Principal Systems Test Engineer

Caribou Thunder

Colorado Springs (CO)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 115,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Flexible PTO

Education reimbursement

Job summary

Caribou Thunder in Colorado Springs is seeking a Principal Systems Test Engineer (Mid to Senior) to lead end-to-end verification for a deep space radar program, ensuring mission readiness and compliance with system requirements across software and hardware.

You will develop test plans, execute formal verification, document results, and collaborate with software, systems, and customer stakeholders, while supporting Agile development and occasional CONUS/OCONUS travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in STEM from an accredited university.
Level II: 2+ years related experience; Level III: 5+ years related experience.
Experience developing software requirement verification procedures.
Experience executing formal verification and validation against requirements.
Experience preparing technical test reports and documenting engineering results.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-team collaboration.
Ability to support Agile development and travel up to 25%.
Active DoD Secret clearance at time of application.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute end-to-end software and system verification testing for a deep space radar program.
Create detailed test plans, procedures, and formal acceptance test documentation.
Perform software testing to verify functionality, performance, and mission readiness.
Support system integration from subsystem checkout through full system-level testing.
Analyze test data and document findings for acceptance reports.
Collaborate with software, systems, and customer stakeholders to resolve issues.
Develop and improve automated testing solutions to increase efficiency.
Maintain traceability of verification methods and results in the requirements system.
Participate in readiness reviews, audits, and integration planning.
Develop integration plans and test scenarios for software/hardware integration.
Travel domestically and internationally up to 25% for events and demonstrations.

Skills

System integration

Verification testing

Communication skills

Agile development

Travel readiness

DoD clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

C++

Requirements management

Test automation

Job description

Principal Systems Test Engineer

Mid-Level / Senior Level | $90,000 - $115,000 | Travel Up to 25% (CONUS & OCONUS) | Active Secret Clearance Required

Support the deep space advanced radar capabilities by leading system integration and verification efforts for one of the nation's next-generation deep space radar systems. Join a multidisciplinary engineering team responsible for validating software and hardware performance through formal system acceptance testing, ensuring mission readiness for critical missile defense and space surveillance operations.

A Day in the Life - What you'll do

Develop and execute end-to-end software and system verification testing supporting a deep space advanced radar program.
Create detailed test plans, step-by-step verification procedures, and formal acceptance test documentation to validate system requirements.
Perform software testing to verify functionality, performance, and mission readiness across complex radar capabilities.
Support system integration from subsystem checkout through full system-level testing, assisting with fault detection, fault isolation, and fault recovery activities.
Analyze test data and engineering results, documenting findings and providing technical input to formal acceptance test reports.
Collaborate daily with software developers, systems engineers, integration engineers, and customer stakeholders to coordinate testing activities and resolve technical issues.
Support Agile software development by validating new capabilities throughout the development lifecycle.
Develop and improve automated testing solutions that increase efficiency, repeatability, and overall test coverage.
Maintain requirements traceability by documenting verification methods and test results within the program's requirements management system.
Participate in system test readiness reviews, engineering peer reviews, technical assessments, and integration planning activities.
Develop system integration plans, procedures, and test scenarios supporting both software and hardware integration events.
Support domestic and international travel (up to 30%) to participate in integration events, formal testing, and customer demonstrations.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university.
Level II: Minimum of 2 years of related systems test, integration, software, or engineering experience.
Level III: Minimum of 5 years of related systems test, integration, software, or engineering experience.
Experience developing software requirement verification procedures.
Experience executing formal verification and validation testing against documented system requirements.
Experience preparing technical test reports and documenting engineering results.
Strong written and verbal communication skills supporting technical collaboration across engineering teams.
Ability to support Agile software development and work within multidisciplinary engineering environments.
Ability to support up to 25% combined CONUS and OCONUS travel.
Active in-scope DoD Secret security clearance required at time of application.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience supporting Integration & Test (I&T) activities across multiple engineering disciplines.
Hands-on experience supporting missile defense, space surveillance, space tracking, or satellite operations.
Experience integrating large-scale hardware and software systems supporting mission-critical environments.
Experience supporting Hardware and Software Integration & Test Checkout (IATC).
Experience developing Modeling & Simulation (M&S) scenarios supporting verification and operational testing.
Experience documenting integration plans, procedures, discrepancies, corrective actions, and test results.
International integration or operational test experience.
Knowledge of software integration and verification methodologies.
Experience working within Agile software development environments.
CompTIA Security+ certification.
SSCP (Systems Security Certified Practitioner) certification.
Experience integrating large ground-based data processing systems.
Experience supporting radar processing algorithms or radar software integration.
Experience developing software using C++.

Who is Caribou Thunder?

Caribou Thunder is a HUBZone-certified small business providing advanced technical and engineering services to the U.S. Department of War and its mission partners.

35+ states and 20+ countries.

We've delivered trusted solutions for over two decades — strengthening national readiness across missions on land, undersea, in the air, and throughout LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space.

Why Caribou Thunder?

TEAM THUNDER — Mission Focused. Delivery Proven. Ready to Serve.

Employee Advocacy
Mission Proven
Global Reach
Skilled Teams
Modern Tools
Empowering Culture

Our engineers and innovators ensure capability from sea floor to space frontier — delivering on time, maintaining compliance, and performing with precision in high-consequence environments.

We specialize in Engineering Services, Cybersecurity, Software Development, Modeling & Simulation, Digital Engineering, and Artificial Intelligence — disciplines powering the nation's most complex technical missions.

Employee Advocacy + Benefits

Our people are the heart of Caribou Thunder. We invest in their growth, flexibility, and well-being — knowing their success drives ours.

Benefits include: