Space Systems Engineer

Vosper Thornycroft Group; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Vosper Thornycroft Group in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Space Systems Engineer with strong optical and quantum communication experience to provide SETA support to an IC R&D customer developing advanced hardware, software, and architectures for mission-critical optical and quantum communication systems. The role includes performing system reviews, evaluating optical/quantum designs, developing roadmaps and verification strategies, and communicating findings through briefings and documents.

U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or related discipline with significant experience (9+ years for bachelor, 7+ for master, 4+ for PhD/JD).
• Experience with USG program management and acquisition lifecycle processes and documentation.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and technical writing communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools.

Responsibilities

• Perform technical reviews, assessments, and risk evaluations of optical and quantum communication system development efforts at the component, subsystem, system, and architecture levels.
• Evaluate designs and technologies including optical terminals, free-space optical links, photonic components, entanglement-based communication architectures, and quantum-enhanced optical subsystems.
• Assess emerging technologies and identify gaps related to high-bandwidth space links, advanced modulation formats, pointing/tracking systems, link budgets, networking performance, and secure quantum-enabled transport architectures.
• Support development of technology roadmaps, requirements, specifications, verification approaches, and transition strategies for optical and quantum system modernization.
• Conduct technical outreach with mission users to capture needs and evaluate applicability of emerging optical and quantum capabilities.
• Prepare system engineering documentation, technical analyses, and program-level briefings to communicate findings and strategic recommendations.
• Provide support to programmatic and acquisition activities, including source selections, lifecycle documentation, and system integration planning.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Verbal communication

Technical writing

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or related discipline

Master's degree in engineering, physics, or related discipline

PhD or JD

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

VTG is seeking an Space Systems Engineer, located in Chantilly, Va.

What will you do?

Seeking a Communications Systems Engineer with strong optical and quantum communications engineering experience.

We are hiring a Communications Systems Engineer to provide systems engineering and technical advisory (SETA) support to an IC Research & Development (R&D) customer developing advanced hardware, software, and architectural solutions for mission‑critical optical and quantum communication systems.

Responsibilities

• Perform technical reviews, assessments, and risk evaluations of optical and quantum communication system development efforts at the component, subsystem, system, and architecture levels.
• Evaluate designs and technologies including optical terminals, free‑space optical links, photonic components, entanglement‑based communication architectures, and quantum‑enhanced optical subsystems.
• Assess emerging technologies and identify gaps related to high‑bandwidth space links, advanced modulation formats, pointing/tracking systems, link budgets, networking performance, and secure quantum‑enabled transport architectures.
• Support development of technology roadmaps, requirements, specifications, verification approaches, and transition strategies for optical and quantum system modernization.
• Conduct technical outreach with mission users to capture needs and evaluate applicability of emerging optical and quantum capabilities.
• Prepare system engineering documentation, technical analyses, and program‑level briefings to communicate findings and strategic recommendations.
• Provide support to programmatic and acquisition activities, including source selections, lifecycle documentation, and system integration planning.

Do you have what it takes?

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or related discipline and nine (9) years or more experience; Masters and seven (7) years or more experience ; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience
• Experience with USG program management and acquisition lifecycle processes and documentation.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and technical writing communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, physics, or related discipline.
• 12+ years of relevant experience, including at least 4 years in optical or quantum communication systems.
• 1+ year of experience supporting USG R&D acquisition processes and documentation.
• Experience with space‑based optical terminals, quantum optical payloads, photonic systems, or advanced quantum‑enhanced communication architectures

Clearance

• Must be a U.S. Citizen with an active TS/SCI clearance with Poly

Pay Range: VTG’s estimated starting pay range is $100,000 - $195,000 annually, which is a general guideline for the geographic location. When extending an offer, VTG also considers work experience, education, skill level, market considerations and may possibly include contractual requirements which may cause an offer to fall outside of this range.