Long Wall

Produces hypersonic testbeds and defense interceptors

Lead Program Systems Engineer

Spacecraft & Launch Vehicle SystemsUpdated on Nov 5

Full-time$150k - $230k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
At least 8 years of experience in systems engineering for aerospace, defense, or complex technical systems.
Demonstrated experience defining requirements, architecture, and verification plans for multidisciplinary systems.
Experience with interface control documentation, configuration management, and system-level technical reviews.
Ability to build and maintain system-level requirements, traceability matrices, and structured technical artifacts.
Strong understanding of aerospace subsystems and how they integrate into coherent system architectures.
Ability to define, review, and manage interface documentation and configuration structures.
Experience developing verification plans, test flows, and requirement-closure strategies for complex systems.
Ability to translate detailed technical architecture into clear guidance across engineering disciplines and program leadership.
Ability to work effectively in fast-paced environments combining rapid internal development with structured external demands.
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
Ability to use a computer for assignments and communicate effectively in person, via telepresence, and by phone.
Ability to travel between Long Wall sites as needed.
US person status, including US citizens, US permanent residents, individuals granted US asylum status, or individuals admitted in US refugee status, is required for access to information protected under US export-control laws.

Responsibilities

Own, define, refine, organize, and maintain system-level requirements for the Cyclops interceptor throughout the design and verification lifecycle.
Build and maintain traceability from customer objectives to subsystem requirements across engineering disciplines.
Develop and maintain system architecture integrating propulsion, avionics, structures, mechanisms, guidance, navigation and control, software, manufacturing constraints, and test operations.
Establish, maintain, and control Interface Control Documents, ensuring physical, electrical, data, and software interfaces are stable and rigorously evaluated.
Own the system-level verification plan, including verification methods, test flows, analysis strategies, and requirement-closure mechanisms.
Coordinate with engineering discipline leads to align subsystem designs with system architecture, requirements, interfaces, and verification constraints.
Partner with the Project Engineer to ensure development schedules reflect requirements flow, architecture constraints, integration needs, and verification planning.
Supply structured system artifacts to the Chief Engineer to maintain the technical baseline and support major technical decisions.
Work with Mission Assurance to ensure system requirements, architectures, and verification plans support safety, reliability, and readiness criteria.
Lead system-level technical reviews and major integration checkpoints, ensuring system artifacts are complete, configuration-controlled, and defensible.
Manage changes to requirements, interfaces, architecture, and configuration, evaluating modifications for system-level impact.
Support integration, test activities, and government milestone engagements by providing technical documentation, readiness artifacts, and configuration clarity.

Desired Qualifications

Prior systems-engineering leadership experience on missile, interceptor, launch vehicle, spacecraft, or other multidisciplinary aerospace systems.
Familiarity with government customers, milestone reviews, and structured technical documentation environments.
Familiarity with requirements tools such as DOORS, Jama, and JIRA, and with model-based systems engineering approaches.
Understanding of mission assurance, safety analysis, and reliability engineering for flight systems.
Experience scaling systems-engineering practices as products move from prototype to production.

Salary Range: 150000 to 230000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

Long Wall Company was created in 2024 to accelerate missile defense technology for the U.S. and our allies. We specialize in ballistic missile defense and are developing Cyclops, a low-cost, mass-producible interceptor. We also produce containerized launchers and offer low-cost targets for threat replication. The future of global security depends on defensive technology that redefines cost, magazine depth, and distribution to deter and defend against evolving threats. Join us.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

Mission-Driven Problem Solvers – The problems in missile defense demand ingenuity. We want engineers, technicians, and corporate professionals who approach challenges with curiosity, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and stay focused on delivering the best solution for the mission.

Total Ownership – We seek those who take full responsibility for delivering flight-ready work while recognizing that no one succeeds alone. The best engineers, technicians, and corporate professionals make their teammates better, knowing that complementary skills create force multiplication and drive mission success.

Lead Program Systems Engineer, Cyclops

DESCRIPTION

The Lead Systems Engineer for the Cyclops Interceptor Program owns system level requirements, architecture, interface definition, and verification planning for Long Wall’s interceptor. This role provides the technical backbone of the program, ensuring that all engineering work across propulsion, avionics, structures, mechanisms, GNC, software, and integration aligns with a coherent and traceable system design.

