Senior Ground Systems Engineer — Space & Defense (Hybrid)

ZP Group; El Segundo (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior Ground Systems Engineer to lead systems engineering across the ground infrastructure supporting mission operations and C2 environments for aerospace and national security programs.

The role requires 10+ years in systems engineering, experience with ground and mission systems, and strong leadership abilities. Hybrid work arrangement with up to 10% travel to customer sites and active Top Secret clearance preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a relevant field.
• 10+ years of systems engineering experience in complex defense programs.
• Experience with ground systems, mission systems or space architectures.
• Knowledge of requirements management tools such as DOORS or Jama.
• Experience with systems integration, testing, verification, and validation.
• Familiarity with Linux and Windows operating environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering activities throughout the system development lifecycle.
• Develop and manage system requirements, interface designs, and technical baselines.
• Support architecture development for ground systems, mission systems, and command-and-control environments.
• Perform integration, verification, validation, and operational readiness testing.
• Develop systems engineering artifacts including CONOPS, ICDs, requirements documentation, and test procedures.
• Conduct trade studies, technical assessments, and root cause analysis for complex system issues.
• Collaborate with software, network, cybersecurity, and operations teams to ensure mission success.
• Support customer reviews, technical briefings, and milestone assessments.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineering staff.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Requirements management

Ground systems

Systems integration

Stakeholder communication

Linux/Windows familiarity

Leadership/mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

DOORS

Jama

Cameo

MagicDraw

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior Ground Systems Engineer to lead systems engineering across the ground infrastructure supporting mission operations and C2 environments for aerospace and national security programs.

The role requires 10+ years in systems engineering, experience with ground and mission systems, and strong leadership abilities. Hybrid work arrangement with up to 10% travel to customer sites and active Top Secret clearance preferred.