Senior Ground System Engineer

KBR Careers; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

Flexible work schedule

Job summary

KBR is seeking a Senior Ground System Engineer to provide SETA support for space rapid capabilities programs. You will advise government leadership on ground segment design, scheduling, network operations, and system baselines for classified space missions.

You will help define requirements, system interfaces, and test strategies while tracking risks and ensuring mission readiness. The role emphasizes independent work in a high-visibility environment and collaboration with senior teams.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, applied science, or related technical discipline; PE license preferred where required.
• Minimum 10 years of DoD/IC or government/industry experience in systems engineering, ground systems, or related mission systems.
• Experience with software-intensive space systems, ground systems, and operational workflows.
• Knowledge of space operational environment, mission-user needs, ground antenna networks, RF spectrum and C2 requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and SETA advisory support for ground system architecture, antenna scheduling systems, and related software integration.
• Serve as technical contact for ground system design documentation, including requirements and interface control documentation.
• Review and evaluate requirements, test strategies, and system design baselines for ground antenna scheduling and satellite operations.
• Track deficiencies, risks, design trades, and performance trends; advise leadership on technical and mission impacts.
• Evaluate telemetry, command/data flows and scheduling data to validate nominal system behavior and identify degradations.
• Facilitate process improvements across ground antenna networks, automation, scheduling, and operations workflows.
• Coordinate with systems engineering, configuration management, risk, test, and partner organizations to support milestones.
• Prepare technical recommendations, reports, and decision materials for program management and executives.

Skills

TS/SCI clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline

Job description

Title

Senior Ground System Engineer

KBR is seeking a Senior Ground Systems Engineer to provide System Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) support to the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. The selected candidate will advise Government program leadership on ground segment design, antenna scheduling and network operations, requirements and architecture definition, integration planning, software and system baseline control, risk/deficiency resolution, test readiness, mission partner onboarding, and operational data-flow performance in support of classified space missions.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and SETA advisory support for ground system architecture, antenna scheduling systems, ground antenna networks, C2 interfaces, mission planning data flows, and associated software/systems integration activities.
• Serve as a technical contact for ground system design documentation, including system/software requirements, high-level design, interface control documentation, critical methods, test strategies, user stories, and mission partner onboarding requirements.
• Review, evaluate, and recommend changes to requirements, ground threads, Jira projects, test strategies, test plans, and system design baselines supporting ground antenna scheduling and satellite operations.
• Track deficiency reports, technical risks, design trades, and system performance trends; provide recommendations to Government leadership on technical, schedule, cost, and mission impacts.
• Evaluate telemetry, command/status data flows, scheduling data, and operational performance trends to validate nominal system behavior or identify system degradation.
• Facilitate process improvement across ground antenna network implementation, external connections, automation, scheduling, planning, control, and operations workflows.
• Coordinate with Systems Engineering, Mission Adoption, configuration management, test, risk management, and mission partner organizations to support delivery milestones and operational readiness.
• Prepare clear technical recommendations, reports, briefings, courses of action, and decision materials for program management and executive leadership.
• Perform all duties independently in a high-visibility, mission-critical, classified environment and provide technical guidance to less senior personnel when assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

• An active TS/SCI clearance is required to be considered for this position, which is something only a U.S. citizen can obtain.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, applied science, or related technical discipline; ABET-accredited engineering degree or Professional Engineering license preferred where contractually required.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant DoD/IC, Government, or industry experience in systems engineering, ground systems engineering, space mission operations, software architecture, C2 systems, or related mission systems.
• Experience developing, fielding, integrating, or sustaining software-intensive space systems, including satellite and ground systems, software architectures, interface requirements, and operational workflows.
• Knowledge of the space operational environment, mission-user needs, ground antenna networks, satellite scheduling applications, RF spectrum considerations, and C2 requirements.
• Experience with requirements analysis, configuration management, risk management, Integrated Master Schedules, SOW/PWS review, test planning, and stakeholder/mission partner onboarding.
• Ability to assess mission partner antenna network requirements and ensure satellite operations systems align with capability needs.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical data into concise actionable recommendations.

Desired

• Prior SETA support to a Government program office.
• Five or more years of relevant SAP and/or SCI experience, with recent experience preferred.
• Experience with rapid prototyping, ACAT I/II acquisition programs, integrated air/space/cyber capabilities, and classified mission environments.
• Experience planning, facilitating, or evaluating exercises, training materials, guides, or operational procedures when these duties support configuration/integration readiness.
• Familiarity with IC organizations and classified mission partner coordination.
• Experience supporting system acceptance planning, interface control working groups, or operational test/readiness activities.

Work Environment

• Location: On-site
• Travel Requirements: Up to 30%
• Working Hours: Standard

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40hrs

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

KBR’s National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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