Space System Engineer - Level 4

LV8D Solutions; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonus

Referral bonus

Milestone rewards

Profit sharing

401(k) match

Job summary

LV8D Solutions is seeking a Space System Engineer to provide engineering and acquisition support for development, integration, and lifecycle management of space systems, ensuring mission readiness from initialization through on-orbit operations.

The role requires coordinating cross-functional teams, evaluating requirements, and supporting design reviews and risk mitigation while delivering informed recommendations to customers and program leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM with 5–9 years of relevant experience.
• Understanding of DoW/IC satellite systems and architecture.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills in government/contractor teams.
• Experience in DoW/IC acquisition and program management processes.
• Experience with space payload systems design, integration, and operations.

Responsibilities

• Support initialization and characterization activities across the enterprise and with development contractors.
• Coordinate proposed requirements changes with mission analysis and acquisition teams.
• Support initialization and on-orbit calibration and validation activities.
• Attend design reviews to assess maturity and provide recommendations.
• Review acquisition milestone documentation for adequacy and risks; propose mitigations.
• Support technical and programmatic reviews and meetings as required.

Skills

Systems engineering

Mission analysis

Acquisition processes

Technical reviews

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's in STEM

Tools

MATLAB

Python

STK

LabVIEW

DOORS

Job description

LV8D Solutions supports national security space and intelligence customers delivering next-generation sensing and exploitation capabilities. The Space System Engineer 4* provides technical engineering and acquisition support for the development, integration, and lifecycle management of space systems, ensuring mission success from system initialization through on-orbit operations.

LV8D Solutions is seeking a Space System Engineer.This role coordinates cross-functional teams, development contractors, mission analysis, and acquisition organizations to evaluate requirements, support calibration and validation activities, and ensure comprehensive technical reviews. The Space System Engineer assesses system design maturity, verifies requirements compliance, reviews acquisition milestone documentation for accuracy and completeness, and identifies cost, schedule, and technical risks while recommending effective mitigation strategies. Supports design reviews, program management reviews, and technical meetings by delivering informed engineering recommendations that advance program objectives and mission readiness.

Interested candidates need to thrive in an innovative, fast-paced environment; are highly motivated and not afraid to take on uncharted territory; possess strong communication, collaboration, leadership, and organizational skills; and be able to prioritize their time to be effective in a dynamic environment while being strategically proactive.

Key Responsibilities

• Support initialization and characterization activities across the enterprise and with the development contractors
• Coordinate proposed requirements changes across all applicable organizations and with mission analysis and acquisition teams to ensure completeness of review across the acquisition.
• Support initialization and on-orbit calibration and validation activities
• Attend Segment level design reviews and program management reviews to assess design maturity, requirements compliance and to provide informed technical recommendations to the customer
• Review acquisition milestone design documentation for adequacy, accuracy and completeness, and identify cost, schedule and technical risks/opportunities, and provide mitigation strategies through formal and informal comments
• Support technical and programmatic reviews and meetings, as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM (science, technical, engineering, math) or related discipline with 5-9 years of relevant experience
• Understanding of Department of War/Intelligence Community (DOW/IC) satellite systems and architecture
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, team building, and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to be independent and effective in a government/contractor team environment
• Experience in DOW/IC acquisition and program management processes
• Experience supporting the design, integration, testing, and operation of space payload systems for government, commercial, or defense space programs.
• Familiarity with spacecraft payload architectures including Electro Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensors, imaging payloads, or scientific instrumentation.
• Knowledge of systems engineering processes throughout the payload lifecycle including requirements development, verification, validation, and mission integration.
• Experience conducting payload performance analysis, link budgets, or mission data analysis.
• Experience working within multi-disciplinary engineering teams supporting spacecraft bus, mission operations, and ground segment integration.
• Proficiency with engineering and analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, STK, LabVIEW, DOORS, Cameo, or equivalent modeling and simulation environments.
• Familiarity with developing and implementing automated strategies to include collection strategies and orchestration.
• Understanding of space environment impacts including radiation effects, thermal constraints, orbital dynamics, and reliability considerations.
• Ability to support technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and mission readiness reviews.
• Experience developing technical documentation, interface control documents (ICDs), verification plans, and test procedures.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills with the ability to work in fast-paced mission environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting technical information to customers and program leadership.
• Demonstrated sustained superior performance

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in STEM (science, technical, engineering, math) or related discipline with emphasis on MBSE
• Prior Program Office experience
• Previous experience developing optical telescopes, or remote imaging systems

SecurityRequirements

• U.S.Citizenship
• ActiveTopSecret/SensitiveCompartmentedInformation(TS/SCI)clearance
• ActiveCounterintelligence(CI)orFullScope(FS)Polygraph

WorkEnvironment

• On-siteworkinagovernmentorcontractorfacility
• Travelupto25%

*This position is contingent upon a contract seat being awarded.

AboutLV8DSolutions

LV8D Solutions is an elite Systems Engineering and Technical Advisory (SETA) company that delivers advanced systems engineering, integration, acquisition, mission operations, network communications, and cybersecurity support to our defense and intelligence customers. Founded in 2019, we apply our deep technical expertise, understanding, and mission-first mindset to design, acquire, and implement complex, high-impact solutions for our Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of War (DoW) customers. We specialize in every aspect of our customers’ space and ground missions systems while offering exceptional work-life balance and an exemplary compensation and total rewards package designed to recruit, train, and retain top talent and committed to national defense and career growth.

EqualEmploymentOpportunityStatement

LV8D Solutions LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other protected categories.

Performance & Recognition

Period of Performance (PoP) Bonus Opportunities
Performance-based bonus opportunities tied to contract or organizational performance.

Retention Incentive Benefit Bounty
Receive a payout for unused annual company contributions designated for health insurance premiums and professional training.

Referral Bonus
Earn up to $5,000 for each successful employee referral.

Customer Recognition Letter of Appreciation (LoA) Bonus Opportunities
Bonus opportunities based on customer recognition received through Letters of Appreciation.

Milestone Rewards
Celebrate your career achievements with anniversary awards on your 1st, 5th, 10th, and 20th years of service.

Financial & Retirement Benefits

Profit Sharing
Receive an annual contribution equal to 4% of your W-2 gross earnings into your 401(k), with immediate vesting.

401(k) Company Match
The company matches your 401(k) contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 6% of your monthly contribution, with immediate vesting.

Career Development

The company invests in your professional growth through:

• Annual financial support for professional training and industry certifications.
• Enhanced financial support for employees actively pursuing a degree at an accredited institution.

Work-Life Balance

Support for a healthy work-life balance includes:

• Flexible work hours
• Competitive paid time off (PTO)
• Company holidays

Health & Wellness Benefits

The company offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family.

Medical Coverage

Three comprehensive Medical/Rx insurance plan options to meet the unique and individualized benefit needs of our employees

Dental & Vision

• Comprehensive dental insurance for employees and eligible dependents.
• Comprehensive vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents.

Income Protection

• 100% Company-Paid Short-Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Company-Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

• 100% Company-Paid Basic Term Life Insurance with Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.
• Optional employee-paid Supplemental Voluntary Life Insurance.