Space Systems Engineer

KBR Careers; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off

Flexible work schedule

Professional training and development

Job summary

KBR Careers is seeking a skilled Space Systems Engineer to join their National Security Solutions team in Chantilly, Virginia. This role involves managing requirements and verification for satellite systems, ensuring compliance with mission requirements. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline and at least 8 years of relevant experience, along with a TS/SCI clearance. Join KBR to work on impactful projects that contribute to national security while enjoying a range of competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience supporting space system development, integration, and test.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with current polygraph.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop requirements from higher level documents to lower levels.
• Define verification methods and success criteria for testing.
• Support technical reviews and provide verification status.

Skills

Systems engineering background

Requirements definition

Communication skills

Project management

Initiative

Client relationship management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related STEM technical discipline

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

MS Office

Job description

Space Systems Engineer

KBR’s National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

Position Summary

KBR National Security Solutions is seeking a motivated and talented Space Systems Engineer with a strong background in Verification and Validation (V&V) to join our team in Chantilly, Virginia. The position will support a major U.S. Government organization responsible for the acquisition, integration, and operation of proliferated satellite constellations. The position provides expert advice and manages systems engineering processes and implementation for System Program Office (SPO)-developed collection system, including space vehicle, payloads, and associated ground command and control elements. This role is critical for ensuring that proliferated satellite constellations meet mission requirements through disciplined systems engineering practices. You will work across space, ground, and user segments to define verification strategies, trace requirements, and assess contractor compliance throughout the lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop requirements from higher level Enterprise governing documents to the Segment level and lower levels.
• Develop and manage system‑level verification and validation (V&V) strategies.
• Define verification methods, success criteria, and traceability from requirements to test.
• Evaluate contractor V&V plans, procedures, and results.
• Support test planning across components, subsystems, systems, and mission levels.
• Identify gaps, risks, and disconnects in verification approaches and recommend corrective actions.
• Lead coordination and completion of segment specification sell‑off, along with other verification and validation activities.
• Support technical reviews and provide V&V status to Government decision makers.
• Coordinate across the SPO for any proposed specification changes and facilitate integration of changes into the baseline.
• Identify risks to mission closure in the collection segment and evaluate proposed burn‑down plans.
• Support customer in CONOPS development.
• Interface with spacecraft, payload, network, and user segment teams to define and manage end‑to‑end system interfaces.
• Support integration and test (I&T) planning and execution across ground and space segments.
• Evaluate contractor designs, test results, and operational concepts for compliance with mission requirements.
• Contribute to system documentation, reviews, and decision briefings for Government leadership.
• Document, develop and deliver analyses, recommendations, plans, reports, and briefings to the Government.

Work Environment

• Location: On‑Site
• Travel Requirements: Minimal (less than 25%) travel to contractor facilities, test sites, or launch locations.
• Working Hours: Flexible. Standard Government work hour support and surge support during integration and launch phases.

Required Qualifications

• Citizenship: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
• Clearance: Active TS/SCI clearance (with current polygraph).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related STEM technical discipline. Specific contract requirements regarding education and experience will prevail.
• Relevant Experience: Demonstrated 8+ years of experience supporting space system development, integration, and test.
• Basic knowledge of Government customer’s space and ground domain mission and technical capabilities.
• Systems engineering background; understanding of systems development life cycle from concept, requirements, engineering design, integration and test, deployment, maintenance, through decommissioning.
• Experience in requirements definition, system architectures, systems analysis and design, interface and data architectures, validation, and verification.
• Ability to take initiative, proactively address customer requirements with no supervision, and expertly define solutions for broad, abstract topics.
• Ability to work with standard business management tools and financial systems, MS Office, and project management software.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain trusted client relationships.
• Knowledge of U.S. Government contracting and federal acquisition regulations, spacecraft lifecycle milestones and review processes, and success in operating within this environment.
• Ability to work in a team environment as well as independently.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate technical issues clearly to all levels of Government leadership.

Desired Qualifications

• Education: Master’s or Ph.D. degree in a related STEM technical discipline.
• Relevant Ground Experience: Demonstrated 10+ years of experience supporting space system development, integration, and test is preferred.
• Breadth of Experience: Experience working across multiple satellite programs or production lines is preferred.
• Experience in initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling DoD or Intelligence Community projects or programs.
• Deep knowledge of satellite Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (TCPED) architectures.
• Familiarity with JIRA and Confluence.
• Familiarity with model‑based systems engineering and digital engineering concepts and tools, Agile / DevSecOps development methodology, and cloud technologies.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re excited about making a significant impact in the field of space defense and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let's shape the future together.

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&DD, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.