Principal Aerospace Systems Architect/Engineer (Directed Energy)

Boeing; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Boeing seeks a Principal Aerospace Systems Architect/Engineer in Albuquerque, NM, to own system architecture and engineering execution for directed energy weapon systems. Lead cross-program technical decisions, mentor teams, and deliver safe, effective DE capabilities for the warfighter.

The role encompasses technical leadership from concept maturation through fielding, with responsibilities across requirements, design, and verification, while ensuring safety standards and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• BS degree in engineering or related field; 10+ years of systems engineering experience.
• Experience leading large, multi-disciplinary engineering efforts and interfacing with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for directed energy system architectures and roadmaps.
• Interface with senior customer stakeholders and program leadership to translate needs into requirements.
• Lead development of high-level concepts of operation and architecture trade studies.
• Derive requirements for DE systems and subsystems with traceability.
• Oversee modeling, simulation, and verification strategies across programs.
• Mentor engineering teams and drive risk management and maturation plans.

Skills

Systems engineering

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Job Description

At Boeing, we innovate and collaborate to make the world a better place. We’re committed to fostering an environment for every teammate that’s welcoming, respectful and inclusive, with great opportunity for professional growth. Find your future with us.

Job Description

At Boeing, we innovate and collaborate to make the world a better place. We’re committed to fostering an environment for every teammate that’s welcoming, respectful and inclusive, with great opportunity for professional growth. Find your future with us.

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.

Applications for this position will be accepted until Nov. 16, 2026

Export Control Requirements:

• 120.62 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.

Export Control Details:

US based job, US Person required

Education

Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Required

Relocation

This position offers relocation based on candidate eligibility.

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.

Shift

This position is for 1st shift

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Boeing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.