Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama
Principal Engineer jobs in Alabama are concentrated in Huntsville, Birmingham, and Decatur, where defense contractors, aerospace firms, and heavy manufacturers anchor the market at every seniority level. Employers such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies maintain long-term engineering operations in northern Alabama, driving consistent demand for principal engineers in systems engineering, propulsion, and software-defined platforms. The Huntsville corridor in particular ranks among the most active markets in the Southeast for senior technical leadership roles. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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- Establish a vision for M&S planning, acquisition, development, test, and Verification and Validation (V&V) and provide recommendations to senior leadership on M&S strategy.
- Maintain awareness of government test and analysis schedules and ensure M&S development and availability to meet customer needs.
- Oversee development of M&S requirements.
- Support the government’s preparation of the scope of work and the M&S acquisition effort.
- Collaborate with prime development contractors to execute M&S development, upgrades, and modifications.
- Coordinate with the M&S user community to distribute, set up, and employ the developed M&S products.
- Oversee and provide direction to independent M&S validation and analysis teams.
- Report to senior leadership on status, schedule, risks, milestones, and accomplishments.
- Provide direction and guidance to a team of M&S professionals supporting execution of these key functions.
- Master’s or PhD in a STEM field.
- 12+ years of relevant experience working on M&S development and/or V&V of missile defense-related or other complex, large DoD program/project.
- Active SECRET or higher level clearance.
- Ability to work independently, as a team member, or leading teams/tasks, applying engineering rigor to solve engineering/scientific problems.
- Subject Matter Expert (SME) level understanding of missile defense systems operation with extensive knowledge of radar systems.
- Ability to effectively prioritize resources to achieve multiple competing goals.
- Excellent communications skills and ability to present technical information to senior technical leadership.
- Ability to coordinate multiple simultaneous ongoing projects (multi-tasking).
- Extensive use of the Microsoft suite of tools (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
- Willingness to travel up to 10% of the time. Trip durations may range from overnight to multiple days.
- Willingness to work full-time onsite on the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience leading a team of engineering professionals highly desired.
- Experience with modeling and simulation of state of the art, solid state radars
#LI-JJ1
Secret
Perks and Benefits
- Vacation:New Hires Accrue 20 days of PTO and 10 Holidays per Year
- Health Insurance:Zero Deductible Health Plans
- Flexible Schedules:Flex Schedules
- Professional Development:Up to $10,000 Annual Education/Training Reimbursement
- ESOP:Funded Stock Ownership Plan
- 401k Match+:6% 401k Match + Immediate Vesting
- Bonus Program:Semi-Annual Bonus Opportunity
- Mentorship:Career Mentorship Programs
Why is MTSI a great place to work
- Interesting Work:Our co-workers support some of the most important and critical programs to our national defense and security.
- Values:Our first core value is that employees come first. We challenge our co-workers to provide the highest level of support and service, and reward them with some of the best benefits in the industry.
- 100% Employee Owned:We have a stake in each other's success, and the success of our customers. It's also nice to know what's going on across the company; we have company wide town-hall meetings three times a year.
- Great Benefits - Most Full-Time Staff Are Eligible for:
- Starting PTO accrual of 20 days PTO/year + 10 holidays/year
- Flexible schedules
- 6% 401k match with immediate vesting up to $9k annually
- Semi-annual bonus eligibility (July and Decemeber)
- Company funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - a separate qualified retirement account
- Up to $10,000 in annual educational reimbursement
- Other company funded benefits, like life and disability insurance
- Optional zero deductible Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance plan
- Track Record of Success:We have grown every year since our founding in 1993.
Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) is a 100% employee-owned engineering services and solutions company that provides high-demand technical expertise in Digital Transformation, Modeling and Simulation, Rapid Capability Development, Test and Evaluation, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, Cybersecurity and Mission Assurance
MTSI delivers capabilities to solve problems of global importance. Founded in 1993, MTSI today has employees at over 20 offices and field sites worldwide.
For more information about MTSI, please visitwww.mtsi-va.com
EEO Statement
MTSI embraces nine core values including our first core value of Employees come first. Consistent with our Core Values, we are committed to Equal Opportunity, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, military/veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. MTSI is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with physical and/or mental disabilities.
Why is MTSI a great place to work
- Interesting Work: Our co-workers support some of the most important and critical programs to our national defense and security.
- Values: Our first core value is that employees come first. We challenge our co-workers to provide the highest level of support and service, and reward them with some of the best benefits in the industry.
- 100% Employee Owned: We have a stake in each other's success, and the success of our customers. It's also nice to know what's going on across the company; we have company wide town-hall meetings three times a year.
- Great Benefits - Most Full-Time Staff Are Eligible for:
- Starting PTO accrual of 20 days PTO/year + 10 holidays/year
- Flexible schedules
- 6% 401k match with immediate vesting up to $9k annually
- Semi-annual bonus eligibility (July and Decemeber)
- Company funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - a separate qualified retirement account
- Up to $10,000 in annual educational reimbursement
- Other company funded benefits, like life and disability insurance
- Optional zero deductible Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance plan
- Track Record of Success: We have grown every year since our founding in 1993.
Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) is a 100% employee-owned engineering services and solutions company that provides high-demand technical expertise in Digital Transformation, Modeling and Simulation, Rapid Capability Development, Test and Evaluation, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, Cybersecurity and Mission Assurance
MTSI delivers capabilities to solve problems of global importance. Founded in 1993, MTSI today has employees at over 20 offices and field sites worldwide.
For more information about MTSI, please visit www.mtsi-va.com
See All 95 Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama
Find roles in Alabama that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in Alabama
Where Alabama roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in Alabama
A snapshot from current Alabama openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman24

