Demo

Systems Engineer-Principal

NetSage
Annapolis, MD Full Time
POSTED ON 7/18/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 1/12/2027
At NetSage, we are more than a government contractor—we are a mission-focused partner dedicated to advancing national security through exceptional cyber expertise. We believe our success begins with our people, which is why we invest in and care for our employees. We know that employee retention is mission continuity, and we are committed to building long-term careers where our people can grow alongside our customers' evolving missions. Our employees enjoy meaningful work, competitive compensation, outstanding benefits, and opportunities to expand their skills across multiple mission areas. To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and what it's like to build your career at NetSage, visit our Careers page.

Due to the sensitive nature of the work we support, some job descriptions intentionally provide a high-level overview of the role. If you'd like to learn more about a particular opportunity, we encourage you to apply directly or connect with us through our Get In Touch page. We'd be happy to discuss how your experience aligns with our mission and explore where you can make an impact.

Job Description:

We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership supporting large-scale Department of War (DoW) systems. In this role, you will leverage advanced systems engineering principles and an offensive cybersecurity mindset to strengthen defensive capabilities across complex, mission-critical environments. You will lead technical teams, perform comprehensive cybersecurity and systems resiliency assessments, and collaborate closely with customers and stakeholders to deliver secure, resilient solutions. The ideal candidate for this position will have extensive experience leading systems engineering teams, supporting large-scale DoW systems, and implementing Zero Trust principles. Please consider applying if you meet the following qualifications.

Required Qualifications:

  • TS/SCI with polygraph security clearance.
  • A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Information Systems, or a related field and eleven (11) years of relevant experience. A Master of Science (M.S.) degree and nine (9) years, or no degree and fifteen (15) years of experience is also acceptable.
  • At least six (6) years as a Systems Engineer with experience leading, managing, and collaborating with broad range of organizations and groups.
  • Experience performing in-depth vulnerability assessments of complex systems by applying systems engineering principles to evaluate architecture, designs, and security requirements, while conducting independent verification and validation and assessing contractor solutions for cybersecurity and systems resiliency.
  • Zero Trust experience.

Desired Qualifications:

  • Relevant cybersecurity certification such as CompTIA Security , Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), etc.
  • Familiarity with International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) defined life cycle systems engineering processes.
  • Familiarity with NIST SP 800-160.

Salary.com Estimation for Systems Engineer-Principal in Annapolis, MD
$173,454 to $194,891
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