Operating closely with the program’s Chief Engineer, Project Engineer and Responsible Engineers, the Lead Systems Engineer creates and maintains the structured technical framework that enables disciplined development. They ensure that architectures scale, requirements remain traceable, interfaces stay stable, and verification flows match both government‑funded testing and rapid internal development.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Own system level requirements for the Cyclops interceptor; define, refine, organize, and maintain requirements throughout the design and verification lifecycle.
Build and maintain full traceability from customer objectives to subsystem requirements, ensuring visibility and coherence across all engineering disciplines.
Develop and maintain the system architecture, integrating propulsion, avionics, structures, mechanisms, GNC, software, manufacturing constraints, and test operations into a stable, scalable design.
Establish, maintain, and control Interface Control Documents (ICDs); ensure physical, electrical, data, and software interfaces remain stable and rigorously evaluated.
Own the system level verification plan, defining verification methods, test flows, analysis strategies, and requirement closure mechanisms.
Coordinate with engineering discipline leads to ensure subsystem designs align with system architecture, requirements, interfaces, and verification constraints.
Partner with the Project Engineer to ensure development schedules reflect requirements flow, architecture constraints, integration needs, and verification planning.
Support the Chief Engineer by supplying structured system artifacts needed to maintain the technical baseline and adjudicate major technical decisions.
Work closely with Mission Assurance to ensure system requirements, architectures, and verification plans support safety, reliability, and readiness criteria.
Lead system level technical reviews and major integration checkpoints; ensure system artifacts are complete, configuration controlled, and defensible.
Maintain discipline in managing changes to requirements, interfaces, architecture, and configuration, ensuring all modifications are evaluated for system level impact.
Support integration, test activities, and government milestone engagements by providing clear technical documentation, readiness artifacts, and configuration clarity

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline.

8+ years of experience in systems engineering for aerospace, defense, or complex technical systems.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Demonstrated experience defining requirements, architecture, and verification plans for multi-discipline systems.

Experience with interface control documentation, configuration management, and system level technical reviews.

Proven ability to build and maintain system level requirements, traceability matrices, and structured technical artifacts.

Strong understanding of aerospace subsystems and how they integrate into coherent system architectures.

Ability to define, review, and manage interface documentation and configuration structures.

Experience developing verification plans, test flows, and requirement closure strategies for complex systems.

Excellent communication skills; able to translate detailed technical architecture into clear guidance across engineering disciplines and program leadership.

Ability to operate effectively in fast‑paced environments that combine rapid internal development with structured external demands.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Prior systems engineering leadership experience on missile, interceptor, launch vehicle, spacecraft, or other multi‑discipline aerospace systems.
Familiarity with government customers, milestone reviews, and structured technical documentation environments.
Familiarity with requirements tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama, JIRA) and model‑based systems engineering approaches.
Understanding of mission assurance, safety analysis, and reliability engineering for flight systems.
Experience scaling systems engineering practices as products move from prototype to production.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to sit or stand for extended periods.
Ability to use a computer for assignments and communicate effectively in person, via telepresence, and by phone.
Ability to travel between Long Wall sites as needed

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information protected under US export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and/or the Export Administration Regulations. As such, US person status (including US citizens, U.S. permanent residents, individuals granted U.S. asylum status, or individuals admitted in U.S. refugee status) is a required qualification for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, genetics, or citizenship status (when otherwise legally authorized to work and access export-controlled data) and will not be discriminated against on the basis of such characteristics or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We encourage applicants of all ages.

National Security Suitability
Depending on the position, Long Wall may require the successful completion of a national security suitability screening in addition to its standard background check. Where required, the screening is conducted by Long Wall’s Facility Security Officer following offer acceptance and may include verification of any current or prior U.S. government security clearances or public trust positions. Information provided during the screening is used solely to determine suitability for the role and is held in confidence by Security. For positions subject to this requirement, any offer of employment is contingent upon a favorable suitability determination.

About the Company

Long Wall

Produces hypersonic testbeds and defense interceptors

Long Wall repurposes its launch heritage to serve U.S. defense needs, building deployable space and missile-defense testing tools for the government. Its RSX is a hypersonic flight-test vehicle used as a test bed and threat-replication target, Ironwood is a containerized ground system for responsive launch, and Cyclops is a surface-launched interceptor designed to engage missiles in midflight. Unlike rivals pursuing commercial satellite launches, Long Wall focuses on U.S.-made defense hardware and offers an integrated set of launch/test and interception capabilities to shorten timelines and reduce costs. Its goal is to strengthen national security by providing ready-to-use, deployable defense testing and interception solutions for government customers.

Company size: 51-200
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: $659.9M
Headquarters: Long Beach, CA
Founded: 2025

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