Senior Systems Engineer, Space Systems

Actalent; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 119,000 - 208,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent in Herndon, VA seeks a Systems Engineer to advance electromagnetic and space systems for national security missions. You will work on power‑constrained spacecraft, ground control software, embedded systems, and cyber‑capable platforms, operating with strong technical autonomy.

The role emphasizes system‑level design, requirements tracking, and cross‑functional leadership within a multidisciplinary team to deliver high‑impact solutions for national security customers.

Qualifications

• Progressive engineering experience reaching senior levels in aerospace.
• System-level design and interface documentation experience required.
• Experience with budgets and resource planning for space systems.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and projects.

Responsibilities

• Formulate long-term plans for development, deployment, and sustainment of engineering solutions.
• Specify objectives and approaches for advanced spacecraft problems and architectures.
• Oversee integration, testing, and documentation to ensure schedule compliance.
• Lead deployment planning, resource estimation, and safety compliance.
• Coordinate maintenance of engineering solutions and present technical information.
• Act as prime technical contact on contracts and external projects.

Skills

System architecture

Engineering leadership

Requirements tracking

Orbital dynamics

Spacecraft design

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree in engineering

PhD in engineering

Job description

Job Title: Systems Engineer

Job Description

This Systems Engineer role supports advanced electromagnetic and space systems with a focus on spacecraft payloads, small satellite platforms, and mission-critical solutions for national security applications. You will operate in a multidisciplinary, innovation-driven environment, exercising significant technical autonomy to review, research, design, develop, and implement complex engineering solutions. The position offers the opportunity to work on first-of-a-kind systems in power-constrained, small-form-factor spacecraft, ground control and operational software, embedded software, and unique cyber capabilities, while contributing directly to highly impactful missions.

Responsibilities

• Formulate long-term plans for the development, documentation, deployment, and sustainment of engineering solutions, ensuring compliance with relevant reporting, safety, and regulatory standards.


• Determine technical objectives and solution approaches for advanced engineering problems, particularly in spacecraft systems, payloads, and mission architectures.


• Evaluate the integration of engineering solutions within the broader system environment and ensure that documentation, testing, maintenance, and engineering updates are completed accurately and on schedule.


• Guide the development and implementation of engineering solutions, including planning deployment, defining resource requirements, overseeing testing, managing integration activities, and ensuring compliance and safety.


• Plan and coordinate the maintenance of engineering solutions, including documentation, reporting, publishing technical information, and delivering technical presentations to internal and external stakeholders.


• Communicate effectively with engineering professionals, solution users, and management throughout the solution development lifecycle, providing clear technical direction and status updates.


• Represent the organization as a prime technical contact on contracts and projects, interacting with external personnel on technical matters that require coordination across organizations.


• Provide advisory or project leadership, offering direction and guidance to less experienced professional staff and leading multidisciplinary engineering teams when required.


• Participate in, and in some cases lead, the development of new or expanded business opportunities by contributing technical insight and innovative solution concepts.


• Plan for future applications of existing and emerging solutions based on new developments in engineering technology, particularly in spacecraft design, modeling, and mission operations.


• Maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information and handle all technical and program data in accordance with applicable security and information protection requirements.


• Observe all applicable laws, regulations, and organizational obligations whenever conducting business, and consistently work in a safe manner aligned with established operating procedures and practices.


• Perform other related engineering and technical duties as assigned to support program and organizational objectives.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree, masters degree, or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution, or equivalent engineering experience in lieu of formal education.


• Progressive engineering experience: typically twelve or more years with a bachelors degree, ten or more years with a masters degree, or seven or more years with a PhD.


• Detailed and extensive technical expertise in the application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice to complex systems.


• Proven ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads to meet established deadlines and milestones, including experience in project leadership.


• Real-world experience with system architecture, including defining and documenting system-level designs and interfaces.


• Hands-on experience with requirements tracking, including capturing, managing, and verifying system and subsystem requirements.


• Experience developing and tracking system budgets, such as power, mass, data, and other key performance allocations.


• Demonstrated ability to perform system-level analyses in support of trade studies and design decisions.


• Extensive experience with orbital dynamics and attitude control systems, including analysis and modeling.


• Proficiency with orbital visualization and spacecraft modeling tools used for mission analysis and system design.


• Strong understanding of principles for spacecraft design, build, test, and operation across the mission lifecycle.


• Experience with CONOPS (Concept of Operations) design and mission modeling to support end-to-end mission planning.


• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences.


• Effective interpersonal skills that enable productive collaboration with other departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, and government representatives.


• Capability to represent the organization as a prime technical contact on complex engineering projects and programs.


• Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership and guidance to less experienced professionals in a team environment.


• Ability to quickly understand new concepts and apply them accurately in an evolving technical environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working on spacecraft payload and system development in small, power-constrained environments, such as small satellites.


• Experience in ground control and operational software development supporting spacecraft and mission operations.


• Experience with embedded software development in support of complex hardware and system integration.


• Exposure to unique cyber capabilities and security-focused system development for national security applications.


• Experience interacting with Department of Defense and Intelligence Community stakeholders or similar government customers.


• Proven ability to formulate plans based on innovative new designs to resolve advanced engineering challenges.


• Strong presentation skills, including the ability to publish technical information and deliver briefings to technical and non-technical audiences.


• Comfort working in a multidisciplinary, sometimes non-traditional engineering environment that emphasizes innovation and creative problem solving.

Work Environment

This position is based onsite in a smaller, close-knit business unit environment within a larger high-technology organization, offering the feel of a nimble team rather than a large, anonymous operation. The work centers on advanced electromagnetic systems and small satellite platforms for highly specialized missions, providing opportunities to gain hands‑on experience with spacecraft for the intelligence community and other national security customers. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary engineers and technical professionals in a setting that values innovative thinking, diverse backgrounds, and non‑traditional approaches to solving challenging technical problems. The team operates on a 9/80 work schedule, providing a structured yet flexible workweek. Work is performed in professional engineering and laboratory spaces with an emphasis on safety, adherence to established operating procedures, and strict protection of sensitive information.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Herndon, VA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $118500.00 - $207750.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job‑related factors.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Herndon, VA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.