RED 6

Principal Systems Engineer

RED 6 • $160K — $200K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related STEM field.
  • 12 years+ of experience in aerospace, defense, or mission-critical system development.
  • Experience across the full systems development lifecycle, from concept to operations.
  • Proficiency with requirements management tools for requirements development and validation.
  • Experience authoring Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and other systems engineering artifacts.
  • Experience with formal design milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR).
  • Strong communication skills for technical documentation and collaboration.

Responsibilities

  • Lead cross-functional teams to align technical execution and drive solutions.
  • Develop and manage system and subsystem requirements with approved tools.
  • Maintain Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix (RVTM) for traceability.
  • Create and manage Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for system integrations.
  • Conduct design milestone reviews and provide support for formal assessments.
  • Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to develop system architectures.
  • Oversee system integration and verification in lab and aircraft environments.

Benefits

  • Healthcare, Dental, and Vision (100% coverage for Employees)
  • Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave.
  • Short and Long-Term Disability options.
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan with company match.
  • Eligible for discretionary annual bonus based on performance.
Full Job Description


// THE ROLE

We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to support the development, integration, and verification of the Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) across the full product lifecycle. This role supports the overall system development of ATARS via requirements development and traceability, architecture definition, interface management, hardware/software integration, and conducting formal design milestone reviews. In addition, this role will lead requirements, architecture, and design work for the early lifecycle of the next generation ATARS. The Principal Systems Engineer will operate in a cross-functional environment supporting hardware, software, optics, test, and airworthiness teams to ensure technical performance, compliance, and mission readiness of complex integrated systems.

// KEY RESPONSIBILIITES
  • Lead cross functional teams across Systems Engineering, Configuration Management, and Systems Integration & Test to align technical execution, drive solutions, and guide discussions.
  • Develop, decompose, and manage system and subsystem requirements using approved requirements management tools.
  • Establish and maintain the Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix (RVTM), ensuring bidirectional traceability from system requirements through verification artifacts.
  • Develop and manage Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for internal and external system integrations (hardware, software, avionics, and platform interfaces).
  • Lead and support design milestone reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, and SVR.
  • Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies (SysML) to develop system architectures, functional decompositions, use cases, and interface models.
  • Conduct trade studies and technical analysis to support design decisions and performance optimization.
  • Manage allocations of weight, power, and other system resources across components.
  • Coordinate and oversee system integration and verification activities in both lab and aircraft environments.
  • Identify and manage technical risks, ensuring mitigation plans are in place.
  • Serve as a technical point of contact across internal teams and with external partners to ensure alignment on system design and performance.

// REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related STEM field.
  • 12 years+ of experience in aerospace, defense, or mission-critical system development.
  • Demonstrated experience across the full systems development lifecycle, from early concept and requirements through design, integration, verification, validation, production, and operations & maintenance.
  • Proficiency with requirements management tools and products, including requirements development, decomposition, tracing, validation and verification.
  • Experience authoring and reviewing Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Concepts of Operation, Trade Studies, Documentation Trees, Engineering Management Plans, Engineering Change Packages or similar systems engineering artifacts.
  • Experience supporting or leading formal design milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR).
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and cross-team coordination.
  • Demonstrated familiarity with the software development lifecycle and software architecture, including the integration of software within complex hardware and mission systems.
  • Knowledge of MIL-STD documentation standards and defense acquisition lifecycle processes.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance. This requires U.S. Citizenship

// PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
  • Master's degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical field.
  • INCOSE CSEP Certification.
  • Experience with AR/VR technologies and head-mounted display systems.
  • Familiarity with avionics systems, aircraft integration, or similar platforms.
  • Experience applying MBSE methodologies using SysML tools such as Cameo, MagicDraw, or Rhapsody.
  • Familiarity with airworthiness certification processes and safety-critical system development.

//COMPENSTATION

Estimated Base Salary: $160,000 - $200,000

Full-Time Employee Benefits
  • Healthcare, Dental, and Vision (100% coverage for Employees)
  • Paid time off, including vacation, sick, paid holidays, and parental leave
  • Short and Long-Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • Voluntary Worksite Benefits (Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity)
  • May be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus based on individual and company performance, subject to plan terms.

Note

Red 6 reserves the right to change its current benefits program at any time, in a manner that is consistent with applicable federal and state regulations.

This job description is not a contract and confers no contractual rights, privileges, or benefits on any applicant or potential applicant. Red 6 has the right to change any and all terms of this job description, including, but not limited to, job responsibilities, qualifications, and benefits. Nothing in this job description constitutes an offer or guarantee of employment.

About RED 6

RED 6 is a defense technology company that develops augmented reality (AR) systems for military training and simulation. The company's AR systems enable military personnel to train in realistic environments that simulate real-world scenarios, improving their readiness and effectiveness in the field. RED 6's technology also has applications in other industries, such as aviation and healthcare. The company's AR systems have been used by the US Air Force and other military organizations, and have received funding from the US Department of Defense.
Learn more about RED 6
Size
50 employees
Industry
Net Income
-$500,000
Founded
2018
5 Year Trend
+30%
Revenue
$1 million

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