Mid-Level Systems Engineer: Space & Ground Systems

Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory seeks a mid-level Systems Engineer to support software development projects for the Space Development Agency’s PWSA within the Strategic & Military Space Division. The role focuses on space-ground interfaces, system interoperability, and end-to-end testing across government and commercial programs.

Qualified candidates have a strong background in space systems engineering, requirements management, and teamwork, with travel about 6–9 weeks annually.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizen with an active, or previously held, U.S. Government security clearance.
• Bachelor’s or higher degree in engineering or a related technical field and 10+ years of space systems engineering experience.
• Systems engineering experience with space and ground subsystems in government or commercial programs.
• Ability to interpret customer-driven requirements to determine areas of risk from a technical, cost, and schedule perspective.
• Ability to work effectively both individually and within a team environment.
• Moderate travel to support SDA (approximately 6-9 weeks a year).

Responsibilities

• Provides subject matter expertise related to defense mission space and ground systems integration.
• Assess system architecture, designs, implementation, and operations with focus on interoperability, verifiability, and end to end performance.
• Drafts, develops, and/or provides input to ICDs, SOWs, test plans and procedures, ConOps, architecture and systems descriptions, schedules, and various other engineering and programmatic documents.
• Leads or has a key role in interface and IV&V related working groups focused on space-to-ground, ground network, cloud services, and other intra- and inter-ground segment products.
• Maintains strong communication on technical topics between working groups, integrated product teams, space system providers, ground system providers, and government program offices.
• Leads government assessment of the ground system contractor’s integrated system validation and verification (end to end) test planning and execution.
• Monitors systems testing and interface/end-end testing with the space vehicle vendors and mission partners.
• Provides technical assessment of success of such testing and recommendations on acceptance of test results and disposition of deviations.
• Provides decision support to government program managers and system leads on topics in areas of responsibility.
• Supports program managers and lead systems engineers on a program in technical management of projects through tracking, risks, requirements, interfaces, configurations, and related tasks.
• Designs and coordinates complex systems that involve interdisciplinary engineering.
• Creates and maintains programmatic and technical documentation to ensure efficient planning and execution.

Skills

Space systems engineering

Requirements management

Systems thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory seeks a mid-level Systems Engineer to support software development projects for the Space Development Agency’s PWSA within the Strategic & Military Space Division. The role focuses on space-ground interfaces, system interoperability, and end-to-end testing across government and commercial programs.

Qualified candidates have a strong background in space systems engineering, requirements management, and teamwork, with travel about 6–9 weeks annually.