Software Systems Engineer Principal

SAIC; Virginia; Remote; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC is seeking a Software Systems Engineer Principal to serve as a Product Owner on the UNIFY Program. You will blend software systems engineering with product ownership, shaping roadmaps, prioritizing features, and driving delivery across cloud-native platforms.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality, secure software solutions, participate in CI/CD and DevSecOps practices, and translate user and program needs into detailed requirements and well-tested software.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 9+ years of related experience; Master's with 7+ years is a plus.
• U.S. citizen capable of obtaining a Secret clearance.
• Strong software systems engineering skills across the full lifecycle.
• Hands-on software testing, including use cases, test procedures, and test data.
• Experience delivering cloud-native, enterprise-grade platforms.
• Full-stack development experience and ability to engage with engineering teams.
• Extensive PO experience: backlog, user stories, prioritization.
• Proven Agile Scrum and DevSecOps practices, plus CI/CD tooling.

Responsibilities

• Define and prioritize application features aligned with user needs and company objectives.
• Craft detailed product requirements, specifications, and user stories for dev teams.
• Lead test planning and execution; develop use cases and test data for quality.
• Shape the UNIFY product roadmap and drive strategic execution.
• Coordinate with IT, Operations, HR, Finance to meet department needs.
• Communicate strategy, progress, and results to stakeholders and leadership.
• Represent the org as a technical contact on contracts and projects.

Skills

Product Ownership

Agile Scrum

DevSecOps

Cloud Delivery

Full-stack development

Software testing

Test planning

Stakeholder management

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Azure DevOps

AWS

Azure

Job description

Minimum Clearance Required None

Location Remote Work, VA, US

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain Secret

Potential for Remote Work ORA_REMOTE

Schedule Full-Time

Shift Day Job

Travel Yes - 10% of the time

SAIC's Software Agile Delivery Team SOTL is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Software Systems Engineer Principal to serve as a Product Owner on our UNIFY Program. This role requires strong software systems engineering skills, including hands-on experience with software testing across the development lifecycle. Program management and financial experience is a plus.

UNIFY integrates the core capabilities required for effective program management across SAIC's diverse portfolio of programs and customers. Built as a cloud-native platform, UNIFY provides a single, modern portal that delivers standardized, enterprise-wide program management solutions, empowering teams to operate consistently, efficiently, and with delivery excellence.

As a key contributor on our dynamic full-stack development team, you will help shape our product landscape, drive strategic execution with an Agile mindset, and champion DevSecOps best practices within a cloud-centric infrastructure. This role blends software systems engineering and product ownership, ideal for a strong technical contributor who can translate user and program needs into high-quality, well-tested software solutions. You will work alongside Senior Software Systems Engineers who provide technical leadership on the UNIFY Program, forming a tightly collaborative team that shares ownership of architecture, delivery, and product direction.

The ideal candidate possesses strong technical expertise, a proven track record in product ownership, and excels in an innovative, fast-paced environment. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to drive the roadmap, prioritize features, and ensure successful delivery of high-quality products that meet customer needs and company objectives. The individual must be able to work independently as well as part of a collaborative team. This opportunity can be worked remotely within the United States for the right candidate.

• Apply strong software systems engineering expertise across technical planning, requirements definition, software systems integration, and technical support throughout the product lifecycle, from concept and design through test, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.
• Lead test planning and execution for assigned functionality, including developing use cases, test procedures, and test data to validate system performance and quality.
• Apply extensive technical expertise with full knowledge of other related disciplines.
• Develop technical solutions to complex problems that require the regular use of ingenuity and creativity.
• Product Ownership & Strategy.
• Contribute to the vision and execution of the UNIFY product roadmap.
• Define and prioritize application features aligned with user requirements, company objectives, and strategic needs.
• Craft detailed product requirements, specifications, and user stories for development teams.
• Monitor key metrics, user engagement, and usability data to drive continuous enhancements.
• Program & Stakeholder Management.
• Partner with diverse teams (IT, Operations, HR, Finance, etc.) to ensure applications meet varied departmental requirements.
• Communicate product strategy, progress, and results effectively to internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Represent the organization as a technical contact on contracts and projects, interacting with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations.
• Receive assignments in the form of objectives and establish goals to meet those objectives.
• DevSecOps & Cloud Delivery.
• Participate in CI/CD processes, focusing on DevSecOps practices to integrate security and reliability into product development.
• Leverage cloud-native technologies to deliver scalable, enterprise-grade solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree and 9 years of experience. Masters Degree and 7 years.
• U.S. citizen and able to obtain a Secret security clearance.
• Strong, demonstrated software systems engineering skills across the full software lifecycle (concept through maintenance).
• Hands-on software testing experience, including developing and executing use cases, test procedures, and test data.
• Experience delivering cloud-native, enterprise-grade platforms.
• Full-stack development familiarity and the ability to engage credibly with engineering teams.
• Experience with systems integration.
• Extensive Product Owner expertise in technology-driven environments, including managing a product backlog, writing user stories, and prioritizing features.
• Proven experience with Agile Scrum methodologies and DevSecOps practices.
• Experience with Agile management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Azure Dev Ops).
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or equivalent Agile certification.
• Hands-on experience with AWS and/or Azure.
• Working knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps practices.

Target salary range $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.