- Raytheon14

- TCS9

- MTSI3

- CVS Health3

Top Industries Hiring
- Aerospace & Defense
- Chemicals & Materials
- Construction & Real Estate
- Banking & Financial Services
- Investment & Asset Management
What Alabama Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across Alabama.
- Active Alabama PE license or PE license recognized through Alabama reciprocity strongly preferred
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a closely related technical discipline required
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and own end-to-end engineering design decisions
- Experience with defense, aerospace, or industrial manufacturing systems common in Alabama programs
- Strong background in systems integration, requirements development, or embedded software architecture
Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in Alabama?
Most principal engineer roles in Alabama require a bachelor's degree in engineering plus a decade of progressive experience culminating in technical leadership. Many employers, particularly in defense and government contracting, expect candidates to hold or pursue a Professional Engineer license through the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, which administers the PE exam in Alabama. Strong candidates also build a record of owning large-scope technical decisions and mentoring junior engineers.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Alabama?
Employers hiring principal engineers in Alabama right now include Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and TCS, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Alabama's heavy concentration of defense primes, aerospace integrators, and industrial manufacturers means openings appear consistently across Huntsville, the greater Birmingham metro, and established manufacturing corridors along the Tennessee River.
Which Alabama cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
The cities with the most principal engineer openings in Alabama are Huntsville, Birmingham, and Montgomery. Huntsville dominates because of Redstone Arsenal, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and the dense cluster of defense contractors those installations attract, while Birmingham draws openings from its large healthcare systems, utilities, and manufacturing base, making even smaller metros in the region viable when large employers anchor local engineering teams.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Alabama?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely software-focused fields because principal engineer work in Alabama often involves classified defense programs, physical lab environments, or on-site manufacturing oversight that require in-person presence. About 20% of principal engineer openings tied to Alabama are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to cluster in software architecture, systems analysis, and technical program management rather than hardware or propulsion disciplines.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in Alabama with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is to enter as an associate or staff engineer at one of Alabama's large defense or aerospace employers and advance through increasingly complex technical assignments. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and major federal contractors operating out of Huntsville run structured new-graduate and early-career programs that place engineers on long-cycle programs where they can build the depth the principal title requires. Pursuing your Engineer-in-Training certification through the Alabama Board of Licensure early signals commitment and accelerates eligibility for PE licensure, which opens doors to senior technical roles.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Alabama?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Alabama on Migrate Mate, which lists current Alabama openings updated in real time. Search the listings for roles that match your discipline and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 95 Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama
Find roles in Alabama that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer Jobs