Satellite Bus Engineer

SSI; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Storage Strategies, Inc. (SSI) seeks a Senior Satellite Bus Engineer to support the MUOS program in El Segundo, CA.

You will guide the design, development, integration, and testing of the satellite bus and subsystems to ensure system-level performance for this narrowband mission-critical constellation. The ideal candidate brings 10+ years of spacecraft hardware experience and familiarity with MIL-STD/DoD space requirements, with active Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in satellite bus design, manufacturing and assembly.
• Experience in payload and bus system design, integration, and testing.
• Familiar with MIL-STD and DoD space requirements.
• Must live within commuting distance of El Segundo, CA.

Responsibilities

• Serve as on-site technical plant representative at vendor facility 2–3 days/week.
• Provide senior-level spacecraft bus engineering support for MUOS.
• Lead design, integration, and testing of bus and subsystems (power, thermal, structure, A/C, attitude control, guidance and navigation, propulsion, data handling).
• Support requirements development, allocation, verification, and validation.
• Coordinate with payload and SSC teams for bus-payload test and integration.
• Conduct trade studies and risk evaluations for critical technical decisions.
• Prepare and update specifications, ICDs, test plans and technical docs.
• Participate in SRRs, PDRs, CDRs, TRRs, LRRs and on-orbit readiness tasks.
• Interface with vendors to ensure design alignment and resolve discrepancies.
• Mentor junior engineers and foster collaborative environment.

Skills

Spacecraft hardware engineering

Analytical skills

Technical documentation

Risk management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in engineering discipline

Tools

MATLAB

STK

MSC NASTRAN

Job description

Description

Storage Strategies, Inc. (SSI) is seeking a Senior Satellite Bus Engineer to support the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) program within Space Systems Command located in El Segundo, CA. In this role, you will help guide the design, development, integration, and testing of the satellite bus and subsystems, ensuring system-level performance for the new mission-critical narrowband Satellites. The ideal candidate has strong spacecraft bus engineering expertise and experience supporting Department of War (DoW) space programs.This is a highly technical, hands-on engineering role requiring deep, subsystem-level spacecraft hardware expertise rather than program or project management experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary, on-site technical plant representative at the vendor manufacturing facility for 2–3 days per week, providing direct, hands-on engineering oversight of satellite design, assembly, integration, and testing activities.
• Provide senior-level spacecraft bus engineering support for new MUOS spacecraft.
• Lead or contribute to the design, analysis, integration, and testing of satellite bus and subsystems, including power, thermal, structure, attitude control, guidance and navigation, propulsion, and command/data handling systems.
• Support system engineering activities such as requirements development, allocation, verification, and validation.
• Coordinate with payload, mission management, and SSC engineering teams to ensure seamless bus-payload test and integration activities, including spacecraft risk identification and mitigation.
• Conduct trade studies, assessments, and risk evaluations to support critical technical decisions related to space systems .
• Prepare, review, and update technical documentation including specifications, ICDs, technicalreports, and test plans.
• Participate in key program reviews (e.g. SRRs, PDRs, CDRs, TRRs, LRRs) and support on-orbit readiness review tasks.
• Interface with the spacecraft vendor and ground segment vendor to verify design alignment with program requirements, track compliance throughout development, and resolve technical discrepancies that could impact system performance.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to a collaborative engineering environment.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of direct spacecraft hardware engineering experience (e.g. Power, RF, Propulsion, and/or Structures) in satellite bus design, manufacturing, and assembly.
• Demonstrated technical experiencein payload and bus system design, integration, and testing.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD and DoD space and ground system requirements.
• Strong analytical, communication, and technical documentation skills.
• Experience in technical risk management.
• Must live within local commuting distance of El Segundo, CA to conduct business at the spacecraft vendor's manufacturing facilities. Periodic travel to San Diego will be required.

Qualifications Desired:

• TS/SCI clearance.
• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• Experience supporting MUOS or other narrowband SATCOM space systems.
• Experience in spacecraft modeling/analysis tools such as MATLAB, STK, MSC NASTRAN or other thermal and structural analytical software tools.
• Knowledge of SSC/DoD acquisition processes and documentation practices.
• Experience supporting DoW space programs.
• Experience with Space Systems Command.

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Security Clearance Requirements:

• Candidate must have an active Secret clearance to start.
• U.S. Citizenship is required for this position.

Location/Travel Requirements:

• Must live within local commuting distance of El Segundo, CA to conduct business at the spacecraft vendor's manufacturing facilities 2-3 days per week. Periodic travel to San Diego will be required.