Job SummaryOur team is adding a Chief Space Vehicle Systems Engineer in Englewood, CO. As the senior systems engineering authority for space vehicles within RS3, you will be responsible for leading end-to-end space vehicle system design and integration across multiple satellite and constellation development programs. You will translate mission needs and CONOPS into space vehicle requirements and architectures, lead system-level trades and analysis, and guide the flow-down of requirements into subsystem specifications, interfaces, and verification strategies.
In this role, you will lead by technical influence across cross-functional teams to ensure the space vehicle design is feasible, verifiable, manufacturable, and aligned with cost, schedule, performance, and risk objectives. You will work closely with systems engineering, spacecraft bus and payload SMEs, integration and test teams, program management, and business development to establish and maintain the technical baseline, support key technical and program reviews, and drive disciplined systems engineering practices and innovation across the RS3 space vehicle portfolio.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:- Serve as the chief systems engineering authority for space vehicle design and integration across multiple small satellite and constellation programs, translating mission needs and CONOPS into end-to-end space vehicle architectures, system requirements, and performance allocations.
- Lead system-level trade studies and analyses (e.g., bus architecture, payload accommodation, power/thermal, propulsion, GNC, communications) to optimize performance, cost, schedule, and risk, and own the space vehicle requirements baseline, including derivation, allocation, interfaces, and change control.
- Provide technical oversight for systems engineering development activities including: model-based systems engineering (MBSE), requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), and verification and validation plans.
- Collaborate closely with spacecraft bus, payload, GNC, power, thermal, propulsion, structures, software, integration and test, and other SMEs to ensure an integrated, verifiable, and manufacturable space vehicle solution, and oversee the verification and validation strategy through analysis, test, and demonstration.
- Serve as review board member for system-level design and program reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, ORR), clearly communicating technical status, risks, and trade decisions to internal leadership and customers, while identifying and managing key technical risks and opportunities at the space vehicle level.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to systems engineers and cross-functional teams, and work with program management and customers to align technical scope with cost, schedule, and resource plans, support
Job Qualifications- Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; eighteen or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, sixteen or more years of experience with a masters degree, or thirteen or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
- Must have at least 15 years of experience in space vehicle design, integration and test.
- Must be a nationally recognized expert in one or more engineering fields as demonstrated by:
- Original work(s) published in national professional engineering journals
- Invited presentations to national engineering symposiums.
- Participation as Chair on national engineering review panels.
- Engineering patents held.
- Has demonstrated leadership ability by directing/developing the solution(s) to highly technical and complex engineering problems, and has been a key participant in attracting and retaining engineering business as well as professional staff.
- Must possess the ability to:
- Guide the resolution of unusually complex technical problems.
- Champion the development of new concepts and principles and serve as an expert spokesperson on those concepts and principles.
- Must also possess excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, be customer focused, and able to work on a self-initiated basis or in a team environment.
- Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required enabling an effective leadership interface with other departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, potential customers, and government representatives.
- Able to work extended hours as required. Travel is expected, but less than 25%.
- Must have active TS/SCI security clearance.
