Principal Project Engineer
Irvine, CA (Onsite)
Position Summary
Thales is looking for a Principal Project Engineer to lead the engineering execution of complex in-flight entertainment, aircraft connectivity, and supporting product and system projects. Working with the Program or Project Leader and the Project Design Authority, you will be accountable for integrating engineering activities across disciplines and delivering solutions that meet technical, customer, quality, cost, and schedule requirements.
In this position, you will also develop engineering execution strategies, resolve significant technical and delivery issues, and guide projects from requirements definition through design, integration, qualification, certification support, and acceptance. You will be expected to exercise independent judgment in ambiguous situations, influences decisions across functions and organizational levels, and provide technical leadership and guidance to other engineers.
Key Areas of Responsibility
- Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in the development, integration, qualification, and fielding of aircraft entertainment and connectivity products and systems. Coordinate hardware, software, systems, test, quality, and other engineering functions to resolve complex technical issues and manage interfaces between solution elements.
- Own the engineering execution plan for assigned projects, including technical scope, milestones, resources, risks, dependencies, and engineering budgets. Monitor performance and take corrective action when needed. Serve as Work Package Manager when assigned, with accountability for the work package’s defined scope, budget, schedule, risks, and deliverables.
- Partner with the Program or Project Leader and Project Design Authority to align technical decisions with customer requirements and project cost, schedule, and quality commitments. Serve as a primary engineering interface with customers, key subcontractors, and internal stakeholders on assigned projects.
- Define and tailor the development strategy and Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) for assigned solutions. Lead requirements definition and solution design, including preparation for preliminary design reviews (PDR), critical design reviews (CDR), validation, qualification, certification support, and final acceptance.
- Lead engineering reviews and ensure technical decisions, risks, actions, and design changes are documented and addressed. Analyze engineering performance measures and recurring issues, determine root causes, and lead improvements to project execution, product performance, or engineering processes.
- Identify engineering resource and skill needs and work with functional leaders to secure appropriate staffing for bids, projects, and product delivery. Mentor engineers, share technical and project execution practices across teams, and perform other duties as assigned by the employee’s manager.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline; 7+ years of progressively responsible engineering experience, including demonstrated technical leadership and accountability for engineering execution on complex, multidisciplinary projects.
- Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through the development lifecycle, coordinating technical dependencies, and resolving complex issues across engineering disciplines.
- Demonstrated ability to apply systems engineering and development processes across requirements definition, design, integration, verification, validation, and applicable qualification and certification activities.
- Experience developing and managing engineering execution plans, resource requirements, schedules, budgets, and work packages, including addressing deviations that affect project commitments.
- Demonstrated ability to exercise independent technical judgment, evaluate solution trade-offs, manage engineering risks, and lead resolution of complex technical problems.
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical reviews, communicate recommendations to customers and leadership, and influence decisions across functional boundaries; Proficiency with tools used for engineering planning, analysis, documentation, and reporting.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.
If you’re excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community!
Special Position Requirements
- Schedule: Core business hours Monday – Friday. 9/80 eligible.
- Travel: This position may require domestic and/or international travel, 20%.
- Regulatory Compliance Requirements: None.
Why Join Us?
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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.
Thales champions inclusion and we believe diversity strengthens the fabric of our culture. Thales is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.
If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at [email protected].
The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between
Total Target Cash (TTC) 165,834.00 - 276,390.00 USD Annual
This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.
(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please raise HR request through MyThales)
Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:
•Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance
•Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period
•Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off
•Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline
- 7+ years of progressively responsible engineering experience
- Technical leadership and accountability for engineering execution on complex, multidisciplinary projects
- Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through the development lifecycle
- Experience coordinating technical dependencies and resolving complex issues across engineering disciplines
- Experience applying systems engineering and development processes across requirements definition, design, integration, verification, validation, qualification, and certification activities
- Experience developing and managing engineering execution plans, resource requirements, schedules, budgets, and work packages
- Ability to address deviations affecting project commitments
- Ability to exercise independent technical judgment, evaluate solution trade-offs, manage engineering risks, and resolve complex technical problems
- Ability to lead technical reviews, communicate recommendations to customers and leadership, and influence decisions across functional boundaries
- Proficiency with tools used for engineering planning, analysis, documentation, and reporting
- Legal authorization to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire
Thales Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Thales and has not been reviewed or approved by Thales.
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Retirement Support — Retirement plans with employer contributions and matches, profit sharing, and share purchase opportunities are emphasized across multiple regions. These elements are positioned as competitive components of total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous PTO that increases with tenure, paid holidays, and paid military, maternity, and paternity leave are described. This breadth supports work–life balance across locations.
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Flexible Benefits — Hybrid work options, flexible schedules, and parental supports such as childcare benefits and leave for sick children are available in several markets. Flexibility is presented as a core part of the employee experience.
Thales Insights
What We Do
Thales is a global high technology leader investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technology – to build a future we can all trust, which is vital to the development of our societies. The company provides solutions, services and products that help its customers – businesses, organisations and states – in the defence, aeronautics, space, transportation and digital identity and security markets to fulfil their critical missions, by placing humans at the heart of the decision-making process.
