Senior Spacecraft Systems Architect & Engineer

Viasat; United States; Remote; USD 181,000 - 285,000; Full time

Job summary

Viasat is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer to lead and execute complex spacecraft systems engineering across the full lifecycle.

You will guide architecture development, requirements allocation, and integration, collaborating with subsystems, flight software, mission operations, and external partners to deliver high-performing space systems while shaping program direction. U.S. Citizenship required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience developing spacecraft, satellites, or other complex aerospace systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading spacecraft architecture, requirements development, integration, and verification activities.
• Experience with MBSE tools, SysML, and digital engineering methodologies.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead/oversee spacecraft architecture development and system trade studies to optimize mission performance, affordability, reliability, and operational effectiveness.
• Lead/Support Payload-to-bus integration and drive resolution of system-level technical challenges across spacecraft subsystems.
• Develop, decompose, allocate, and maintain mission, vehicle, subsystem, and interface requirements.
• Own spacecraft interface management activities and maintain interface definitions between spacecraft, payload, ground, launch, and external mission systems.
• Develop and maintain spacecraft architecture models using MBSE methodologies and SysML-based tools.
• Establish and maintain system-level technical budgets including mass, power, thermal, pointing, RF performance, data throughput, reliability, availability, and delta-v.
• Lead cross-functional integration across ADCS, EPS, propulsion, thermal, communications, payload, structures, software, cybersecurity, and mission operations teams.
• Translate mission objectives and stakeholder needs into actionable architectures, operational concepts, requirements, and verification strategies.
• Support development of mission CONOPS, operational scenarios, fault management approaches, automation strategies, and contingency plans.
• Lead/Support technical investigations, trade studies, and architecture analyses, providing recommendations to program leadership and engineering teams.
• Define and execute verification and validation strategies, compliance assessments, and mission readiness activities.
• Support spacecraft AI&T activities, environmental testing, launch campaigns, commissioning, In-Orbit Testing (IOT), and anomaly resolution.
• Lead/Support mission reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, ORR, and FRR while effectively communicating technical risks, decisions, and recommendations.
• Serve as a primary technical interface with government customers, mission partners, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
• Mentor junior engineers and help establish engineering best practices, systems engineering rigor, and technical excellence across programs.
• Influence technical direction across multiple teams by identifying opportunities to improve system performance, reliability, maintainability, security, and mission success.

Skills

Spacecraft systems engineering

System architecture

Requirements development

Systems integration

MBSE

SysML

Python

MATLAB

Security clearance

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering

Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Cameo

Jama

DOORS

STK

Job description

Viasat is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer to lead and execute complex spacecraft systems engineering across the full lifecycle.

You will guide architecture development, requirements allocation, and integration, collaborating with subsystems, flight software, mission operations, and external partners to deliver high-performing space systems while shaping program direction. U.S. Citizenship required.