Space Vehicle Systems Engineer - TS/SCI Clearance

Apex; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

100% company-paid healthcare (medical,

Dental and vision for you and dependet

PTO starts at 15 days, 20+ days with 1

401(k) with generous matching

Parental leave

Job summary

Apex is seeking a Space Vehicle Systems Engineer to drive system-level design, integration, and verification for a classified satellite program. You will define the vehicle architecture from mission objectives, allocate requirements down to subsystems, and maintain interfaces across electrical, mechanical, thermal, and software domains.

You will serve as a technical anchor among internal teams, government customers, and external payload partners, translating requirements, presenting at design

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret or Top Secret/SCI clearance required; ability to obtain and maintain access to additional programs as needed.
• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field; advanced degree is a plus.
• 5+ years of systems engineering experience, preferably in spacecraft, aerospace, or defense hardware development.
• Strong grounding in systems engineering principles, requirements management, and verification and validation methodologies.
• Working knowledge of spacecraft subsystems and their interdependencies, including attitude control, power, thermal, propulsion, communications, and command and data handling.
• Proficiency in requirements management tools and systems engineering software (e.g., DOORS, Jira, SysML).
• Knowledge of industry standards and best practices, such as INCOSE standards and NASA systems engineering guidelines.
• Experience with mission analysis or modeling tools such as Python, MATLAB, STK, GMAT, or FreeFlyer is a plus.
• Familiarity with space communications protocols and standards (e.g., CCSDS, S-band, X-band) is a plus.
• Prior experience supporting government customers, prime contractors, or DoD program reviews strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and juggle priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and manage spacecraft-level and space vehicle architecture and requirements derived from mission goals, maintaining traceability across the full lifecycle.
• Lead system-level trade studies, risk analyses, and simulations to guide design decisions across competing performance, cost, and schedule constraints.
• Own the development and upkeep of system documentation, including specifications, Interface Control Documents (ICDs) between bus and payload, and technical budgets.
• Coordinate subsystem integration and enforce interface compatibility across electrical, mechanical, thermal, and software domains.
• Analyze test and integration data, isolate anomalies, and drive resolution alongside subsystem and verification teams.
• Identify and assess technical risks, develop mitigation plans, and track them to closure; support FMEA and broader reliability efforts.
• Support and present at major program and design reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR), ensuring technical readiness and compliance.
• Align technical activities to program schedules and milestones, and advise program leadership on cost-driving technical decisions.
• Engage directly with government customers and partners to capture requirements, resolve technical issues, and represent Apex in reviews and status updates.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both engineering and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute lessons learned and standardized practices that improve execution on future missions.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements management

Verification & validation

Python

MATLAB

Spacecraft subsystems basics

Jira

DOORS

SysML

Space communications awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

DOORS

Jira

SysML

STK

FreeFlyer

Job description

Apex is seeking a Space Vehicle Systems Engineer to drive system-level design, integration, and verification for a classified satellite program. You will define the vehicle architecture from mission objectives, allocate requirements down to subsystems, and maintain interfaces across electrical, mechanical, thermal, and software domains.

You will serve as a technical anchor among internal teams, government customers, and external payload partners, translating requirements, presenting at design