Senior Systems Engineer (Onsite)

Axon; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary with 401k match

Discretionary paid time off

Parental leave for all

Medical, Dental, Vision plans

Fitness Programs

Emotional & Mental Wellness support

Learning & Development programs

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

Axon seeks a Senior Systems Engineer in Sterling, VA to own architecture and integration of counter-UAS systems from concept through production. You will lead cross-discipline teams and set engineering standards to move fast while delivering reliable systems.

You will own requirements, interfaces, and verification criteria, drive SRR/PDR/CDR reviews, and support regulatory certification for U.S. and international markets. Onsite work in Sterling is required.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of hardware development with system-level ownership.
• Experience leading cross-discipline technical decisions on integrated hardware from concept to production.
• Experience developing system requirements, interfaces, and V&V plans, and meeting U.S. and international certification requirements.

Responsibilities

• Architect fixed-site, portable, and mobile counter-UAS systems and own interfaces guiding development.
• Own power, thermal, and weight budgets balancing performance, size and cost.
• Lead concept generation and trade studies with internal teams and external partners.

Skills

Hardware development

System architecture

V&V planning

Cross-discipline collaboration

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering

Tools

CAD

PLM

Requirements management

Job description

At Axon, we're on a mission to Protect Life. We're explorers, pursuing society's most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other.

Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful. Here, you'll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.

Join Axon and be a Force for Good.

Your Impact

Drone threats evolve quickly, and our hardware must evolve with them. We are seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to own the architecture and integration of counter-UAS systems from initial concept through production.

You'll be the technical lead on your programs, working closely with Mechanical, Electrical, RF, Firmware, and Software leads and arbitrating cross-discipline tradeoffs. You'll also help set the engineering standards and processes that let the team move fast while delivering reliable systems.

What You’ll Do

Location: Onsite at our Sterling, VA office

Reports to: Senior Systems Engineer II

Direct Reports: N/A

• Architect fixed-site, portable, and mobile counter-UAS systems, and own the block diagrams and interfaces that guide development.
• Own power, thermal, and weight budgets, balancing performance, size, and cost.
• Lead concept generation and trade studies with internal teams and external partners.
• Translate mission and product needs into testable system requirements.
• Own requirements, interfaces, and verification criteria, maintaining traceability through V&V and change control.
• Serve as technical lead and primary technical contact for assigned programs.
• Lead SRR, PDR, and CDR, resolve competing constraints, and drive cross-discipline technical decisions.
• Own system V&V from requirements through qualification, ensuring integration risks surface before certification and production.
• Lead integration, lab, and MIL-STD qualification testing, and support field testing against live threats.
• Drive the product-level qualification strategy and support regulatory certification for U.S. and international markets, including FCC, CE/RED, NRTL/UL, and EMC.

What You Bring

• 7+ years of hardware development experience with system-level ownership and technical depth in at least one of mechanical, electrical, or RF, plus working breadth across the others.
• Hands-on aptitude in the lab and shop, with experience using hand tools, lab equipment, and shop tools to build, modify, and test hardware.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Proven ownership of system architecture and cross-discipline technical decisions on integrated hardware, from concept through production.
• Experience developing system requirements, interfaces, and V&V plans, and meeting U.S. and international certification requirements.
• Experience with hardware development tools such as CAD, PLM, and requirements management systems.
• Strong troubleshooting skills, sound judgment with incomplete information, and clear communication of technical risk to leadership in a fast-paced, high-ambiguity environment.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.
• Travel: Flexibility to travel domestically as needed.

Benefits that Benefit You

• Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
• Discretionary paid time off
• Paid parental leave for all
• Medical, Dental, Vision plans
• Fitness Programs
• Emotional & Mental Wellness support
• Learning & Development programs
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
• And yes, we have snacks in our offices

Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work.

Axon is a total compensation company, meaning compensation is made up of base pay, bonus, and