
• Support major program milestones including System Requirements Review (SRR), System Functional Review (SFR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), System Verification Review (SVR), and Test Readiness Review (TRR).
  
• Conduct functional analysis and system trade studies to support design decisions related to concept, fabrication, integration, installation, and sustainment.
  
• Support system and subsystem integration, test, and verification activities, ensuring performance meets operational and mission requirements.
  
• Facilitate technical content capture from subject matter experts to support Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) documentation and delivery.
  
• Assist system architects in defining and maintaining software architecture and technical baselines, supporting design decisions and integration of critical components.
  
• Interface with internal leadership and external customers to deliver technical briefings, engineering updates, and program status.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline with:
  
  • Principal Systems Engineer (Level III): 5+ years of experience OR 3+ years with a Master's degree OR 1+ year with a PhD
    
  • Sr. Principal Systems Engineer (Level IV): 8+ years of experience OR 6+ years with a Master's degree OR 4+ years with a PhD
• Active DoD Secret clearance at time of application
  
• Experience with requirements decomposition and requirements management
  
• Experience working within cross-functional Integrated Product Teams (IPTs)
  
• Experience executing the Systems Engineering lifecycle for system development
  
• Experience using Atlassian tools (Jira, Confluence)
  
• Experience using SharePoint
  
• Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project)
  
• Experience with Agile software development environments, including PI Planning, sprint cycles, and story pointing
  
• Strong problem-solving, planning, and project execution skills
  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaborate across cross-functional engineering teams
  
• Experience managing Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) development and delivery
  
• Experience supporting software architecture development and technical baseline alignment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience writing technical specifications and technical baseline documentation
  
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools such as Cameo
  
• Familiarity with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools such as Siemens, Windchill, or Teamcenter
  
• Familiarity with high-performance compute clusters, hypervisors, and network engineering
  
• Familiarity with radar systems and radar operations
  
• Experience interpreting radar Blake Charts for operational performance analysis

Who is Caribou Thunder?

Caribou Thunder is a HUBZone-certified small business providing advanced technical and engineering services to the U.S. Department of War and its mission partners.

35+ states and 20+ countries. We've delivered trusted solutions for over two decades - strengthening national readiness across missions on land, undersea, in the air, and throughout LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space.
Why Caribou Thunder?

TEAM THUNDER - Mission Focused. Delivery Proven. Ready to Serve.

Employee Advocacy
Mission Proven
Global Reach
Skilled Teams
Modern Tools
Empowering Culture

Our engineers and innovators ensure capability from sea floor to space frontier - delivering on time, maintaining compliance, and performing with precision in high-consequence environments.

We specialize in Engineering Services, Cybersecurity, Software Development, Modeling & Simulation, Digital Engineering, and Artificial Intelligence - disciplines powering the nation's most complex technical missions.
Employee Advocacy + Benefits

Our people are the heart of Caribou Thunder. We invest in their growth, flexibility, and well-being - knowing their success drives ours.

Benefits include:

Premium Health, Dental & Vision Insurance
401(k) with 6% Company Match
Flexible PTO & Work Schedule
Education & Certification Reimbursement
Support for Military Leave
Work-Life Balance & Traditional Family Values

Your future, your flexibility, your well-being - we invest in you. Apply and let's connect.