About the RoleThe Systems Engineer III contributes to the development and implementation of advanced ground system solutions supporting the Space Development Agency's Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 (AMDT3) program, providing alignment, connection, and direction to the technical team throughout a fast-paced, mission-critical development lifecycle. The Systems Engineer III represents the viewpoint of the integrated whole during ground system development and works to glue segments and subsystems together via top-down decomposition of stakeholder requirements, traceability through development artifacts, and bottom-up validation and verification of the system — all in support of an aggressive schedule to get critical missile defense capability on orbit quickly. They help shepherd the team through technical development milestones, track performance measures, and identify and help retire technical risk rapidly to arrive at a compliant and cohesive ground system solution without sacrificing schedule velocity. The Systems Engineer III is an emerging leader in Systems Engineering principles and is proficient in the majority of systems engineering skills including requirements management, system architecture development, concept of operations definition, system integration, and system verification, with growing exposure to ground system elements (e.g., command and control, mission operations, data processing, and network/communications infrastructure) that interface with the space segment. The Systems Engineer III may lead small teams to execute systems engineering scope in a high-tempo environment and is expected to bring energy and adaptability to a program that values rapid iteration over fully mature, slow-moving processes.
In this role, you will specify, architect, and integrate complex ground system solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams, government stakeholders, and subject matter experts to understand project requirements and objectives under compressed timelines. You will derive, decompose, allocate, trace, and manage ground system requirements and architectures, as well as define and document concepts of operation for ground-to-space mission support. Supporting development milestone reviews by creating artifacts and deliverables will be a key responsibility, alongside supporting system integration and verification activities to ensure ground system functionality, performance, and readiness to support on-orbit operations. You will identify and manage technical risks, develop mitigation strategies, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that keep pace with program velocity. Adhering to established engineering processes and standards while being willing to pragmatically streamline where appropriate will be essential, and you will communicate effectively and proactively with team members, customers, and stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful execution in support of this nationally critical missile defense mission.
About YouOur mission is driven by an unyielding commitment to advancing space-based technology in service of our customers and safeguarding national security. We seek individuals who are passionate about innovating beyond boundaries and relentlessly pursuing solutions that protect, preserve and empower – to join us in this critical mission.
We’re looking for team members who align with our values, mission and goals – while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Requires Bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree or Masters +3 yrs experience).
- Typically 5+ years of related experience (or Masters + 3 years of experience).
- Emerging expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including a thorough understanding of the systems development lifecycle.
- Knowledge of requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation.
- Knowledge of systems architecture, systems integration, and Verification and Validation (V&V) principles.
- Emerging ability to work and communicate with technical and specialty subject matter expert engineers to drive systems engineering products.
- The ability to obtain and maintain a Secret U.S. Security Clearance is required
Preferred Qualifications:Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- Robust experience with Requirements Management and Model-Based Systems Engineering tools and frameworks, such as DOORS, CAMEO EA, Rhapsody, Matlab, and SysML.
- Strong understanding of ground systems architecture, including command and control, telemetry processing, data management, and network infrastructure subsystems.
- Proven ability to architect and design ground system solutions, including interface definitions, data flows, and subsystem integration strategies.
- Experience creating, managing, and executing comprehensive test plans for ground systems, including integration testing, end-to-end testing, and operational readiness validation.
- Background in software systems engineering and integration test (SW SEIT) for complex ground systems.
- Knowledge of Agile and Dev Sec Ops methodologies for ground software development and deployment.
- Solid understanding of project management methodologies including risk management and technical performance tracking.
- Solid understanding of technical baseline and configuration management.
- Experience in leading projects and mentoring junior engineers.
- Experience or certification in INCOSE standards.
- Experience deploying ground systems into large-scale, distributed operational environments.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
- An active Secret U.S. Security Clearance
Compensation:
Pay Range:
$119,064.00 - $163,713.00
Your actual base compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, experience, internal equity and market competitiveness.
