Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner

Zachary Piper Solutions; Gaithersburg, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full Benefits Package

PTO

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions seeks a Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner to lead the Agile backlog for a federal aviation-focused project. You translate complex system requirements into prioritized backlog items and support design, development, and delivery of cloud-based software solutions.

Hybrid work with sites in Gaithersburg, MD; Eagan, MN; or Egg Harbor Township, NJ. You will collaborate with architects, systems engineers, product management, DevSecOps, and test teams to ensure successful

Qualifications

• 8+ years in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Product Ownership, or related fields.
• Experience as an Agile Product Owner with backlog ownership and user story development.
• Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies and SAFe practices.
• Cloud-based architectures and requirements decomposition experience.
• Ability to obtain/maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own, prioritize, and maintain the Agile team backlog with alignment to priorities.
• Translate requirements into testable features and user stories with acceptance criteria.
• Participate in PI Planning, backlog refinement, and sprint activities in a SAFe environment.
• Collaborate with architects, product management, DevSecOps, test teams, and customer stakeholders.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation, traceability artifacts, and design/compliance deliverables.

Skills

Agile Product Owner

Backlog ownership

User story development

Acceptance criteria

PI Planning

SAFe

Stakeholder engagement

Requirements decomposition

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Java

Python

React

CI/CD

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner to support a company focused on developing and modernizing next-generation air traffic management and automation platforms for mission-critical federal aviation operations. This position is hybrid, requiring 3 days onsite and 2 days remote in Gaithersburg, MD; Eagan, MN; or Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner will serve as the Product Owner for an Agile development team, translating complex system requirements into prioritized backlog items while supporting the design, development, integration, and delivery of cloud-based software solutions. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of national air traffic operations by supporting the deployment of safety-critical technologies that directly impact the aviation ecosystem.

Responsibilities for the Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner include:

• Own, prioritize, and maintain the Agile team backlog, ensuring alignment with stakeholder needs, program priorities, and delivery objectives
• Translate high-level requirements into testable features and user stories with clear acceptance criteria and verification methods
• Participate in PI Planning, backlog refinement, sprint activities, and cross-functional coordination within a SAFe Agile environment
• Collaborate with architects, systems engineers, product management, DevSecOps, test teams, and customer stakeholders to support successful program execution
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation, traceability artifacts, design decisions, risk assessments, and compliance-related deliverables

Required Qualifications for the Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner include:

• 8+ years of experience in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Product Ownership, or related technical disciplines
• Experience serving as an Agile Product Owner, including backlog ownership, user story development, prioritization, and acceptance of completed work
• Experience with Agile methodologies, SAFe practices, cloud-based architectures, requirements decomposition, and stakeholder engagement
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance and successfully complete government background investigations

Compensation for the Senior Systems Engineer/Product Owner include:

Salary Range: $150,000-$170,000

Full Benefits Package: PTO, Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Tuition Reimbursement, Sick Leave as required by law

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Keywords: Senior Systems Engineer, Product Owner, Agile Product Owner, SAFe, Scaled Agile Framework, PI Planning, Backlog Management, Requirements Analysis, User Stories, Acceptance Criteria, Cloud Architecture, Hybrid Cloud, Data Mesh, DevSecOps, CI/CD, Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Public Trust, FAA, Air Traffic Management, Air Traffic Control, Safety-Critical Systems, Technical Documentation, Verification & Validation, Government Programs, Java, Python, React, Federal Aviation, Mission-Critical Systems, Agile Development, Scrum, Systems Integration