Principal Systems Engineer

Red 6 is an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) technology startup leading the way in synthetic air combat training. Our primary technology, supporting our ATARS product, enables pilots to simulate the cognitive challenges of flying while accessing realistic, scalable training in dynamic outdoor environments.

We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to support the development, integration, and verification of the Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) across the full product lifecycle. This role supports the overall system development of ATARS via requirements development and traceability, architecture definition, interface management, hardware/software integration, and conducting formal design milestone reviews. In addition, this role will lead requirements, architecture, and design work for the early lifecycle of the next generation ATARS.

The Principal Systems Engineer will operate in a cross-functional environment supporting hardware, software, optics, test, and airworthiness teams to ensure technical performance, compliance, and mission readiness of complex integrated systems.

• Lead cross functional teams across Systems Engineering, Configuration Management, and Systems Integration & Test to align technical execution, drive solutions, and guide discussions.

• Develop, decompose, and manage system and subsystem requirements using approved requirements management tools.

• Establish and maintain the Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix (RVTM), ensuring bidirectional traceability from system requirements through verification artifacts.

• Develop and manage Interface Control Documents (ICDs) for internal and external system integrations (hardware, software, avionics, and platform interfaces).

• Lead and support design milestone reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, and SVR.

• Apply Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies (SysML) to develop system architectures, functional decompositions, use cases, and interface models.

• Conduct trade studies and technical analysis to support design decisions and performance optimization.

• Manage allocations of weight, power, and other system resources across components.

• Coordinate and oversee system integration and verification activities in both lab and aircraft environments.

• Identify and manage technical risks, ensuring mitigation plans are in place.

• Serve as a technical point of contact across internal teams and with external partners to ensure alignment on system design and performance.

• Bachelor’s degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or related STEM field.

• 12 years+ of experience in aerospace, defense, or mission-critical system development.

• Demonstrated experience across the full systems development lifecycle, from early concept and requirements through design, integration, verification, validation, production, and operations & maintenance.

• Proficiency with requirements management tools and products, including requirements development, decomposition, tracing, validation and verification.

• Experience authoring and reviewing Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Concepts of Operation, Trade Studies, Documentation Trees, Engineering Management Plans, Engineering Change Packages or similar systems engineering artifacts.

• Experience supporting or leading formal design milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR).

• Effective written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and cross-team coordination.

• Demonstrated familiarity with the software development lifecycle and software architecture, including the integration of software within complex hardware and mission systems.

• Knowledge of MIL-STD documentation standards…