Design Assurance Systems Engineering Scientist

University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 104,000 - 174,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a Design Assurance Systems Engineering Scientist to join the Space and Geophysics Laboratory. You will guide requirements, translate them into system designs, and support certification and DO-278A activities for GNSS-based mission systems.

This role emphasizes design assurance, life-cycle collaboration, and effective communication with stakeholders across disciplines in a government-facing research environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in science, engineering, or related field.
• Three years of professional work experience in systems requirements and designs.
• Experience with design assurance or safety/certification practices for technical systems.

Responsibilities

• Elicit systems scope and requirements from stakeholders for designs to support certification.
• Conduct FHA allocations and identify safety-critical interfaces for system safety objectives.
• Identify evidence for DA levels and map to DA objectives.
• Communicate work processes, products, and results to stakeholders.

Skills

Systems requirements

System design

Design assurance

Safety/certification

Communication

Team collaboration

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Post-graduate degree

Tools

Jira

Structurizr

Job description

Design Assurance Systems Engineering Scientist

Purpose

The Space and Geophysics Laboratory (SGL) delivers capabilities to government customers for various applications, from real-time data-intensive network operations to standalone remote field systems.

We are seeking a systems engineer with design assurance expertise to join a growing team of engineers and scientists developing new capabilities for government sponsors and partners, in support of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as GPS. The work supports the development and DO-278A certification of mission-essential systems.

As a key member of a team of engineers, you will be responsible for eliciting systems scope from stakeholders, guiding the development of requirements, translating requirements into systems designs, guiding the decomposition of those systems into components of actionable units of work, and advising all stakeholders throughout the life‑cycle, from systems definition to implementation, with a focus on assurance and certification.

Responsibilities

• Elicit systems scope and requirements from stakeholders for use in systems designs, allocating and deriving requirements to support certification
• Conduct Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA) allocations and identify safety‑critical system interfaces to define objectives for system safety
• Identify evidence supporting the achievement of Design Assurance (DA) levels and map to Design Assurance objectives
• Communicate work process, products, and results, including documentation, written reports, and briefs presented to stakeholders
• Participate in Agile process, backlog management, and project decomposition into components and actionable units of work
• Provide Design Assurance Engineering Analysis and DA Reviews support, including gap analysis based on the final Program Requirements Document (fPRD), Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), and other safety artifacts
• Perform engineering estimates, guide project schedules, and identify dependencies
• Conduct engineering evaluations, such as trade studies, reliability analysis, functional analysis, risk analysis assessments
• Other related functions as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, in science, applied science, or engineering.
• Three years of relevant professional work experience developing systems requirements and systems designs
• Demonstrated experience with design assurance or safety/certification practices for technical systems (e.g. aviation, safety‑critical, or other regulated industries).
• Demonstrated ability to design, develop, evaluate, and support the development of large and complex systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to communicate technical detail to staff and stakeholders of varying backgrounds and experiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively, both independently and collaboratively, with a strong commitment to contribution and enabling the entire team.

US Citizen. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to the project requirements of the position

Preferred Qualifications

• Post‑graduate degree in systems engineering, engineering management, engineering mechanics, operations research, industrial engineering, or related field
• Immediate or previous eligibility to classified information
• Five years of relevant professional work experience developing systems requirements and systems designs
• Understanding of software development processes according to RTCA DO-178C, DO-278A, and DO-331
• Experience in identifying and addressing Design Assurance (DA) gaps and conducting Compliance Audits for DO-278A
• Experience in a highly technical, safety‑critical, or aviation related industry
• Work experience specific to GNSS observation and navigation data
• Demonstrated experience participating in an Agile project management using Jira or similar Agile management tools
• Experience with model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and techniques (experience with Structurizr is a plus)
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0

General Notes

An agency designated by the federal government handles the investigation as to the requirement for eligibility for access to classified information. Factors considered during this investigation include but are not limited to allegiance to the United States, foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations, drug involvement, the likelihood of continuation of such conduct, etc.

Salary Range

$104,000-$174,000+/negotiable, depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity
• Some weekend, evening and holiday work
• Possible interstate/intrastate travel

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest
• Unofficial college transcripts

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University‑Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I‑9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E‑Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E‑Verify is 854197. For more information about E‑Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP‑3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

100% employer-paid basic medical coverage

Retirement contributions

Paid vacation and sick time

Paid holidays

Visit our website www.arlut.utexas.edu for additional information about Applied Research Laboratories.

Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered.