Space Protection Operations Engineer

Saic; Fort Belvoir (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Saic is seeking a Space Protection Operations Engineer to support the Air Force, Space, and Intelligence Business Group in developing the next generation of space systems.

The role involves coordinating new protection capabilities for space operations and demands collaboration with various stakeholders for successful deployment and training.

Candidates must have a strong background in software deployment within equivalent operations centers and hold an active Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Qualifications

• 9+ years of experience with a bachelor's; 7+ years with a master's; 4+ years with a PhD.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Poly.
• Experience in Intel Community or Department of War space acquisitions.
• Experience deploying software in a 24/7 operations center.
• Knowledge of agile software development principles.

Responsibilities

• Provide mission expertise to acquisition managers and software engineers.
• Elicit system capability needs from operational users.
• Collaborate with developers on mission application enhancements.
• Manage new capability transitions to operations.
• Lead system documentation and training material reviews.

Skills

Mission expertise in space protection operations

User interface/experience (UI/UX) preferences elicitation

Agile software development

Software deployment management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

PhD

Job description

Description

SAIC is seeking a Space Protection Operations Engineer to join the Air Force, Space, and Intelligence Business Group providing systems engineering and technical advisory services to a rapidly expanding Government Intelligence Community (IC) customer. The customer is developing the next generation of space and ground systems, architectures, and hardware and software solutions. This position may require weekly travel to other locations in the Washington, DC metro area.

The Space Protection Operations Engineer will serve as the subject matter expert (SME) and System Program Office (SPO) representative coordinating with end user operators, the developer, and other stakeholders for the deployment of new protection capabilities into space operations. The Space Protection Operations Engineer is the SPO’s on-site agent for user‑engagement with operators of a space protection system and will collaborate with site users and SMEs within the SPO home office to support system testing, transition to operations planning, user/operator training, Operations and Maintenance (O&M) planning and Deficiency Report (DR) management, and be the focal point for representing SPO equities to the site’s Operations stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provides space protection operations mission expertise to acquisition managers and software engineers in the development of tools that provide operators Indications and Warning against Space threats.
• Elicits system capability needs and user interface/experience (UI/UX) preferences from operational users.
• Collaborates with software developers to inform/guide mission application enhancements.
• Manages the transition of new capabilities and software deliveries to operations.
• Leads the review and coordination of system documentation and training materials.
• Evaluates developer solutions, guides software deployment activities, and assesses software patches/fixes.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s and 9 or more years of experience; master’s and 7 or more years of experience; PhD and 4 or more years of experience. Extensive experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Poly.
• Experience in Intel Community or Department of War space acquisitions or mission operations.
• Experience deploying and sustaining software within a 24/7 operations center or similar environment.
• Knowledge of agile software development principles.

Desired

• Experience with DevOps, including continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment (CI/CI).
• Experience in Space Protection operations and familiarity with protection technologies.
• Experience authoring operator-related or software deployment documentation.
• Experience in Space system testing, simulation, and modeling environments.
• Knowledge of the fundamentals of orbital mechanics and orbit determination.