Senior Principal Systems Lead Engineer

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc

Ft. Wayne, Indiana

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$174,203–$183,730 Per Year
SKILLS
Acceptance Testing, Analysis Skills, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Build Management, CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture), Communication Skills, Communication Systems, Computer Firmware, Computer Security, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), Cross-Functional, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Delivery Driving, Design Verification, DoD Secret Clearance, Document Management, Documentation Plan, Ecosystems, Embedded Linux, Embedded Software, Embedded Systems, Engineering, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Failure Reporting Analysis and Corrective Action System (FRACAS), Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fire Suppression/Control, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), Hardware-Software Integration, Hazard Analysis, Integration Testing, International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Internet Security, JAM (JYACC Application Manager), Laboratory Management, Leadership, MIL-STD-461, Mathematics, Military/DoD Standards, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Product Demonstration, Prototyping, Purchasing/Procurement, Radio Frequency, Realtime Operating System, Reliability Engineering, Requirements Derivation, Requirements Management, Requirements Validation/Verification, Risk Analysis, Schedule Development, Security Clearance, Security Compliance, Source Code/Configuration Management (SCM), System Architecture, System Integration (SI), System Lifecycle, System Validation, Systems Administration/Management, Systems Analysis, Systems Engineering, Technical Leadership, Technical Writing, Test Case, Test Plan/Schedule, Testing, Traceability, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United States Citizen, United States Department of Defense (DoD), User Interface Design, Willing to Travel, Wireframes, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
POSTED
2 days ago
Basic Qualifications :

Education Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, or a related Science, Engineering or Mathematics field, plus a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree, plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience.

 

Clearance Requirements:
Department of Defense Secret security clearance is required at time of hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities for this Position:

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in a STEM field and 10+ years of systems engineering experience; or Master's + 8 years.
  • Demonstrated systems engineering leadership on complex, multi-disciplinary defense programs—requirements decomposition, system architecture, interface definition, and driving delivery from design through field demonstration.
  • System-of-Systems integration experience spanning autonomy, RF communications, unmanned vehicles, munitions, sensors, and C2 software.
  • Hands-on prototype development leadership—managing build schedules and driving teams through iterative build-test-learn cycles.
  • Hardware/software integration experience including board-level integration, embedded software deployment, and firmware/software version management.
  • Proficiency with MBSE tools (SysML, Cameo/MagicDraw, or equivalent) for requirements capture, architecture modeling, and ICD generation.
  • Experience authoring ICDs, SSS, System Development Plans, CONOPS documentation, and CDRLs for DoD programs.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional, multi-vendor engineering teams with strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Active DoD Secret security clearance; U.S. citizenship required.
  • Willingness to travel up to 25% (event-driven: demonstrations, customer reviews, integration events).

Preferred Qualifications

  • Prior experience on munitions, counter-obstacle, or related DoD programs.
  • Autonomous systems experience—UGVs, navigation, perception, and human-machine teaming.
  • RF communications systems experience—SDR, mesh networking, anti-jam, and BLOS integration.
  • Familiarity with AI/ML inference on embedded edge platforms (NVIDIA Jetson/CUDA/TensorRT).
  • Munitions and fuzing systems knowledge—warhead integration, safe-and-arm devices, fire control, and fuze safety (MIL-STD-1316).
  • Experience with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-882E, and related military standards.
  • Embedded Linux, Jetson/GPU platforms, and real-time embedded software experience.
  • Familiarity with TAK ecosystem, Cursor on Target (CoT) protocols, and battle management system integration.
  • Cybersecurity compliance experience—RMF, NIST SP 800-53, DISA STIGs.
  • Reliability & Maintainability engineering—R&M predictions, FRACAS, FMEA/FMECA.
  • Human-Centered Design (HCD) experience—wireframing, user interface design, operator interaction analysis.
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the creation of systems engineering artifacts.

Tools & Environment

  • Cameo/MagicDraw (MBSE), Confluence, Jira, Python, MATLAB/Simulink, Git, Creo/SolidWorks (CAD review), AWS, WinTAK/GeoSuite, lab instrumentation (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, logic analyzers).

Key Responsibilities

  • Technical Leadership: Lead a multi-discipline engineering team through technical, program, and customer meetings. Guide junior engineers, drive integration and test execution, coordinate with subcontractor teams, and remove blockers to maintain schedule momentum.
  • Systems Engineering Lifecycle: Own requirements analysis, system architecture, interface definition, CDRL development, prototype build, integration execution, and customer deliverables across a System-of-Systems encompassing autonomous vehicles, munitions, RF communications, and C2 software.
  • Requirements Management: Decompose, trace, and validate system requirements. Manage customer and derived requirements across all subsystems with bidirectional traceability from requirements through design and verification evidence.
  • System Architecture & MBSE: Develop and maintain a model-based system architecture covering functional, logical, and physical decomposition. Define system interfaces and ensure traceability from requirements through design solutions.
  • Prototype Development: Lead design, fabrication, and iterative build of system and subsystem prototypes. Coordinate hardware procurement, manage lab standup, and drive build-test-learn cycles to rapidly mature system capabilities.
  • Hardware/Software Integration: Oversee HW/SW implementation across all subsystems. Review and approve design decisions, manage firmware/software version baselines, and resolve interface issues during integration.
  • ICD & Technical Documentation: Lead Interface Control Document development for all internal and external interfaces. Author System Development Plans, System/Subsystem Specifications, and Monthly Technical Reports meeting DI-series data item descriptions.
  • Safety & Cybersecurity: Support system safety analysis (FHA, hazard identification, risk assessment) per MIL-STD-882E and review board activities. Contribute to RMF cybersecurity compliance and System Security Plan development.
  • Integration & Test: Drive test case development, procedure reviews, and hands-on integration activities. Lead Problem Review Boards, resolve test discrepancies, and drive knowledge point demonstrations and customer acceptance testing.

 

Workplace Options:
This position is fully onsite, remote or Hyvrid/Flex based on candidate qualifications.
While on-site, you will be a part of the Ft Wayne, Indiana team. 

Salary Note: This estimate represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors (geographic location, etc.). Actual pay may vary. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled. Combined Salary Range: USD $174,203.00 - USD $183,730.00 /Yr. Company Overview:

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!


Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans

About the Company

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General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc

At General Dynamics Mission Systems, employees share a common mission to be a trusted partner to the U.S. defense, intelligence and homeland security communities.

Whether you're working on the internal systems of a new ship strategic to the U.S. Navy's role in keeping sea lanes open, developing a camera system for the U.S. Army to protect our forces or helping the Department of Homeland Security coordinate defense against and response to cyber attacks, you'll share a sense of duty and patriotism common to all General Dynamics employees.

When you join General Dynamics, you'll become part of a culture that nurtures innovation. We encourage our professionals to challenge the conventional way of doing things. And we motivate our employees to solve tough customer problems by promoting and sharing new ideas.

Join a team that's dedicated to what matters most. Build your career at General Dynamics today.

General Dynamics Mission Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics. Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., General Dynamics employs approximately 91,000 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.

COMPANY SIZE
10,000 employees or more
INDUSTRY
Aerospace and Defense
FOUNDED
1952
WEBSITE
https://gdmissionsystems.com