Principal Engineer Jobs in Florida
Principal Engineer jobs in Florida are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in aerospace and defense, semiconductors, software systems, and large-scale infrastructure across the full seniority range from senior engineer to staff and distinguished levels. The biggest hiring metros are Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, where anchors like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies maintain major engineering operations. The most sought-after specialties in Florida are systems engineering, embedded software, and RF and avionics engineering tied to the state's defense and space corridor. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 132+ Principal Engineer jobs
Job ID: 115372
The Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business provides leading naval computing infrastructure, network and data distribution and middleware enterprise services, as well as world-class manufacturing and support capabilities.
Business Unit: Naval Electronics
Location: Largo, FL
Career Functional Area: Engineering
Telework Type: Hybrid
Type: Full Time
Schedule: 9/80
Shift: 1st
Job Summary
Systems engineering for radars, missile fire control systems, communications, and other RF systems, subsystems, or components. Activities include Analyze/modify existing designs, lead new development of hardware and software components for RF and radar systems, analysis of radar test data (field data, verification, and troubleshooting), verification and validation planning. Must possess the ability to complete a technical project independently; mentor and coach other engineers; and work cross-functionally to coordinate resolution of technical issues.
Job Responsibilities
- Review, define, and/or manage specifications and requirements, and develop designs to best support them, including cost as a key design variable
- Drive technical problem resolution and completion of activity on time and budget
- Provide budget, cost and schedule input for design assignments
- Ability to define and complete technical projects independently
- Analyze designs for troubleshooting/resolving performance issues and for new business opportunities
- Specify and evaluate supplier components, subsystems, and services
- Support program design to cost and design for manufacture requirements
- Develop prototypes to retire key development or production risks
- Communicate clearly (written and oral) with manufacturing, supply chain, program management and the customer
- Interact with technical management, other professionals, technicians and support personnel to coordinate, recommend and confer regarding technical activities and progress
- Attend appropriate engineering, customer or business meetings
- Execute integrated design activity for pulsed radar systems, including RF hardware design (transmitters, receivers, antennas), mechanical design, signal processing, algorithm integration, and overall performance analysis in relevant military environments
- Ownership of the overall radar system cost, performance, and schedule envelope to meet specific customer needs in countering present and future threats.
- Provides technical expertise and assistance to other engineers and support personnel
- Act as internal and customer subject matter expert (SME) for assigned system(s)
- Technical point of contact and lead, in preparation of complex small and large proposals and new business pursuits
Additional Details
Systems/Product/RF: Technical Leadership responsibilities in architecture definition, development, modification and analysis of radar
and RF Systems, as well as analog and mixed-signal devices such as amplifiers, filters, and ADCs. Contribute to RF requirements
analysis, definition, and management. Conduct functional analysis, performance analysis (e.g., Instantaneous Dynamic Range, Noise
Figure, Pass Band Response, etc.), interface analysis, and definition for the design, integration, and verification of RF components,
equipment, and systems. Troubleshoot and diagnose problems with existing processes or products and make modifications and
improvements as needed. Compile and evaluate process or product design and test data. Evaluate and recommend design approaches
to meet production requirements for new or improved products or processes.
Verification: Involved with the verification and validation of new and / or existing systems / sub-systems. Includes test planning,
procedure development, and test execution to verify product design or validate functional operation in the intended environment.
Includes documentation of results for use in formal reports. May include development of test hardware and software. May include
system / sub-system hardware and software debug, as well as test hardware and software debug.
Qualifications
- Bachelors Degree in Engineering or related technical field with a minimum of 8 years of experience
- Mastery of technologies and domain knowledge
- Expected to have knowledge and significant experience in multiple engineering disciplines
U.S. Citizenship required. This position requires an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment.
- Some employees are eligible for limited benefits only
Leonardo DRS, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
#NEL #LI-AS1
Job ID: 115372
The Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business provides leading naval computing infrastructure, network and data distribution and middleware enterprise services, as well as world-class manufacturing and support capabilities.
Business Unit: Naval Electronics
Location: Largo, FL
Career Functional Area: Engineering
Telework Type: Hybrid
Type: Full Time
Schedule: 9/80
Shift: 1st
Job Summary
Systems engineering for radars, missile fire control systems, communications, and other RF systems, subsystems, or components. Activities include Analyze/modify existing designs, lead new development of hardware and software components for RF and radar systems, analysis of radar test data (field data, verification, and troubleshooting), verification and validation planning. Must possess the ability to complete a technical project independently; mentor and coach other engineers; and work cross-functionally to coordinate resolution of technical issues.
