Principal Software Engineer

Description

The company builds defence systems that armed forces customers rely on at critical moments in a mission, covering land, sea and air from early warning and threat neutralisation through to close-range and wide-area protection across the battlespace, including airspace mobility solutions, vehicles and tactical systems, missile defence, optronics and radar.

This principal software engineer role sits in the navigation and non-radar surveillance business and provides technical leadership in system safety, software assurance and embedded software engineering.

You will be the subject matter expert for safety and software assurance on complex products, projects and bids, helping resolve technical and compliance problems and supporting milestones, releases and customer acceptance.

You will also bring advanced embedded software expertise to NAVAID and non-radar surveillance products, working with engineering, quality, cybersecurity and program teams to meet safety, assurance and lifecycle goals.

Responsibilities

• Act as the main technical contact for system safety and software assurance on assigned products, projects and bids, setting assurance approaches and applying the relevant standards, contract terms and internal engineering processes.
• Lead safety and software assurance work across the product lifecycle, covering requirements, architecture, verification, compliance evidence, reviews, audits and release readiness, and close out assurance risks or gaps.
• Lead advanced embedded software work for navigation and non-radar surveillance products, including design, development, integration, verification and lifecycle support of complex C and C++ software on RTOS, Linux/Unix and Windows.
• Solve hard technical problems involving software architecture, hardware/software interfaces, timing, performance, safety, cybersecurity and compliance, using structured analysis and recommendations backed by evidence.
• Align multidisciplinary teams (systems, software, hardware, verification and validation, quality, cybersecurity and program management) on technical work, risks, schedules and customer or approval-authority requirements.
• Mentor engineers and drive improvement in development, safety, assurance, technical reviews, reusable evidence and engineering methods, and report technical status, risks and recommendations to leaders and stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering or a related technical field, plus 8+ years of engineering experience with growing responsibility.
• 5+ years performing or leading system safety and/or software assurance for air traffic management, aviation or similarly complex safety-related systems.
• 5+ years of embedded software development in RTOS environments, with strong C and C++, microprocessor-based systems and hardware/software integration.
• Advanced knowledge of applicable safety and assurance standards, including DO-278A/ED-109A and, where relevant, ED-153 or MIL-STD-882. Experience with DO-178B/C or ARP4761 may also count where those principles carry over to ground-system assurance.
• Experience assessing safety and assurance requirements, building or reviewing compliance evidence, applying system safety analysis, and managing traceability, configuration, defects, technical reviews and verification.
• Ability to lead technically with substantial autonomy, solve complex engineering problems, assess the impact of software changes, guide multidisciplinary teams, and write and present technical recommendations clearly while mentoring others.
• Master's degree in computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering or a related technical field.
• Experience leading preparation for and taking part in FAA, customer or other approval-authority safety and assurance reviews or audits, including Department of Defense and/or FAA programs.
• Experience with NAVAIDs such as ILS, DME, TACAN or VOR, and/or non-radar surveillance products such as ADS-B, plus familiarity with related hardware/software assurance interfaces, including DO-254 where applicable.
• Experience with specialized software and platforms: Digital Signal Processor development, Linux kernel modification or administration, cybersecurity assessments and/or Windows application development in Microsoft Visual Studio C++.
• Working knowledge of requirements management, issue tracking and lifecycle tools and processes, such as DOORS, Jira, the company's engineering tools, Chorus processes and product lifecycle practices. Additional language skills supporting international collaboration are preferred.
• You must be a US Person as defined in applicable law, or otherwise authorized or eligible for authorization, to access hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under ITAR and/or EAR.

Conditions

Hybrid role based mainly at the Overland Park, Kansas office.

Approximately 45% part-time salaried position.

Hours follow a Monday to Thursday schedule, either 9/80 or 5/40.

Travel is less than 10% per year, domestic and international combined.

You must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire.

The role is not eligible for visa sponsorship, and the company will not sponsor an employment visa now or in the future.

The company is an equal opportunity employer, including for disability and veteran status.

Benefits

• Referral bonus: Tier 1, $2,500.
• Reference total target compensation (base salary plus variable target) range: $131,086.77 to $220,640.08 USD per year. Where a person lands in this range depends on career history, skills, performance, the salary budget, customer program needs and internal equity.
• The company may offer additional benefits and other compensation depending on circumstances not tied to status protected by applicable law.
• Full-time employees working 30 or more hours a week and their eligible dependents can elect health, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, voluntary life and AD&D, group life with LTC, critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident, legal, identity theft and pet insurance.
• Retirement savings plan open after 30 days of employment, with a company contribution and a match, and no vesting period.
• Company-paid holidays and paid time off.
• Company-provided life insurance, AD&D, disability cover, employee assistance plan and well-being program.