ECS is looking for a Principal Systems Engineer - Embedded Software Engineer to work Onsite in Arlington, VA.
The Principal Systems Engineer will provide senior-level technical oversight, quality assurance, and lifecycle governance for embedded tactical software supporting Department of Defense and Navy weapon and combat systems. This is a principal individual-contributor role focused on reviewing, validating, and auditing embedded software and engineering decisions—not people management or day-to-day software development.
The ideal candidate has deep experience in safety-critical, highly regulated environments such as missile systems, Aegis or Navy combat systems, or other real-time defense platforms, and brings the technical judgment needed to independently assess software quality, integration impacts, and engineering rigor.
What You’ll Do- Serve as a senior technical authority on Change Control Boards (CCBs) governing embedded software updates and configuration changes.
- Review and evaluate proposed software design changes, including system-level and hardware integration impacts.
- Conduct independent audits of embedded software, engineering processes, test artifacts, and compliance documentation.
- Validate that updated software designs meet engineering rigor, configuration management standards, and DoD quality requirements.
- Review embedded software logic, design documentation, and verification results to assess correctness and completeness (without hands-on coding).
- Partner with hardware, systems, and integration engineers to assess and resolve complex software–hardware integration issues.
- Provide objective, unbiased technical assessments when reviewing software delivered by prime contractors and external partners.
- Support technical exchange meetings, engineering reviews, and program readiness discussions.
- Ensure verification, validation, and quality testing activities are properly executed and documented.
Preferred Qualifications
- Active Top Secret Clearance
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (or equivalent experience)
- 7+ years of experience in embedded software, systems engineering, or software lifecycle oversight within DoD or military programs
- Strong understanding of:
- Embedded and/or real-time software systems
- Software design, verification, and validation practices
- Configuration management and change control processes
- Engineering quality, compliance, and audit principles
- Proficiency in C++, Python, or similar languages sufficient to review embedded software and design logic
- Experience working in regulated, mission-critical defense environments
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Willingness to travel up to 25% for mission-critical activities
- Strong analytical, documentation, and technical communication skills
- Ability to operate independently with sound technical judgment
Top Skills
What We Do
ECS, a segment of ASGN (NYSE: ASGN), delivers advanced solutions and services in cloud, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), application and IT modernization, and science and engineering. The company solves critical, complex challenges for customers across the U.S. public sector, defense, intelligence and commercial industries. ECS maintains partnerships with leading cloud, cybersecurity, and AI/ML providers and holds specialized certifications in their technologies. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, ECS has more than 3,400 employees throughout the U.S. and has been recognized as a Top Workplace by The Washington Post for the last five years.
