Senior Specialist Systems Engineer - Mission Payload

Job Title: Senior Specialist, Systems Engineer – Mission Payload
Job Code: 46151
Job Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Job Schedule: 9/80 (Every Other Friday Off!)

Job Description:
L3Harris is seeking a Senior Specialist, Systems Engineer to support development of a space-based Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) mission payload sensor system. This role will perform systems engineering functions across the program lifecycle, contributing to technical planning, requirements development, interface coordination, system integration, verification planning, and engineering analysis.
The selected candidate will work in a multidisciplinary environment to help ensure the payload system is technically sound, executable, and aligned to mission and program objectives. In addition to core systems engineering responsibilities, this position will also support Cost Account Management (CAM) activities, including planning, tracking, and reporting on scope, schedule, and cost performance for assigned engineering work packages.
This role is ideal for an engineer who combines sound systems engineering fundamentals with strong organizational, coordination, and program execution skills.
This position is in Indiana: https://careers.l3harris.com/en/Fort-Wayne

Essential Functions:
•    Support systems engineering activities for a space-based EO/IR mission payload system through design, development, integration, test, and verification.
•    Develop, decompose, allocate, and maintain system, subsystem, and component-level requirements.
•    Support requirements traceability and verification planning across the payload development lifecycle.
•    Coordinate definition and management of internal and external interfaces across payload subsystems and with spacecraft or mission elements.
•    Contribute to development and maintenance of systems engineering artifacts such as specifications, verification matrices, interface documentation, technical plans, and trade study documentation.
•    Perform and support system-level analyses, trade studies, and technical assessments to evaluate design approaches, performance, and compliance with mission requirements.
•    Support system integration and test planning, discrepancy resolution, and technical issue closure.
•    Participate in major technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and related customer or internal reviews.
•    Collaborate with cross-functional teams including optics, focal plane, electronics, software, mechanical, thermal, integration and test, quality, reliability, and mission operations.
•    Identify and communicate technical risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies and support mitigation planning.
•    Help maintain technical baseline consistency through disciplined configuration and change management practices.
•    Job is onsite in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Qualifications:
•    Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related STEM discipline and a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience; or a Graduate degree and a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 10 years of prior related experience.
•    Eligibility to obtain a DoD Secret security clearance.

Preferred Additional Skills:
•    Experience with space-based EO/IR systems, electro-optical payloads, remote sensing systems, or related mission hardware.
•    Familiarity with requirements management tools such as DOORS, DOORS Next, Jama, or similar.
•    Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches and tools such as Cameo, MagicDraw, Capella, or similar.
•    Experience with interface management, ICD development, and verification traceability.
•    Experience supporting integration and test, anomaly resolution, or system verification activities.
•    Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM), work package management, or Cost Account Management (CAM) responsibilities.
•    Prior experience serving as a technical lead, subsystem lead, deputy IPT lead, or CAM on a development program.
•    Active security clearance.
•    Experience supporting spacecraft, payload, ground, or mission operations for space systems programs.
•    Experience in requirements development, decomposition, verification planning, and traceability.
•    Experience analyzing telemetry, mission data, or operational performance data to support decision-making and issue resolution.
•    Experience with anomaly investigation, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis in a complex technical environment.
•    Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to present technical findings clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
•    Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, fast-paced mission environment that may include launch and on-orbit support activities.

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