Senior Principal Component Engineer
Chantilly, VA | Cypress, CA | Andover, MA
Enjoy every other Friday off
Join Mercury Systems as a Sr. Principal Component Engineer and help shape the future of mission-critical space and defense technologies. In this role, you will drive component engineering strategy across high-visibility programs, influencing design decisions that safeguard warfighters, protect critical infrastructure, and enable next-generation aerospace solutions. You'll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where your expertise directly strengthens our products and our customer's mission. This is an opportunity to lead, innovate, and meaningfully contribute from day one.
Key Responsibilities
• Serve as the lead EEEE parts or materials-and-processes engineer across space and terrestrial programs, driving component engineering strategy.
• Lead component reviews, assessments, and analyses to ensure compliance with space, military, and customer program requirements.
• Collaborate closely with customers, government agencies, suppliers, and cross-functional teams to resolve supply chain issues, mature PMP processes, and meet contractual obligations.
• Guide technology insertion, component selection, and standardization while balancing business, environmental, and circuit application constraints.
• Lead proposal efforts on behalf of component engineering by analyzing and providing basis of estimates.
• Generate and update component drawings, verification packages, and risk assessments supporting design reviews.
• Perform alternate-part evaluations, reliability assessments, and support MRB activities.
• Develop EEEE parts specifications, screen/qualification test plans, and manage part qualifications with external test houses.
• Present non-standard part approval requests (NSPARS), non-standard material approval requests (NSMARS), and technical findings to customers with confidence and clarity.
• Design and lead component engineering processes spanning part reviews, documentation, up screen management, non-conformance tracking, etc.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote knowledge sharing across programs.
Required Qualifications
• Ideally a Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline, or 10+ years of relevant experience of relevant component engineering experience in lieu of a college degree.
• Ideally 10+ years of relevant industry experience (defense, aerospace)
• Prior experience serving as a lead component engineer / parts engineer / reliability engineer or similar role on defense, aerospace, or space programs.
• Prior experience serving as the component engineering representative on proposals for space and military applications.
• Strong knowledge of military/industry standards (MIL, ASTM, AEC, ESA, NASA).
• Understanding of electronic fabrication processes (SMT, chip and wire, hybrids, etc.) and circuit card assembly design/manufacturing).
• Experience with NSPAR processes, environmental testing (MIL-STD-883), and passive/active component reliability.
• Active Secret Clearance or ability to obtain one (U.S. citizenship required).
Preferred Qualifications
• Active Secret Clearance.
• Understanding of failure modes in passive components and packaged active devices.
• Experience in design engineering, particularly for space-based programs.
• Background collaborating with suppliers, including PPAPs, qualification reports, and documentation review.
• Experience designing complex embedded digital hardware (microprocessors, FPGAs, network switches).
• Prior experience in Quality or Supplier Quality organizations; familiarity with AS9100/AS9102 and QMS requirements.
• Proficiency with PLM, MES, or quality management systems.
Enjoy every other Friday off
Chantilly, VA | Cypress, CA | Andover, MA
