Senior Systems Engineer - Ground Systems & Advanced Concepts

DRS Global; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

SES Space & Defense is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead ground-segment architecture for mPOWER-based satellite relay services and hosted payloads. You will drive MBSE-based requirements, interfaces, and verification across multi-domain teams, coordinating with franchise, engineering, and customer partners.

You will translate space concepts into executable ground architectures, define C2 and planning interfaces, and contribute to demonstrations and operational capabilities.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Systems Engineering
• Experience with satellite ground systems and networks
• MBSE and requirements management experience
• Ability to translate concepts into architecture and interfaces
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Develop ground-segment and end-to-end architectures for SES initiatives
• Translate space-segment concepts into executable ground architectures and interfaces
• Manage system requirements, ICDs, architecture models and verification approaches
• Define and integrate ground infrastructure including gateways, ground stations, C2, planning, networks and RF equipment
• Develop technical specifications and architecture documentation for system development and customer deliverables
• Plan and execute system integration, tests, and demonstrations to operational capabilities
• Support study contracts with requirements analysis and feasibility assessments
• Collaborate with Business Development during customer engagements and coordinate teams

Skills

Systems Engineering

MBSE

Requirements management

Communication

Technical presentation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or technical field

Tools

Ground systems tooling

Job description

Who We Are:

At SES Space & Defense, we deliver secure, resilient connectivity and integrated space solutions for customers operating in the world's most demanding environments. As part of SES S.A., a global leader in satellite-enabled communications, we combine capabilities across all orbits with extensive global ground infrastructure, managed networks, hosted payload solutions, and mission integration services to support communications, sensing, data transport, and operational resilience worldwide.

Our vertically integrated space and ground capabilities bring together satellite capacity, terrestrial infrastructure, advanced network technologies, and deployed user terminals to support mission-critical government operations around the world. We are a trusted partner to the U.S. Federal Government and national security community, allied governments, NATO, NASA, and other civilian agencies, delivering reliable, high-performance solutions when mission success is critical.

At SES Space & Defense, our people are our competitive advantage. You'll work alongside a mission-driven team committed to integrity, innovation, accountability, and delivering real-world impact for customers whose missions matter most.

What You’ll Do:

SES Space & Defense is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer - Ground Systems & Advanced Concepts to support strategic franchise initiatives focused on developing and maturing innovative space-based capabilities and services. The position will focus primarily on the architecture, integration, and delivery of ground-segment capabilities supporting SES mPOWER-based satellite relay services, multi-orbit architectures, intersatellite links, and hosted payload missions.

This role bridges concept development and execution, working with franchise teams, Business Development, engineering organizations, customers, and technology partners to translate emerging concepts into executable ground architectures, proofs of concept (POCs), demonstrations, study contracts, and ultimately operational capabilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop ground-segment and end-to-end architectures supporting strategic franchise initiatives, including SES mPOWER-based satellite relay services, intersatellite links, hosted payloads, and UHF capabilities.
• Translate space-segment concepts into executable ground architectures, interfaces, operational concepts, and integration approaches.
• Develop and manage system requirements, interfaces and Interface Control Documents (ICDs), architecture models, and verification approaches using MBSE and requirements management practices.
• Define and integrate ground infrastructure including gateways, ground stations, command and control, mission planning, terrestrial networks, cloud environments, customer interfaces, modems, waveforms, and associated RF equipment.
• Leverage existing SES infrastructure, networks, software platforms, and operational capabilities to accelerate new concepts and services.
• Develop and maintain technical specifications, architecture documentation, engineering analyses, trade studies, and technical reports supporting system development and customer deliverables.
• Develop and execute system integration and test plans, procedures, verification activities, and test reports supporting POCs, demonstrations, and operational capabilities.
• Plan and support the integration and execution of POCs, prototypes, technology demonstrations, and customer demonstrations.
• Provide Systems Engineering support to study contracts, including requirements analysis, architecture development, feasibility assessments, and technical deliverables.
• Support franchise and Business Development teams during customer engagements and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams, vendors, and partners to transition successful concepts toward operational services.

Who You Are:

You are a senior systems engineer who understands how satellite communications capabilities come together across the space, ground, network, and user segments. You are comfortable taking an emerging technical concept and translating it into a practical architecture, defining the requirements and interfaces, and coordinating the hardware, software, network, RF, and operational elements necessary to make it executable. You bring enough technical breadth across ground infrastructure, networking, command and control, mission planning, modems, waveforms, and related systems to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams and technology partners. You are equally comfortable developing technical documentation and engineering analyses, supporting customer discussions, and getting hands-on with the integration and demonstration activities needed to move a concept toward an operational capability.

Key Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering or technical discipline, or equivalent education and directly applicable experience.
• 7+ years of relevant Systems Engineering experience developing, integrating, or delivering complex technical systems.
• Experience developing or integrating satellite, ground, communications, network, or mission systems.
• Experience developing ground-segment or end-to-end communications architectures.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and requirements development, management, traceability, and verification.
• Experience developing and executing system integration and test plans, procedures, and test reports.
• Broad understanding of satellite communications and the interaction between space, ground, network, and user segments.
• Working knowledge of satellite ground infrastructure, networking, ground command and control, mission planning, or related systems.
• Familiarity with satellite communications modems, waveforms, and associated RF equipment at both the hub/gateway and remote/user-terminal sides of the network.
• Ability to translate emerging technical concepts into practical architectures and coordinate integration across hardware, software, networks, and operational capabilities.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, and technical presentation skills.
• Must meet U.S. Person requirements.
• Experience with SES mPOWER and multi-orbit satellite architectures preferred.
• Familiarity with the SES mPOWER ground control software suite and associated operational architecture preferred.
• Familiarity with intersatellite links, satellite relay services, hosted payload integration, and UHF SATCOM preferred.
• Experience with satellite ground stations, gateways, teleports, Satellite Operations Centers (SOCs), Network Operations Centers (NOCs), or Ground Command and Control systems preferred.
• Experience executing POCs, demonstrations, prototypes, or Government-funded studies preferred.
• Familiarity with digitization of communications and ground-system functions, cloud architectures, APIs, automation, and orchestration preferred.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government or Department of Defense communications programs and/or the ability to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance preferred.

SES Space & Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law

Where applicable, this position may also be eligible for an annual bonus. Employees are eligible to participate in SES Space & Defense’s benefits programs, which include paid vacation, sick and personal leave; medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; a 401(k)-retirement plan; and others.