Senior Principle Software Engineer (Onsite)

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-03 Country: United States of America Location: US-CA-SAN DIEGO-SD1 ~ 8650 Balboa Ave ~ SAN ANTONIO BLDG Position Role Type: Onsite U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required.​ U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required after day 1 Collins Aerospace is currently seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer (P5) to serve as a senior technical leader for the GPS‑Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Service (GPNTS) program. This position is responsible for applying advanced expertise in software engineering, contributing to technological innovation, and driving the evolution of highly reliable, deterministic, and distributed software solutions. You will operate with consultative direction, pursuing long‑range engineering goals, shaping architectural decisions, resolving unusually complex technical problems, and guiding major modernization and product‑line initiatives. You will also provide technical leadership, mentor engineering staff, influence program‑wide design approaches, and collaborate directly with customers and management on advanced research concepts, system studies, and application strategies. This position will be an onsite role located in San Diego, CA. Sign-on Bonus Eligible What You Will Do • You will serve as senior technical authority for architecture, system design, performance, reliability, and integration across the GPNTS navigation system • You will apply advanced technical expertise in C/C++ development for embedded, multi‑processor, real‑time systems, designing solutions that are robust, efficient, and secure • You will contribute to the development of new principles, concepts, algorithms, and architectural patterns supporting mission‑critical navigation, timing, and sensor fusion • You will resolve unusually complex technical issues requiring innovative, ingenious, and often original approaches • You will determine and pursue long‑range technical objectives with minimal oversight; assignments frequently originate from your own analysis and initiative • You will lead system‑level integration efforts involving embedded platforms, real‑time data feeds, navigation sensors, and shipboard networking environments • You will conduct deep performance analysis, advanced debugging, fault identification, and root‑cause analysis on large distributed components • You will develop and review high‑fidelity design documentation, interface specifications, architectural models, and engineering review packages • You will provide engineering leadership, mentoring, and technical guidance to junior and senior engineers, shaping development methods and engineering culture • You will act as team spokesperson for advanced technical efforts, major system upgrades, or complex research and development projects • You will advise program leadership and customers on architecture, system feasibility, technical trade studies, modernization planning, and advanced system applications • You will recommend improvements to engineering processes, tools, and best practices; ensure soundness of technical judgment in software work products What You Will Learn • Advanced techniques for designing mission‑critical, deterministic, real‑time software in distributed defense environments • System‑level architecture strategies for navigation, timing, data fusion, sensor integration, and high‑availability systems • How broad modernization initiatives, refactoring strategies, and performance optimizations shape long‑term program stability and capability • Approaches for scaling automated testing, CI/CD, and DevSecOps workflows across large multi‑team organizations • Methods for influencing technical roadmaps, conducting complex trade studies, and guiding high‑consequence technical decisions • Customer‑facing strategies for communicating risks, technical recommendations, performance assessments, and architectural concepts Qualifications You Must Have • Experience in C/C++ with extensive experience developing software for embedded, multi‑processor, or real‑time systems • Experience with software architecture, distributed systems, deterministic processing, and advanced debugging • Experience with Linux development, systems programming, and Linux‑based tools or build systems • Experience leading technical teams, influencing architecture, and guiding complex engineering efforts Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and minimum 10 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience • The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance Qualifications We Prefer • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, or related STEM field • Experience designing or modernizing embedded, real‑time, networking, or distributed systems architectures • Expertise building or maturing CI/CD pipelines using GitLab CI, Jenkins, or similar platforms • Advanced application of secure coding principles, cybersecurity integration, or DevSecOps methodologies • Experience developing large automated test infrastructures or simulation environments • Experience integrating navigation sensors, timing signals, distributed messaging frameworks, or mission‑critical data fusion • Experience guiding technical roadmaps, architectural refactoring, modernization, or long‑term sustainment strategies • Prior customer‑facing technical leadership involving government stakeholders or program representatives • Strong communication and negotiation skills with the ability to influence engineering strategy ac