GNSS Systems Engineering Scientist

University of Texas; United States; On-site; USD 104,000 - 174,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a systems engineer with GNSS domain expertise to join a dynamic team delivering government-focused GNSS capabilities. You will elicit system requirements, translate them into designs, and guide decomposition into actionable work items while advising stakeholders through the life cycle.

The role emphasizes strong communication, collaboration, and mentoring, with opportunities to work across programs and contribute to critical GNSS initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science, applied science, or engineering.
• Three years of professional work experience developing systems requirements and designs.
• Ability to communicate technical detail to staff and stakeholders of varying backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Elicit systems scope and requirements from stakeholders for use in systems designs.
• Develop and evaluate systems design, including scope, requirements, components, interactions, and interfaces.
• Communicate work process, products, and results, including documentation and briefs to stakeholders.
• Participate in Agile process, backlog management, and project decomposition with stakeholders throughout the life-cycle.
• Perform engineering estimates, guide project schedules, and identify dependencies.
• Conduct engineering evaluations such as trade studies and risk analyses.
• Mentor junior engineering staff, technicians and students.
• Other related functions as assigned.

Skills

GNSS systems

Systems engineering

Requirements elicitation

Agile process

Technical communication

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in science/engineering

Tools

Jira

MBSE tools

Structurizr

C++/Python

Job description

Job Details

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 GNSS domain 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. 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.

Responsibilities

• Elicit systems scope and requirements from stakeholders for use in systems designs
• Develop and evaluate systems design, including scope, requirements, components, interactions, and interfaces
• Communicate work process, products, and results, including documentation, written reports, and briefs presented to stake-holders
• Participate in Agile process, backlog management, and project decomposition into components and actionable units of work; Coordinate with and provide support to stakeholders throughout the life-cycle of the systems definition, design, implementation, integration, and deployment
• Perform engineering estimates, guide project schedules, and identify dependencies
• Conduct engineering evaluations, such as trade studies, reliability analysis, functional analysis, risk analysis assessments
• Mentoring of junior engineering staff, technicians and students
• Other related functions as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science, applied science, or engineering.
• Three years of relevant professional work experience developing systems requirements and systems designs.
• 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.
• Ten years relevant professional work experience developing systems requirements, systems designs, and/or leading systems integration on large complex projects;
• Three or more years professional work experience specific to GNSS observation and navigation data, GPS/GNSS signal monitoring and analysis, receiver development and evaluation, and/or GPS/GNSS data collection systems;
• Specialized study, research, or work-experience with a specific emphasis on GNSS systems, GNSS signal structure, streaming/messaging systems (e.g. Pulsar), real-time data streams, and TCP/IP networking;
• 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);
• Demonstrated experience in software development using C++/Python;
• 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.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
• Retirement contributions
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays

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

Salary

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 transcript

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

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. Start Here, Change the World At The University of Texas at Austin, tradition meets innovation in the heart of a city that frequents lists of the best places to live and work. Named by Forbes as one of America's Best Large Employers for the sixth year in a row in 2025, UT offers both a dynamic work environment and a gateway to vibrant local culture. Whether you're at the forefront of the student experience, conducting world-changing research or supporting the engine that drives Texas’ flagship university, working at UT means making a lasting impact on our city, our state and our world. Our more than 20,000 faculty and staff empower 55,000+ students to challenge ideas, pursue passions and shape their futures. Joining UT, you’ll become part of a community dedicated to making a meaningful impact on campus and throughout the world. Looking for a student job? Please see our Student Employment site. Comments and Inquiries: Email comments to [e-mail]. For questions or concerns regarding equal opportunity only, contact Equal Opportunity Services. Additional information for applicants can be found on the Human Resources web page: Applying for Employment. For more job information, call the Human Resource Service Center at [phone], or toll-free at [phone]. UT Austin is a Tobacco-free Campus