Space Systems Engineer

VTG Defense; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

VTG Defense in Chantilly, VA seeks a Space Systems Engineer to provide SETA support for an IC R&D program focused on advanced optical and quantum communication systems.

You will perform technical reviews, evaluate designs, and help develop roadmaps and requirements for cutting-edge space-based communications hardware and software. A TS/SCI clearance is required and US citizenship is mandatory.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or related discipline and relevant experience.
• Strong analytical and writing skills for technical reporting.
• Experience with USG program management and acquisition lifecycle processes (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Perform technical reviews, assessments, and risk evaluations of optical and quantum communication system development efforts at multiple levels.
• Evaluate designs and technologies including optical terminals, free-space optical links, and quantum-enabled subsystems.
• Support development of technology roadmaps, requirements, specifications, verification approaches, and transition strategies for optical/quantum systems.
• Prepare system engineering documentation and program-level briefings to communicate findings and recommendations.
• Provide SETA support to acquisition activities, including source selections and lifecycle planning.

Skills

Systems engineering

Quantum communications

Optical communications

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/physics or related

Master's degree in engineering/physics (desirable)

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 missioncritical 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, freespace optical links, photonic components, entanglementbased communication architectures, and quantumenhanced optical subsystems.
• Assess emerging technologies and identify gaps related to highbandwidth space links, advanced modulation formats, pointing/tracking systems, link budgets, networking performance, and secure quantumenabled 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 programlevel 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 spacebased optical terminals, quantum optical payloads, photonic systems, or advanced quantumenhanced 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.