Principal Systems Engineer

About RTX / Raytheon

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 three market‑leading businesses, world‑class operations and investments in research and development, RTX offers 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 today’s mission needs and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threats. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world.

Position Overview

Raytheon is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer for Satellite Operations and Maintenance (O&M). The selected candidate will join a skilled O&M team working in a 24/7 operations environment in Alexandria, Virginia. The role requires availability for overtime and non‑scheduled call‑in support, with potential day staff and shift schedules based on dynamic team needs. The O&M team is responsible for all aspects of system operations and planning, including monitoring day‑to‑day activities and solving challenging problems as they occur. After comprehensive on‑the‑job training, the candidate will become part of a certified team of subject‑matter experts integral to the customer’s success.

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 meet documented timing and performance results.
• Report and document anomalous system performance; interact with team members to validate operational performance, implement workarounds and contingency plans to minimize impacts.
• 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.
• Perform O&M training/mentoring, trending and analysis, procedure development, data collection, fault isolation, and 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.
• Cross‑train in other operator positions as assigned and mentor/train other personnel on the contract team.
• Lead interactions and support all missions, including initialization of new missions.
• Work in an adaptable small team environment (3‑7 people).

Qualifications You Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM preferred) or equivalent experience, with a minimum of 8 years of prior engineering experience.
• Experience training and certifying in an operational position.
• Experience in space operations of complex hardware systems.
• Experience in operational mission planning and management.
• Leadership of engineering studies and innovative projects.
• An active and transferable TS/SCI with Polygraph U.S. government‑issued security clearance is required prior to start date; U.S. citizenship is required.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Leadership of system anomaly resolution teams.
• 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

• Values: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation.
• Relocation: Not relocation eligible; relocation assistance not available.
• Compensation: Salary range $107,500 – $204,500 (estimate based on experience and other factors).
• Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short‑term and 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 depend on business unit and collective‑bargaining status).
• Incentive Programs: Eligibility for annual short‑term and/or long‑term incentive compensation programs, subject to performance and agreement terms.

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, veteran status, or any other protected class