Principal Engineer Jobs in South Carolina
Principal Engineer jobs in South Carolina are concentrated in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville, where defense contracting, advanced manufacturing, and energy infrastructure drive steady demand for senior technical talent. Employers like Boeing, Michelin, and Bosch have deep roots in the state and regularly hire principal engineers across systems, mechanical, and software disciplines. The role sits at the top of the individual contributor track, and most openings call for deep domain expertise in one of those specialties. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job ID: 2617239
Location: North Charleston, SC, US
Date Posted: 2026-09-24
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Systems Engineer
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 10% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE
Description
SAIC is seeking an Systems Engineer Principal to join our team in support of Naval Electronic Warfare (EW) missions. In this senior-level role, you will be responsible for architecting and developing resilient, distributed systems capable of operating in disconnected, low-bandwidth, or unreliable network environments, integrating electronic attack, electronic protection, and electronic support measures across military platforms.
The candidate will sit at our customer site in North Charleston, SC.
Job Duties:
- Design and develop scalable, modular software and hardware architectures for non-kinetic EW systems of systems, defining interfaces, specifications, and requirements in support of naval missions
- Evaluate and select technologies, frameworks, and tools to meet mission requirements while staying current with advancements in EW, cyber, and information operations
- Ensure seamless integration of non-kinetic capabilities with existing and future military platforms, including Cross-Domain Solutions and Naval Communications and Network integration
- Analyze high-level requirements to develop detailed technical specifications for software and hardware components, ensuring compliance with military standards
- Develop and utilize model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and modeling and simulation environments to quantify system performance, conduct trade studies, and support testing and validation
Qualifications
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree and nine (9) years of experience; four (4) additional years of work experience in lieu of a degree
- Demonstrated experience in systems of systems engineering, including architecture design and development for EW or related defense systems
- Experience with electronic warfare domains including electronic attack (EA), electronic protection (EP), and electronic support measures (ESM)
- Experience with Cross-Domain Solutions and Naval Communications and Network integration
- Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and methodologies
Required Clearance:
- An active TS/SCI clearance is required to start
Desired Qualifications:
- OMG Certified Systems Modelling Professional
Job ID: 2617239
Location: North Charleston, SC, US
Date Posted: 2026-09-24
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Systems Engineer
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 10% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE
Description
SAIC is seeking an Systems Engineer Principal to join our team in support of Naval Electronic Warfare (EW) missions. In this senior-level role, you will be responsible for architecting and developing resilient, distributed systems capable of operating in disconnected, low-bandwidth, or unreliable network environments, integrating electronic attack, electronic protection, and electronic support measures across military platforms.
The candidate will sit at our customer site in North Charleston, SC.
Job Duties:
- Design and develop scalable, modular software and hardware architectures for non-kinetic EW systems of systems, defining interfaces, specifications, and requirements in support of naval missions
- Evaluate and select technologies, frameworks, and tools to meet mission requirements while staying current with advancements in EW, cyber, and information operations
- Ensure seamless integration of non-kinetic capabilities with existing and future military platforms, including Cross-Domain Solutions and Naval Communications and Network integration
- Analyze high-level requirements to develop detailed technical specifications for software and hardware components, ensuring compliance with military standards
- Develop and utilize model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and modeling and simulation environments to quantify system performance, conduct trade studies, and support testing and validation
Qualifications
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree and nine (9) years of experience; four (4) additional years of work experience in lieu of a degree
- Demonstrated experience in systems of systems engineering, including architecture design and development for EW or related defense systems
- Experience with electronic warfare domains including electronic attack (EA), electronic protection (EP), and electronic support measures (ESM)
- Experience with Cross-Domain Solutions and Naval Communications and Network integration
- Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and methodologies
Required Clearance:
- An active TS/SCI clearance is required to start
Desired Qualifications:
- OMG Certified Systems Modelling Professional
See All 17 Principal Engineer Jobs in South Carolina
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Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in South Carolina
Where South Carolina roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in South Carolina
A snapshot from current South Carolina openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Investment & Asset Management
What South Carolina Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across South Carolina.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program required
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized by the South Carolina Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors preferred for civil and systems roles
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience in a relevant discipline
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and set engineering standards
- Experience delivering large-scale projects in defense, advanced manufacturing, or energy sectors
- Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as CAD platforms, simulation software, or systems engineering frameworks
Principal Engineer Jobs in South Carolina: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in South Carolina?
Most principal engineers in South Carolina hold at least a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline from an ABET-accredited program, followed by a master's degree in competitive specialties. For civil, structural, and many systems roles, licensure as a Professional Engineer through the South Carolina Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors is expected or preferred. Candidates without a PE license typically advance through demonstrated technical leadership, deep domain expertise, and a portfolio of complex project delivery across industries like defense or manufacturing.
Which companies hire principal engineers in South Carolina?
South Carolina principal engineer roles are posted by LPL Financial, SAIC, and Celanese and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. South Carolina's defense, automotive, and aerospace manufacturing base means a wide range of large, established employers consistently open senior engineering positions throughout the year.
Which South Carolina cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Aiken lead South Carolina in principal engineer openings. Charleston's concentration of defense contractors and aerospace employers drives volume on the coast, Columbia's state government agencies and research institutions anchor the Midlands market, and Greenville's advanced manufacturing corridor, anchored by Michelin's North American headquarters and BMW's nearby production plant, supports strong demand in the Upstate region.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in South Carolina?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely software-focused fields. About 50% of principal engineer openings tied to South Carolina are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the hands-on or facility-bound nature of many roles. Software systems and architecture-heavy specialties within principal engineering offer the greatest remote flexibility, while roles in manufacturing, defense hardware, or site infrastructure typically require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in South Carolina with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an associate or staff engineer role at a South Carolina employer that promotes from within. Boeing in North Charleston, Michelin in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, and Bosch facilities in the Upstate regularly hire new graduates and early-career engineers into structured development programs. Building toward a Professional Engineer license through the South Carolina Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors signals seriousness to employers and opens doors that remain closed without it.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in South Carolina?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in South Carolina on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings posted by employers hiring in the state right now. Search the listings, find roles that match your discipline and experience level, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 17 Principal Engineer Jobs in South Carolina
Find roles in South Carolina that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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