Principal Aerospace Systems Architect/Engineer (Directed Energy)
Company:
The Boeing Company
We are seeking a **Principal Aerospace Systems Architect/Engineer **with deep domain expertise in directed energy (DE) weapon systems to provide technical leadership and strategic direction across multi-year, high-consequence programs to join our team in Albuquerque, NM.
This senior role will own system architecture and engineering execution from concept maturation through fielding, drive cross-program technical decisions, and mentor engineering teams to deliver safe, effective, and affordable DE capabilities for the warfighter.
Position responsibilities:
- Provide technical leadership and vision for directed energy system architectures, advancing technology roadmaps to meet near-term and future warfighter needs
- Act as the primary technical interface with senior customer stakeholders, program leadership, and external partners to translate operational needs and doctrine into capability-level requirements and measurable success criteria
- Lead development of high-level concepts of operation, mission use cases, and architecture trade studies that balance lethality, throughput, range, power/energy budgets, survivability, and cost
- Drive functional decomposition and requirements derivation for complex DE systems and subsystems (laser source, power electronics, energy storage, beam director, beam control, sensors, thermal management, safety systems), ensuring traceable, verifiable requirements
- Leverage extensive, demonstrable experience leading directed energy weapon system development (solid-state, fiber, slab, or other high-energy laser technologies) through PDR/CDR to successful integration, test, and fielding
- Apply deep knowledge of beam control, optical propagation physics, atmospheric effects modeling, power/thermal subsystem scaling, and laser safety/regulatory regimes
- Champion MBSE adoption and governance across program portfolios: establish modeling standards, manage MBSE configuration and workflows, and integrate engineering toolchains to support program scalability and decision-making
- Lead cross-functional technical teams to produce physical decompositions and detailed design solutions; resolve architecture-level hardware/software partitioning, define interfaces, and allocate performance requirements
- Own verification and validation strategy across programs: define verification logic, acceptance criteria, test architectures, and demonstration plans for optical performance, energy-on-target, tracking/pointing accuracy, reliability, and safety
- Lead and prioritize modeling & simulation and algorithm development activities (beam propagation, atmospheric effects, target interaction, opto-electrical behavior) to inform design trades and operational employment decisions
- Ensure incorporation of safety, product assurance, regulatory, and certification considerations into architecture and program plans—particularly laser safety standards, range operations, and environmental/EMC requirements
- Direct risk management, technical maturation plans, and mitigation strategies for key DE uncertainties (atmospheric propagation, scaling of power/thermal, beam control latency, countermeasures)
- Prepare technical content for SRR/SDR/PDR/CDR and other milestones; respond to review findings, drive corrective actions, and maintain configuration and documentation to support audits and program reviews
- Drive cost-, schedule-, and resource-informed engineering decisions; support technical input to program cost estimates, trade studies, and roadmap prioritization
- Mentor and develop engineering leads and cross-disciplinary teams; set technical standards, review critical designs, and cultivate a culture of rigorous analysis and engineering best practices
- Represent the program and company at technical forums, customer briefings, industry consortia, and advanced technology strategy discussions
- Support deployment and sustainment strategies, including integration with host platforms (airborne, shipboard, ground), logistics tail planning, and field validation under operationally relevant conditions
Basic Qualifications (Required Skills/Experience):
- Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology (including Manufacturing Technology), Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or non-US equivalent qualifications directly related to the work statement
- 10+ years of experience in systems engineering
Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills/Experience):
- Experience leading large, multi-disciplinary engineering efforts, influence program strategy, and interact effectively with senior government stakeholders and prime contractor leadership
- Experience overseeing and validating electronic/electrical system requirements and subsystem designs, including PWB layouts, power distribution architectures, thermal management strategies, EMI/EMC mitigation, and grounding for high-power DE environments
- Experience integrating cybersecurity and product security concerns at the architecture level: assessing vulnerabilities, defining protections, and coordinating with security and product assurance teams
- Experience directing assembly, integration, and test planning and execution at system and subsystem levels; ensure AIT approaches de-risk fielding and produce defensible test evidence for program milestones and contractual reviews
Drug Free Workplace:
Boeing is a Drug Free Workplace where post offer applicants and employees are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies_._
At Boeing, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage, and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
The Boeing Company also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and several programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.
Pay is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.
Summary pay range: $164.900 - $223,100
Language Requirements:
Not Applicable
Education:
Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent
Relocation:
This position offers relocation based on candidate eligibility.
Export Control Requirement:
This position must meet U.S. export control compliance requirements. To meet U.S. export control compliance requirements, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.62 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.
Safety Sensitive:
This is not a Safety Sensitive Position.
Security Clearance:
This position requires an active U.S. Top Secret Security Clearance (U.S. Citizenship Required). (A U.S. Security Clearance that has been active in the past 24 months is considered active)
Visa Sponsorship:
Employer will not sponsor applicants for employment visa status.
Contingent Upon Award Program
This position is not contingent upon program award
Shift:
Shift 1 (United States of America)
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