About the Role
The Sr Systems Engineer 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 Sr Systems Engineer champions 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 shepherd the team through technical development milestones, track performance measures, and identify and retire technical risk rapidly to arrive at a compliant and cohesive ground system solution without sacrificing schedule velocity. The Sr Systems Engineer is a promoter of Systems Engineering principles and has expertise across the major systems engineering skills including requirements management, system architecture development, concept of operations definition, system integration, and system verification, with a focus on ground system elements (e.g., command and control, mission operations, data processing, and network/communications infrastructure) that interface with the space segment. The Sr Systems Engineer leads teams to execute systems engineering scope in a high-tempo environment and helps develop systems thinking in others, thriving on ambiguity and rapid iteration rather than requiring fully mature processes before contributing.

In this role, you will lead the specification, architecting, and integration of 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 oversee the derivation, decomposition, allocation, tracing, and management of ground system requirements and architectures, as well as define and document concepts of operation for ground-to-space mission support. Leading development milestone reviews by creating artifacts and deliverables will be a key responsibility, alongside overseeing 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 and execute mitigation strategies quickly, 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 You

Our 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 +8 yrs experience).
• Typically 10+ years of related experience (or Masters + 8 years of experience).
• Demonstrated expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including a comprehensive understanding of the systems development lifecycle.
• Progressive experience across the system development lifecycle, including requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation.
• Progressive experience developing systems architecture and performing systems integration, verification, and validation (V&V) activities.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with technical and specialty subject matter expert engineers to drive systems engineering products.
• An Active Secret Security Clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field.

• Extensive 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.

• Strong understanding of project management methodologies including risk management and technical performance tracking.

• Strong understanding of technical baseline and configuration management.

• Proven experience in leading projects and mentoring junior and mid-level engineers.

• Experience or certification in INCOSE standards.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.

Compensation:

Pay Range:
$143,700.00 - $197,608.50

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.

Elevate Your Career

At Sierra Space, we are committed to your personal and professional development. We empower you to make profound and meaningful contributions and foster a vibrant culture of collaboration, where teamwork ignites breakthrough innovations.

We also offer a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, and more.

Application Deadline: This role will remain posted until a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Please note: Sierra Space does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to Sierra Space team members not through our approved vendor list or Talent Acquisition will be considered property of Sierra Space, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.