SATCOM Systems Engineer

Fantom Corporation; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Fantom Corporation seeks an experienced Systems Engineer with extensive SATCOM and hardware systems design expertise to support the full lifecycle of complex technical systems for government customers.

The role leads requirements development through deployment and sustainment, collaborating with government stakeholders, engineering teams, and third-party vendors while ensuring successful system integration and mission readiness. Travel is required to support field activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 7–20 years of systems engineering experience with complex hardware/software systems.
• Extensive SATCOM and hardware design experience.
• Experience managing the full systems engineering lifecycle for complex programs.
• Experience developing system requirements, engineering documentation, and technical specifications.
• Experience leading vendor coordination and technical reviews.
• Experience developing and executing system test plans and diagnostics.
• Travel up to 10%, including domestic and international.
• Experience supporting government or Intelligence Community programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering efforts through full lifecycle from requirements to deployment and sustainment.
• Develop and manage system requirements, interface documents, and technical specifications.
• Design, develop, and integrate SATCOM and hardware-based systems for mission-critical operations.
• Coordinate with government customers, engineering teams, and vendors to ensure successful integration.
• Lead design reviews, engineering assessments, and program reviews.
• Develop test strategies, plans, validation procedures, and test documentation.
• Coordinate lab and field testing; analyze results and guide troubleshooting.
• Support customer approval processes for testing, certification, and deployment.
• Evaluate emerging technologies to enhance mission capabilities.
• Provide SME guidance on RF systems, infrastructure, and hardware architectures.
• Create technical documentation for contracting (SOWs, SSJs, requirements).
• Facilitate user requirements sessions and stakeholder alignment.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure project success.
• Support contracting efforts and operations/maintenance of deployed systems.

Skills

SATCOM

RF Systems

Systems Engineering

Requirements Development

Vendor Coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Job description

Fantom Corporation is a mission-focused organization supporting critical programs across the defense and intelligence community. We partner with our customers to deliver high-impact technical solutions while fostering a culture built on trust, expertise, and long-term career growth.

We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineer with extensive Satellite Communications (SATCOM) and hardware systems design experience to support the full lifecycle of complex technical systems. This role is responsible for leading systems engineering activities from requirements development through design, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment while collaborating with government customers, engineering teams, and third-party vendors.

The ideal candidate has a strong electrical engineering or related technical background, extensive experience supporting government or Intelligence Community programs, and expertise in RF communications, hardware systems, systems integration, and technical program execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering efforts throughout the full system development lifecycle, from requirements definition through deployment and operational support
• Develop and manage system requirements, interface documentation, technical specifications, and engineering documentation
• Design, develop, and integrate complex SATCOM and hardware-based systems supporting mission‑critical operations
• Coordinate with government customers, engineering teams, and third‑party vendors to ensure successful system development and integration
• Lead technical design reviews, engineering assessments, and formal program reviews
• Develop system test strategies, test plans, validation procedures, and test documentation
• Coordinate laboratory and field testing activities, analyze test results, and guide system troubleshooting efforts
• Support customer approval processes for system testing, certification, and operational deployment
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative technical solutions to improve mission capabilities
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for RF systems, communications infrastructure, and hardware architectures
• Develop technical documentation supporting contracting activities, including Statements of Work (SOWs), System Support Justifications (SSJs), technical requirements, and acquisition packages
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define technical requirements and facilitate user requirements sessions
• Foster collaboration between government customers, engineering teams, and external partners to ensure successful project execution
• Support technical contracting efforts through coordination with internal teams and third‑party vendors
• Lead technical efforts supporting the operations and maintenance of deployed systems
• Travel domestically and internationally, as required, to support system integration, testing, and deployment activities

Required Qualifications

• Must be fully cleared with a recent polygraph
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline
• 7–20 years of systems engineering experience supporting complex hardware and software systems
• Extensive experience with Satellite Communications (SATCOM) systems and hardware design
• Experience supporting the complete systems engineering lifecycle for complex technical programs
• Experience developing system requirements, engineering documentation, and technical specifications
• Experience managing technical reviews, vendor coordination, and engineering deliverables
• Experience developing and executing system test plans, validation activities, and troubleshooting efforts
• Experience supporting system deployment, customer acceptance testing, and operational fielding
• Strong understanding of RF systems, communications infrastructure, networking protocols, quality standards, and hardware manufacturing processes
• Experience supporting government or Intelligence Community programs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present technical information to diverse audiences
• Willingness to travel up to 10%, including domestic and international travel

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing and supporting satellite communications systems
• Experience with enterprise networking technologies and network architecture
• Experience using government customer engineering and technical management tools
• Experience supporting secure communications systems within Department of Defense or Intelligence Community environments
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and cross‑functional technical initiatives
• #CJ

Fantom Corp is a Software Development, Agile Cloud, Cyber Security (Risk Management, Assessments & Authorization (A&A)), Data, AI Platform (Computer Vision Models), Podcasting Media Services, and IT Services provider. Established in 2015, Fantom Corp serves Federal customers with top-notch Cybersecurity Architects, Data Scientists/Analysts, Software Engineers/Developers, DevSecOps Engineers, Project Managers, Identity, Credential Access Management (ICAM) services , and Cloud-certified practitioners. We excel in delivering emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) with a focus on identifying trends, object detection, and classification of structured and unstructured data. Fantom Corp possesses mastery in all aspects of digital audio production. We lead in the ideation and creation of efforts for clients who want to harness the power of podcasting. We guide them in selecting the right show format for their needs and goals. As a Small Business, we possess the innovation, speed and flexibility to meet your requirements.