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Senior Principal Engineer - ESTE Systems - Software

BAE Systems

Boulder, COFull-time$133–226K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$133–226K/yr
Location
Boulder, CO
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearance, required

Job overview

The Senior Principal Engineer develops and maintains Electrical Special Test Equipment (ESTE) for payload and spacecraft systems, provides program support, and creates software solutions for ESTE racks. The role leads system design and software development, supports existing equipment, and manages information-assurance rack ingress for classified programs. It also contributes to cost forecasting, production support, engineering practices, and mentoring junior engineers.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Python, requiredRuby, requiredCOSMOS/OpenC3, nice to haveElectronics, nice to haveSignal Conditioning, nice to havePXI/E Programming, nice to havecRIO Programming, nice to haveLXI Instrumentation Programming, nice to haveMicrosoft Office, nice to haveGit, nice to haveLinux, nice to haveSystem Lifecycle Development, nice to haveLabVIEW Windows, nice to haveLabVIEW Realtime, nice to haveLabVIEW FPGA, nice to haveCommunication, nice to haveHands-on Design, nice to haveTroubleshooting, nice to have

Qualifications

BS in Engineering or Related Technical Field, required8+ Years Related Experience, requiredWillingness to Obtain DoW Clearance, required

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave

Full job description

Job Description

Develop and maintain BAE Systems Aerospace and Mission Systems (AMS) Electrical Special Test Equipment (ESTE) at payload and spacecraft levels. Serve as first line of support for program issues for ESTE at payload and spacecraft levels. Develop cost efficient software solutions for our ESTE racks.

The Engineering, Science and Analysis (ESA) Strategic Capabilities Unit comprises the technical talent and organizational leadership that enables the successful delivery of high-impact discriminating technologies for our customers missions. Our collaborative, cross-functional teams are committed to innovation, integrity, continual learning and strong execution.

What You ll Do:

  • Develop and lead designs for new ESTE systems:

  • Requirements definition.

  • Design review.

  • System design.

  • Software development.

  • Automated test/verification procedures.

  • Perform failure mode and transient analysis documents for ESTE systems.

  • Write detailed user manuals.

  • Post-delivery support.

  • Support a large, existing base of ESTE systems:

  • LabVIEW codebase.

  • Ruby verification codebase.

  • Electronics troubleshooting.

  • Customer support.

  • Leverage heritage designs to save schedule and cost when appropriate.

  • Establish and maintain reuse standards of common electrical test equipment.

  • Forecast engineering labor and material costs for new business proposals.

  • Develop bills of material & product structures.

  • Identify and track long lead procurements.

  • Work with production planners and assembly technicians to resolve issues during fabrication cycle.

  • Report status of tasks and troubleshoot Hardware/Software Systems to overcome obstacles that are preventing progress.

  • Create and implement information assurance plans to document the reuse of ESTE systems on classified programs (includes part identification, SW patching, cleansing procedures, & rack ingress).

  • Coordinate ESTE rack ingress process on classified programs (required coordination with ITS, Linux Admins, Program Security, Program Execution, & SysOps).

  • Own the entire Information Assurance (IA) rack ingress process for ESTE used on classified programs including part identification, SW patching, cleansing procedures.

  • Assist in the management of engineering task creation and tracking.

  • Assist in the management of general design practices for the ESTE & TS&CM organization

  • Network with co-workers to understand the expertise of colleagues who can provide consultation for problem solving.

  • Assist and mentor junior engineers.

  • Maintain a regular and predictable work schedule.

  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the department, the Strategic Business Units, Strategic Capabilities Units and the Company. Interact appropriately with others in order to maintain a positive and productive work environment.

  • Perform other duties as necessary.

On-Site Work Environment: This position requires regular in-person engagement by working on-site five days each normally scheduled week in the primary work location. Travel and local commute between company campuses and other possible non-company locations may be required.

Working Conditions:

  • Work is performed in an office, laboratory, production floor, or cleanroom, outdoors or remote research environment.

  • May occasionally work in production work centers where use of protective equipment and gear is required.

  • May access other facilities in various weather conditions.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

  • BS degree or higher in Engineering or a related technical field is required plus 8 or more years related experience.

  • Each higher-level degree, i.e., Master s Degree or Ph.D., may substitute for two years of experience. Related technical experience may be considered in lieu of education. Degree must be from a university, college, or school which is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education, US Department of Education.

  • Mastery of:

  • Multiple programming languages (ie. Python, Ruby, etc).

  • Willingness to obtain a DoW security clearance.

#LI-MA2

A security clearance or access with Polygraph is not required to be eligible for this position. However, the applicant must be willing and eligible for submission, depending on program requirements, after an offer is accepted and must be able to maintain the applicable clearance/access.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

  • The following proficiencies are strongly desired:

  • COSMOS/OpenC3/Ruby.

  • Electronics and signal conditioning.

  • PXI/e programming.

  • cRIO programming.

  • LXI-based instrumentation programming.

  • Microsoft products (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Visio).

  • Software source control (Git).

  • Linux.

  • Full system lifecycle development (design, manufacturing, test).

  • LabVIEW Windows.

  • LabVIEW Realtime.

  • LabVIEW FPGA.

  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to exercise them in a technical environment.

  • Demonstrate hands-on design and troubleshooting ability.

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $132962 - $226035

Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20 hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.

Senior Principal Engineer - ESTE Systems - Software

132266BR

EEO Career Site Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities . females . veterans . individuals with disabilities . sexual orientation . gender identity . gender expression

How this job compares

Set against the 39,925 open Software Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 11, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$133–226K/yr
  • Colorado median$120–192K/yr1,120 salary ranges
  • US median$133–216K/yr32,012 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $179K, is 16% above the Colorado median midpoint ($155K) — in the middle half of Software Engineer salary ranges in Colorado.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 1,336 open Software Engineer jobs in Colorado and 39,925 across the US. 8% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Colorado
Experience
This posting asks for at least 8 years of experience — more than three in four Software Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 32,903 postings).
Education
12,493 of the 39,925 open Software Engineer jobs (31%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 11, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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