Job Responsibilities
- Review, define, and/or manage specifications and requirements, and develop designs to best support them, including cost as a key design variable
- Drive technical problem resolution and completion of activity on time and budget
- Provide budget, cost and schedule input for design assignments
- Ability to define and complete technical projects independently
- Analyze designs for troubleshooting/resolving performance issues and for new business opportunities
- Specify and evaluate supplier components, subsystems, and services
- Support program design to cost and design for manufacture requirements
- Develop prototypes to retire key development or production risks
- Communicate clearly (written and oral) with manufacturing, supply chain, program management and the customer
- Interact with technical management, other professionals, technicians and support personnel to coordinate, recommend and confer regarding technical activities and progress
- Attend appropriate engineering, customer or business meetings
- Execute integrated design activity for pulsed radar systems, including RF hardware design (transmitters, receivers, antennas), mechanical design, signal processing, algorithm integration, and overall performance analysis in relevant military environments
- Ownership of the overall radar system cost, performance, and schedule envelope to meet specific customer needs in countering present and future threats.
- Provides technical expertise and assistance to other engineers and support personnel
- Act as internal and customer subject matter expert (SME) for assigned system(s)
- Technical point of contact and lead, in preparation of complex small and large proposals and new business pursuits
Additional Details
Systems/Product/RF: Technical Leadership responsibilities in architecture definition, development, modification and analysis of radar
and RF Systems, as well as analog and mixed-signal devices such as amplifiers, filters, and ADCs. Contribute to RF requirements
analysis, definition, and management. Conduct functional analysis, performance analysis (e.g., Instantaneous Dynamic Range, Noise
Figure, Pass Band Response, etc.), interface analysis, and definition for the design, integration, and verification of RF components,
equipment, and systems. Troubleshoot and diagnose problems with existing processes or products and make modifications and
improvements as needed. Compile and evaluate process or product design and test data. Evaluate and recommend design approaches
to meet production requirements for new or improved products or processes.
Verification: Involved with the verification and validation of new and / or existing systems / sub-systems. Includes test planning,
procedure development, and test execution to verify product design or validate functional operation in the intended environment.
Includes documentation of results for use in formal reports. May include development of test hardware and software. May include
system / sub-system hardware and software debug, as well as test hardware and software debug.
Qualifications
- Bachelors Degree in Engineering or related technical field with a minimum of 8 years of experience
- Mastery of technologies and domain knowledge
- Expected to have knowledge and significant experience in multiple engineering disciplines
U.S. Citizenship required. This position requires an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment.
- Some employees are eligible for limited benefits only
Leonardo DRS, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
#NEL #LI-AS1
See All 132+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Florida
Find roles in Florida that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in Florida
Where Florida roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in Florida
A snapshot from current Florida openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman37
- MTSI7
- FIS5
- Collins Aerospace5
- NextEra Energy4
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Medical Devices
What Florida Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across Florida.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or a closely related technical discipline
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with a leadership or staff-level track
- Demonstrated ability to define technical direction and mentor senior and mid-level engineers
- Deep expertise in at least one domain such as embedded systems, RF, avionics, or distributed software
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams across program, product, and architecture functions
- Active or eligible DoD security clearance preferred for defense and aerospace roles in Florida
Principal Engineer Jobs in Florida: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in Florida?
Becoming a principal engineer in Florida typically requires a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline and a progression through senior and staff engineering roles over many years. Florida does not mandate a state license for most software or systems principal engineer positions, but roles in civil, electrical, or structural engineering require licensure through the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. For defense and aerospace roles, a DoD security clearance and domain expertise in aerospace or embedded systems significantly strengthen a candidate's path.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Florida?
Employers hiring principal engineers in Florida right now include Northrop Grumman, MTSI, and FIS, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Florida's concentration of defense primes, space technology companies, and large financial services firms in the Tampa and Miami corridors means principal engineer demand is spread across both legacy contractors and growing technology organizations.
Which Florida cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Melbourne, Jacksonville, and Miami have the most principal engineer openings in Florida. Orlando and its surrounding communities drive much of the volume through defense contractors, simulation technology companies, and the aerospace supply chain tied to Kennedy Space Center, while Tampa's mix of financial services, cybersecurity firms, and defense systems operations and Miami's growing technology sector account for the remaining concentration.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Florida?
Yes, and more than many technical fields, particularly for software and systems architecture roles that do not require physical lab or hardware access. About 56% of principal engineer openings tied to Florida are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the flexibility that senior individual-contributor roles often carry. The portions of the work most likely to remain on-site are hardware integration, classified program activity, and client-facing architecture engagements.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in Florida with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is targeting associate or mid-level engineer roles at large Florida defense and aerospace employers such as Lockheed Martin or Northrop Grumman, which run structured new-graduate programs that build toward staff and principal levels over time. A Florida-based internship in systems engineering, embedded software, or RF can provide the hands-on credentialing that accelerates promotion. Moving laterally from a senior engineer or technical lead role in a closely adjacent discipline, particularly with a relevant domain certification, is the other well-worn route into principal-level work in the state.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Florida?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Florida on Migrate Mate, which lists current Florida openings updated regularly. Find roles that match your experience level, specialty, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 132+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Florida
Find roles in Florida that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer Jobs