Senior Systems Engineer

CesiumAstro; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 133,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Health, dental, vision

HSA and FSA

Retirement plans

Job summary

CesiumAstro, a leader in space and airborne communication systems, seeks a Senior Systems Engineer to define, develop, integrate, verify and support complex aerospace systems across the product lifecycle. You will translate mission objectives and customer requirements into robust technical solutions.

In a multidisciplinary setting, you will collaborate with software, hardware, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing and program management teams to ensure systems meet technical, cost, and schedule

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace or related engineering field.
• Minimum 5 years in space-based payloads.
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering lifecycle.
• Experience developing and verifying system requirements.
• Ability to interpret CONOPS and customer specs.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop verification and validation strategies.
• Define verification configurations and test environments.
• Maintain verification docs and traceability matrices.
• Partner with Integration & Test teams for system verification.
• Evaluate test results and implement corrective actions.
• Support PI planning, staffing, and engineering execution.
• Prioritize SE activities to meet milestones.
• Participate in technical reviews and customer meetings.
• Mentor junior engineers in SE practices.
• Drive continuous improvement of processes and documentation.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams for program success.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements analysis

Problem solving

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Systems/Engineering

Job description

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

The Skylark product line is focused on the rapid design, build, and test of cutting‑edge active phased array antennas (AESA) for terrestrial and airborne applications. Current programs span high‑power, large‑scale ground terminals for missile defense to commercial airline and helicopter connectivity solutions.

We are looking to add a Senior Systems Engineer to our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment and are passionate about developing leading‑edge phased arrays for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you.

In this position, you will be responsible for leading the systems engineering activities required to define, develop, integrate, verify, and support complex aerospace systems throughout the product lifecycle. This role translates mission objectives, customer requirements, and system architecture into technical solutions that enable successful system integration and mission execution.

Working within a multidisciplinary engineering environment, the Senior Systems Engineer collaborates with software, hardware, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, integration and test, mission operations, and program management teams to ensure systems meet technical, operational, cost, and schedule objectives. This role provides technical leadership from concept development through design, integration, verification, launch, and operational support while contributing to technical decision-making and risk management.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

• Develop system verification and validation strategies, including verification methods (test, analysis, demonstration, and inspection), acceptance criteria, and verification levels aligned with program requirements.
• Define verification configurations, including hardware, software, firmware, and test environments required to support verification activities.
• Develop and maintain verification documentation, verification cross‑reference matrices (VCRM), requirements traceability matrices, and verification evidence packages.
• Partner with Integration & Test teams to plan, coordinate, and support system integration and verification activities.
• Evaluate test results, resolve technical discrepancies, and support corrective actions to ensure compliance with system requirements.
• Support technical planning, Program Increment (PI) planning, staffing assessments, and engineering execution activities.
• Prioritize systems engineering activities to meet technical, cost, schedule, and program milestones.
• Participate in technical reviews, design reviews, customer meetings, and engineering milestone activities.
• Mentor junior engineers on systems engineering best practices, requirements development, traceability, verification, and technical documentation.
• Drive continuous improvement of engineering processes, systems engineering rigor, and technical documentation.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams to support successful program execution.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Job Requirements And Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience with an emphasis on space‑based communication payloads.
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles and the systems development lifecycle.
• Experience developing, managing, and verifying system and subsystem requirements.
• Knowledge of systems architecture, interface management, systems integration, and configuration management.
• Understanding verification, validation, and systems integration processes.
• Ability to interpret customer requirements, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and technical specifications to develop engineering solutions.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Preferred Experience

• Familiarity with spacecraft mission planning, launch support, and on‑orbit operations.
• Experience supporting spacecraft system integration, mission readiness, and operational activities.
• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated engineering programs.

$133,000 - $161,000 a year

Full‑time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.