Senior Systems Engineer - Ground Systems

YOUR MISSION

We are seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to join our team in developing and integrating cutting-edge aerospace and defense systems. In this role you will play a critical role in defining, analyzing, and ensuring the successful implementation of mission requirements across our satellite command and control ground system, supporting critical space operations for national defense initiatives. You will perform requirements development, traceability, and verification across command and control infrastructure, telemetry and tracking systems, and ground station networks. You work closely with cross-functional teams while conducting impact analyses for changes, ensuring design integrity across the system, supporting integration and test planning, performing risk assessments, and leading design reviews.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Systems Engineering team supports multiple programs and disciplines. We are seeking talented, flexible engineers with varying skillsets. As a member of this team, you may:

• Collaborate with customers, stakeholders, and internal teams to define and document mission objectives, system requirements, and operational concepts.
• Translate customer and mission needs into actionable engineering solutions, ensuring alignment with technical and programmatic constraints.
• Lead system trade studies, performance evaluations, and feasibility assessments to ensure optimal system architecture design.
• Prepare detailed technical reports, presentations, and documentation for internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies and customers.
• Develop system-level integration and verification plans, conducting end-to-end testing to validate mission requirements.
• Coordinate with subsystem teams to troubleshoot and resolve integration challenges, ensuring mission readiness.
• Support mission operations teams during testing and real-time mission execution.
• Conduct system performance analysis, including reliability, safety, and mission effectiveness, under various environmental conditions.
• Assess mission success criteria and operational risks and propose mitigation strategies.
• Identify and analyze mission risks related to satellite command and control operations, including system latency, data integrity and operational uncertainties.
• Develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans for safe and reliable mission execution.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years full lifecycle experience leading ground control systems through design, test, and verification 
• Familiarity with integrating space-to-ground systems requiring Type 1 encryption
• Experience with commercial and government-provided Antenna-as-a-Service (AaaS) solutions
• Understanding of the Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (TCPED) lifecycle as applied to ground control systems
• Understanding of modulation, demodulation, encoding, and decoding as part of the command and control (C2) signal chain
• Experience with system deployment, integration, and ATO support in accordance with the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and NIST SP 800-53 security controls
• Strong technical leadership and systems architecture experience
• Proven leadership in design, analysis, and verification on a major aerospace program 
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with ability to lead technical trades 
• Ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and coordinate across hardware and software boundaries
• Bachelors Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field
• U.S. Citizen and eligible for DoD TS/SCI or TS/SAP U.S. government security clearance.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering
• Strong track record leading cross-functional engineering teams and managing design-to-delivery cycles 
• Demonstrated expertise with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
• Background in range certification, test readiness reviews, and safety boards
• Active TS/SCI clearance
• Experience in defense or classified satellite ground systems programs.
• Familiarity with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA mission standards and processes
• Experience working with government agencies, primes, or subcontractors on satellite command and control systems. 

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary:  $135,000-$190,000

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location- this a fully onsite position based out of our Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA office.
• Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite