Principal Systems Operations Engineer

RTX (Raytheon); Springfield (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Raytheon, an RTX Business in Springfield, VA, is seeking a Principal Systems Operations Engineer to join the SI&T organization. You will lead baseline installations, monitor system availability, troubleshoot complex issues, and coordinate with contractors and government personnel to ensure mission readiness.

This on-site role requires a STEM degree and 8+ years of experience, DoD TS/SCI clearance with polygraph, and U.S. citizenship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM and 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience in systems engineering, especially in operations and maintenance.
• Experience troubleshooting complex systems and supporting recovery.
• Ability to work independently with sound technical judgment.
• Active DoD TS/SCI clearance with polygraph; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead baseline installations in operational environments.
• Monitor, analyze, and report system availability and performance.
• Troubleshoot complex operational issues and lead recovery efforts.
• Generate weekly, monthly, and ad hoc system reports.
• Represent the program in technical meetings and briefings.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams, contractors, and government personnel.
• Support 24/7 operations, including off-hours call-ins as needed.
• Provide technical guidance to leadership during meetings and reviews.
• Assist with planning and execution of operational activities.

Skills

Systems engineering

Troubleshooting

Independent work

U.S. citizenship

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

CI/CD tooling

Red Hat Linux

Java

C++

Python

Cloud environments

Oracle database

Job description

At Raytheon, the foundation of everything we do is rooted in our values and a higher calling to help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression. With a strong focus on Safety, Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation, we are committed to delivering innovative solutions that make the world a safer place.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Systems Operations Engineer supporting one of our premier programs within Raytheon, an RTX Business, in the Space Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (SISR) business unit. As part of the Systems Integration and Test (SI&T) organization, your expertise in system operations, troubleshooting, performance monitoring, and collaboration with contractors and government personnel will be critical to mission success. You will support operational readiness, system availability, anomaly resolution, baseline installations, and the resolution of complex operational issues in a mission-critical environment. The work is on-site in Springfield, VA.

What You Will Do

• Lead and coordinate baseline installations in operational environments
• Monitor, track, analyze, and report system availability and performance metrics
• Troubleshoot complex operational issues, resolve anomalies, and lead system recovery efforts
• Generate weekly, monthly, and ad hoc system availability and performance reports
• Represent the program in technical exchange meetings and customer briefings
• Lead efforts to resolve systems engineering, integration, and operational issues
• Coordinate with cross-functional engineering teams, contractors, and government personnel to plan and execute operational activities
• Monitor, track, and manage operational workloads to support mission requirements
• Provide technical guidance and backup support to technical leadership during meetings and briefings
• Support 24/7 operations, including off- hours call-in as needed

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience
• Experience in systems engineering, particularly in operations and maintenance environments
• Experience troubleshooting complex systems, analyzing operational anomalies, and supporting system recovery
• Experience working independently, exercising sound technical judgment, and resolving complex technical issues
• Active and transferable U.S. government-issued DoD TS/SCI clearance with polygraph is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience working in a Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) environment
• Experience in satellite ground system development or operations
• Experience in relevant project domains, such as mission management ground systems or space-based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms
• Experience working in Linux environments, particularly Red Hat, Experience with programming languages such as Java, C++, or Python
• Experience with cloud environments and modern infrastructure, Experience with Oracle or similar database technologies

What We Offer

• Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Safety, Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation

Location: Springfield, VA: https://careers.rtx.com/global/en/raytheon-springfield-va-location

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remo