Principal Systems Engineer

Date Posted:

2026-10-13



Country:

United States of America



Location:

US-VA-ALEXANDRIA-7900-CUST ~ 7900 Telegraph Rd ~ 7900-CUST (External Site)



Position Role Type:

Onsite



U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date.​ U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance​



Security Clearance Type:

TS/SCI with CI Poly - Current



Security Clearance Status:

Active and existing security clearance required on day 1

At RTX, the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Raytheon brings the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedom and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

Raytheon is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer for satellite Operations and Maintenance (O&M) positions. The selected candidate will join a skilled O&M team working in a 24/7 operations environment. The availability of working overtime and non-scheduled call-in support, potentially working a combination of day staff and shift schedules, based on the dynamic needs of the team, is required. The O&M team is responsible for all aspects of system operations and planning to include monitoring day-to-day activities and identifying and solving challenging problems as they occur. After completion of comprehensive on-the-job training, the candidate will be part of a certified team of subject matter experts that are integral to our customer's success. Location: Alexandria, Virginia

What You Will Do

• Monitor system health and performance of critical hardware systems supporting key customer operations and collections.
• Ensure required system maintenance activities are functional and meeting documented timing and performance results.
• Report and document anomalous system performance and interact with other team members to validate operational performance. Implement workarounds and contingency plans to minimize impacts. of system anomalies.
• Develop troubleshooting/recovery plans to address system discrepancies and restore mission capabilities.
• Maintain technical knowledge of formal procedures associated with required system maintenance, troubleshooting and recovery.
• O&M training/mentoring, trending and analysis, procedure development, data collection, fault isolation, and performing real-time manual actions to restore system capabilities.
• Work closely with delivering factories to support development activities, installation of ground software deliveries, and special test configurations.
• Crosstrain in other operator positions as assigned and mentor and train other personnel on the contract team.
• Lead interactions and support all missions to include the initialization of new missions.
• Work in an adaptable small team environment (3-7 people). 

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM preferred) and a minimum of 8 years of prior engineering experience or equivalent experience.

• Experience training and certifying in an operational position.
• Experience in space operations of complex hardware systems.
• Experience in operational mission planning and management.
• Experience in Leadership of engineering studies and innovative projects.
• An active and transferable TS/SCI with CI Poly U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for the required security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer  

• Experience leadership of system anomaly resolution teams.
• Experience and proficient use of both Windows and UNIX platforms.
• Experience with Perl, Python, VBA, and/or other scripting languages.
• Experience using the Microsoft Office suite.

What We Offer

• Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Safety, Trust, Respectability, Collaboration, and Innovation.
• Relocation Eligible – Relocation assistance available

Learn More & Apply Now!

• Please consider the following role type definition as you apply for this role.
• Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

 #RaytheonSpace

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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