Senior Principal Hardware Integrated Project Team Lead - Military GPS Hardware

Job Description

Thank you for your interest in BAE Systems! This opening is included as part of our November 2026 Aerospace & Mission Systems (AMS) Engineering Hiring Event. While we encourage all interested professionals to apply, please note that this is a selection-based interview event for candidates whose skills and experience match our hiring needs. If your background and skill set match these needs, we will reach out with next steps. If selected for an interview, specific opportunities based on your interests, experience, and skill set will be discussed with the hiring team. For candidates not local to the Cedar Rapids area, virtual interviews will be accommodated

You don’t see it, but it’s there. Our employees work on the world’s most advanced electronics – from saving emissions in the City of Lights to powering the Mars Rover to protecting the F35 fighter jet. At Electronic Systems, you’ll be among the brightest minds, working on the aerospace and defense industry’s most difficult problems. Drawing strength from our differences, we’re innovating for the future. And you can, too. Our flexible work environment provides you a chance to change the world without giving up your personal life. We put our customers first – exemplified by our missions: “We Protect Those Who Protect Us®” and “We Innovate For Those Who Move The WorldTM.” Sound like a team you want to be a part of? Come build your career with BAE Systems.


Looking for an exciting career that utilizes your boundless creativity and technical innovation? We’re looking for engineers who share our passion in developing industry-leading navigation technologies and equipment to protect our warfighters on all fronts.

BAE Systems is looking for an experienced hardware engineer with skills in engineering project management. In our Navigation & Sensor Solutions Hardware Engineering department located at a newly constructed facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, you will become part of a Hardware Engineering Team developing Modernized M-Code GPS Receivers for defense programs. The team is responsible for the complete hardware product development process including bidding, hardware requirements analysis and capture, design, integration, and product verification including operations and customer support. Developing military GPS products with the latest technology and maintaining our legacy receivers, this hardware engineering team works closely with system and software development teams during the development process as well as in GPS labs to integrate and test products.

The Role: In this role, you will:

• Lead and oversee deeply technical hardware teams for highly complex programs
• Serve as the lead hardware design architect responsible for complex multi-CCA designs
• Drive the cost, schedule, and technical performance success of the teams
• Lead large-scale pursuits and be heavily involved in the creation of Architecture Review Board (ARB) materials
• Guide GPS-wide business-level technical decisions, including product roadmapping and supporting business development
• Lead highly complex Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) efforts originating from qualification failures, operations, or customers
• Interface effectively with senior/executive program management, engineering leadership, and customers
• Develop design guidance and process improvement initiatives that impact overall department performance
• Mentor and provide oversight to both junior and experienced engineers, focusing on advanced hardware topics and leadership

Who you are:

• You are a recognized domain SME with the technical breadth and depth to contribute to high-level architecture definition
• You possess expert-level communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to act as a prime spokesperson for the organization to customers and stakeholders
• You are a strategic thinker who understands the full program and inter-program impacts of technical decisions
• You are a proactive leader who inspires others, leads by example, and fosters a culture of innovation
• You are a "Recognized Master" in one or more technical or process areas beyond the hardware engineering department

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical and/or Electrical Engineering background preferred).
• Must have extensive engineering project management experience (typically 10+ years) leading complex programs
• Deep knowledge of Earned Value (EV) management and Systems Engineering principles
• Proven track record of leading large projects through the full development lifecycle with significant impact on business cost and schedule
• Demonstrated experience leading major design decisions, trade studies, and complex RCCA efforts
• US Citizen.
• Must be capable of obtaining a U.S. DoW Secret security clearance.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Master's degree in Engineering or related technical field.
• Experience performing hardware engineering product design
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Expertise in GPS domains or related advanced navigation systems.
• Experience presenting at technical forums

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $120874 - $205486

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.


About BAE Systems, Inc.
BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.

Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.