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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Showing 5 of 98+ Principal Engineer jobs
C3BM Principal Systems Engineer
Huntsville, AL | Active Secret Clearance
Your expertise. Our nation's defense.
At Banner Defense, you're more than a name on a contract. As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, we know what it means to serve, and we build our team around people who take pride in protecting those who protect us. Here, your work directly supports the warfighter, your voice is heard, and your growth matters.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Banner Defense is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to join our Huntsville, AL team. In this role, you will be part of the Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management (C3BM) systems engineering effort, working on Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) technical engineering and integration, future concepts, new functionality, and multinational exchange designs. Your work will help connect sensors, interceptors, and partners into one integrated missile defense system, giving warfighters the information they need to defend our homeland and our allies.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Provide interoperability engineering, analysis, and technical guidance for C2BMC, Missile Defense System (MDS) Elements, and external capability integration and interface design efforts between MDA/DCC, DCC contractors, and MDS Elements
- Participate in technical baseline efforts to develop specifications, requirements, and interfaces for current and future C3BM spirals
- Support critical integration and interoperability product evaluations for future product integration into MDA/DCC spiral builds through interface, requirements, and C2BMC product definitions
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
- Active Secret clearance, which requires U.S. Citizenship
- Master's degree in a STEM field and 12+ years of experience
- Knowledge of C2BMC interoperability requirements or related experience
- Proficiency in systems engineering and execution processes
- Ability to apply network engineering and solutions to support real-world test, integration, and operations
PREFERENCE IF YOU HAVE
- Self-starter with the enthusiasm and capacity to learn in a fast-paced environment
- Experience working in a collaborative environment of Government, prime contractor, subcontractor, and supporting contractor personnel in a badge-less contractor environment
- Familiarity with Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), and/or C3BM Program Office work efforts
Ready to make your mark on the mission?
APPLY TODAY!!
SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS • EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) EMPLOYER
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
C3BM Principal Systems Engineer
Huntsville, AL | Active Secret Clearance
Your expertise. Our nation's defense.
At Banner Defense, you're more than a name on a contract. As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, we know what it means to serve, and we build our team around people who take pride in protecting those who protect us. Here, your work directly supports the warfighter, your voice is heard, and your growth matters.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Banner Defense is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to join our Huntsville, AL team. In this role, you will be part of the Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management (C3BM) systems engineering effort, working on Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) technical engineering and integration, future concepts, new functionality, and multinational exchange designs. Your work will help connect sensors, interceptors, and partners into one integrated missile defense system, giving warfighters the information they need to defend our homeland and our allies.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Provide interoperability engineering, analysis, and technical guidance for C2BMC, Missile Defense System (MDS) Elements, and external capability integration and interface design efforts between MDA/DCC, DCC contractors, and MDS Elements
- Participate in technical baseline efforts to develop specifications, requirements, and interfaces for current and future C3BM spirals
- Support critical integration and interoperability product evaluations for future product integration into MDA/DCC spiral builds through interface, requirements, and C2BMC product definitions
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
- Active Secret clearance, which requires U.S. Citizenship
- Master's degree in a STEM field and 12+ years of experience
- Knowledge of C2BMC interoperability requirements or related experience
- Proficiency in systems engineering and execution processes
- Ability to apply network engineering and solutions to support real-world test, integration, and operations
PREFERENCE IF YOU HAVE
- Self-starter with the enthusiasm and capacity to learn in a fast-paced environment
- Experience working in a collaborative environment of Government, prime contractor, subcontractor, and supporting contractor personnel in a badge-less contractor environment
- Familiarity with Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), and/or C3BM Program Office work efforts
Ready to make your mark on the mission?
APPLY TODAY!!
SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS • EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) EMPLOYER
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
See All 98 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 Grumman31
- Raytheon9
- BAE Systems USA6
- TCS3
- Leidos3
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 BAE Systems USA, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 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 Mobile. 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 35% of principal engineer openings tied to Alabama are remote or hybrid as of November 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 98 Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama
Find roles in Alabama that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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