Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer - Optical Comms
About the job
- A bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline with typically 5–8 years of relevant experience; a master’s degree in a related technical discipline with typically 3–6 years of relevant experience; or a PhD in a related technical discipline with typically 0–3 years of relevant experience.
- Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles and the systems development lifecycle.
- Experience developing, managing, and verifying system and subsystem requirements.
- Knowledge of systems architecture, interface management, systems integration, and configuration management.
- Understanding of verification, validation, and systems integration processes.
- Ability to interpret customer requirements, Concept of Operations, and technical specifications to develop engineering solutions.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio.
- Experience with requirements management tools such as Jama, IBM DOORS, or similar.
- Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering tools such as CATIA Magic/Cameo, MagicDraw, or similar.
- Experience with systems modeling and simulation tools.
- Experience with collaboration platforms such as Confluence, SharePoint, or similar.
- Experience with configuration management and version control tools such as Git, GitLab, Bitbucket, or similar.
- Experience with issue tracking tools such as Jira or similar.
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
- Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Eligibility to work under United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations as a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, conditional resident, asylee, refugee, or other protected individual, or eligibility to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations.
- Analyze customer, mission, and system-level requirements and decompose them into clear, verifiable system and subsystem requirements.
- Establish definitions for hardware and software interfaces between optical communication payloads and the space vehicle.
- Research commercially available optical communication payloads and conduct source selection.
- Serve as the primary technical contact with vendors throughout the program lifecycle.
- Ensure requirements maintain end-to-end traceability to customer requirements, system architecture, and Concept of Operations.
- Define and manage hardware, software, electrical, mechanical, and data interfaces between system elements.
- Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to refine requirements for completeness, feasibility, technical accuracy, and manufacturability.
- Support requirements management, configuration management, baseline control, and engineering change activities.
- Identify technical risks, requirement gaps, ambiguities, and design issues early in the development lifecycle.
- Support system architecture development, technical trade studies, and engineering analyses to evaluate design alternatives and optimize system performance.
- Develop system verification and validation strategies, including verification methods, acceptance criteria, and verification levels aligned with program requirements.
- Define verification configurations, including hardware, software, firmware, and test environments required to support verification activities.
- Develop and maintain verification documentation, verification cross-reference matrices, requirements traceability matrices, and verification evidence packages.
- Partner with Integration and Test teams to plan, coordinate, and support system integration and verification activities.
- Evaluate test results, resolve technical discrepancies, and support corrective actions to ensure compliance with system requirements.
- Support technical planning, Program Increment planning, staffing assessments, and engineering execution activities.
- Prioritize systems engineering activities to meet technical, cost, schedule, and program milestones.
- Participate in technical reviews, design reviews, customer meetings, and engineering milestone activities.
- Mentor junior engineers on systems engineering best practices, requirements development, traceability, verification, and technical documentation.
- Drive continuous improvement of engineering processes, systems engineering rigor, and technical documentation.
- Collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams to support successful program execution.
- Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.
- Familiarity with spacecraft mission planning, launch support, and on-orbit operations.
- Experience supporting spacecraft system integration, mission readiness, and operational activities.
- Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated engineering programs.
About the company
CesiumAstro develops end-to-end space and airborne communications systems, including active phased array antennas, software-defined radios, and complete payloads. Its technology enables electronically steered beams for inter-satellite links, high-rate downlinks, lunar and deep-space communication, and 5G/NTN networks. It ships plug‑and‑play, commercially manufactured hardware and SDR software as a full-stack solution, reducing development time and cost. The company targets both government programs (NASA, DoD) and commercial space ventures, aiming to make space-based connectivity more accessible and adaptable.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$780M
Headquarters
Bee Cave, Texas
Founded
2017
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- EXIM and J.P. Morgan backed $300 million financing funds the Bee Cave factory and Texas hiring.
- April 21, 2026 Missile Defense Agency work validates Skylark for national-security modernization.
- The $470 million Series C gives CesiumAstro cash to industrialize manufacturing and scale deliveries through 2027.
What critics are saying
- Three 2026 acquisitions create integration drag and culture clashes before 2027 product revenue lands.
- CesiumAstro still depends on U.S. defense buyers, EXIM financing, and Bee Cave buildout finishing on time.
- L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Lockheed can crush margins on phased-array programs; CesiumAstro loses share fast.
What makes CesiumAstro unique
- CesiumAstro vertically integrates antennas, radios, semiconductors, and mission software under one roof.
- Its 2026 Jariet, Vidrovr, and 1Aardvark buys deepen full-stack space-defense autonomy.
- Skylark and Element target software-defined, mobile-ready links across missiles, satellites, and airborne platforms.
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The Export-Import Bank of the United States has signed a $300 million credit agreement with CesiumAstro, an Austin-based space and defence connectivity specialist. The agreement, announced on 9 September, aims to consolidate the company's design, manufacturing, assembly and test operations into a single 270,000-square-foot US facility currently under construction. The financing includes a $20 million revolving credit facility from JP Morgan, making it EXIM's largest loan approval under its "Make More in America" initiative. CesiumAstro is the only company to receive a second credit agreement under the programme. EXIM previously approved $185 million in financing to CesiumAstro in January 2026, later increased to $280 million. Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro recently secured a $470 million Series C funding round.
CesiumAstro buys 1Aardvark to add mission software for defense space. * 1Aardvark is a service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone-certified business in Manassas, Virginia * Its work covers missile defense and missile tracking programs * The deal follows CesiumAstro's purchases of Vidrovr and Jariet Technologies this year CesiumAstro has acquired 1Aardvark, adding mission software and systems engineering to a portfolio built around satellites and communications payloads. CesiumAstro announced the deal Tuesday. 1Aardvark, based in Manassas, Virginia, builds software, algorithms and systems engineering for national defense programs. It holds service-disabled veteran-owned small business and HUBZone certifications. What does 1Aardvark bring to CesiumAstro? 1Aardvark's software supports missile defense and missile tracking work. The company builds systems that enable distributed platforms to coordinate and execute missions in contested or disconnected environments. CesiumAstro expects the pairing to yield spacecraft that adjust to changing conditions and keep operating when connectivity degrades. Shey Sabripour, founder and CEO of CesiumAstro, said defense space systems increasingly require software that can adapt and make decisions. According to Ryan Kenward, president of 1Aardvark, joining CesiumAstro extends the company's work pushing mission capability to the edge. How does the deal fit CesiumAstro's acquisition strategy? The 1Aardvark deal lands days after CesiumAstro closed its purchase of Jariet Technologies, a semiconductor firm focused on millimeter-wave radio frequency system-on-chip designs. That deal gave the company in-house chip capability to pair with its phased-array antenna and payload work. The company also acquired Vidrovr in March, an AI firm specializing in real-time multimodal signal analysis. Vidrovr co-founder Joe Ellis oversees integration of machine learning tools into the CesiumAstro portfolio. CesiumAstro closed a $470 million Series C round in February and took $200 million in Export-Import Bank financing in January to acquire a 270,000-square-foot West Austin facility.
CesiumAstro’s purchase of Virginia-based 1Aardvark advances its strategy to deliver more resilient, software-defined communications and onboard systems for government missions, strengthening its position in the defence...
CesiumAstro acquires Jariet Technologies, expanding semiconductor capabilities across SATCOM, electronic warfare, radar and space systems.