Mission System Engineer

Technology Project Managers, Inc; Greenbelt (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Technology Project Managers, Inc. is seeking a highly experienced Space Mission Systems Engineer to support critical NASA flight projects. In this position, you will engage with NASA leadership and contribute to the successful execution of aerospace systems, ensuring all engineering deliverables meet strict contractual and technical requirements.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or a related STEM field, along with 12–15 years of systems engineering experience, including 5 years in a NASA environment. Strong communication and analytical skills are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• 12–15 years of professional systems engineering experience in aerospace.
• 5 years working directly in a NASA contractor or federal civil space environment.
• Exceptional consulting and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary technical point of contact to NASA leadership.
• Ensure engineering deliverables meet technical baselines.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of contract data requirements.

Skills

Requirements management

Systems Engineering

Communication

Analytical problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or related STEM discipline

Tools

IBM DOORS

Cameo Systems Modeler

STK

MATLAB

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Space Mission Systems Engineer to join our team as a high‑visibility contractor supporting critical NASA flight projects and civil space missions. In this role, you will serve as a key technical advisor and engineering lead on behalf of the contractor team, working side‑by‑side with NASA civil servants, instrument developers, and external vendors.

You will be responsible for ensuring that all engineering deliverables meet both strict technical baselines and contract performance metrics. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of delivering aerospace systems within federal cost, schedule, and technical constraints.

Responsibilities

Client Advisory & Technical Liaison

• Act as the primary contractor technical point of contact (POC) to the Mission System Engineer / NASA Civil Servant leadership, Principal Investigators (PIs), and Project Managers.
• Translate high‑level NASA mission requirements into actionable engineering task breakdowns for the contractor team.
• Participate in Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs) and working groups to resolve complex, multidisciplinary engineering anomalies across the spacecraft and payload elements.

Contractual & Milestone Deliverables

• Lead the preparation, review, and delivery of formal Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) items, ensuring rigorous technical quality and compliance with the Statement of Work (SOW).
• Drive the engineering lifecycle for contractor‑managed subsystems through formal NASA milestone reviews (MCR, SRR, PDR, CDR, SIR, ORR).
• Maintain and deliver key mission documentation, including Systems Engineering Plans (SEPs), Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and Verification & Validation (V&V) reports.
• Develop, trace, and manage system‑level and subsystem‑level functional requirements using Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools (e.g., Cameo Systems Modeler, MagicDraw) or traditional databases (IBM DOORS).
• Monitor and report on critical Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) – including mass, power, data rates, and link margins – ensuring margins remain within NASA‑approved limits.
• Evaluate trade studies and perform risk assessments using formal NASA Risk Management protocols (Likelihood and Consequence matrices).
• Oversee contractor‑supported integration and testing (I&T) activities for flight hardware and software elements.
• Support the planning and execution of environmental testing campaigns at NASA facilities, including thermal vacuum (TVAC), vibration, acoustic, and electromagnetic interference (EMI/EMC) testing.
• Draft comprehensive V&V matrices to ensure full compliance with NASA technical requirements prior to launch vehicle integration.

Required Qualifications & Core Competencies

Clearance: US Citizenship / Green Card Required / Ability to pass a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) for a NASA Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badge

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM discipline.
• Minimum of 12–15 years of professional systems engineering experience in the aerospace industry, with at least 5 years’ operating directly within a NASA contractor or federal civil space environment.
• Procedural Mastery: Deep operational familiarity with NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 7123.1 (Systems Engineering Processes) and NPR 7120.5 (Space Flight Program and Project Management).

Technical Tools

• Proficiency in requirements management and architecture tools such as IBM DOORS, Cameo Systems Modeler, or MagicDraw.
• Familiarity with aerospace analysis software (e.g., STK, MATLAB) is highly desirable.

Contractor Acumen

Experience operating within a Cost‑Plus or Firm‑Fixed‑Price contract structure; understanding of how technical decisions impact contract schedule, budget (EVMS), and scope boundaries.

Communication

Exceptional consulting and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex technical risks clearly to federal stakeholders.

Highly Desired Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting missions directly on‑site at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) or NASA Headquarters.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and technical decision‑making skills.
• Systems thinking with attention to detail
• Analytical problem‑solving in high‑stakes environments
• INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) certification.

Technology Project Managers, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status or disability status.