Spacecraft Bus, Avionics & Systems Engineer

Spacesystemsintegration; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Spacesystemsintegration in Chantilly, VA seeks a Spacecraft Bus, Avionics & Systems Engineer to lead technical assessments of spacecraft bus designs, subsystems, and flight software architectures. The role requires an active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph, and 15 years’ experience (or 12 with a Master’s) in related space systems.

On-site work only, with ~10% travel within CONUS. Responsibilities include leading trades, ensuring interfaces between space vehicle and ground segments, and

Qualifications

• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with ability to obtain a polygraph
• Bachelor of Science in a technical field (engineering, mathematics, physics, software or computer science)
• 15 years’ experience with spacecraft bus or subsystems, or Master’s degree and 12 years’ experience
• Effective written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
• DOD or IC space experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and assessment for the ESS Program Office in the prime contractor delivery of the space vehicle in the area of Mechanical, Electrical, or Test
• Lead the trades for unit and subsystem designs, integration and testing into the spacecraft bus, payload, and space vehicle
• Ensure the technical design and interfaces within the space vehicle, along with the ground and terminal segments
• Support component and unit test programs, including space qualification testing, ensuring survivability in space environment
• Develop test documentation (plans and reports) and maintain test programs
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with government customer organizations, contractors, and teammates

Skills

Technical leadership

Systems engineering

Spacecraft integration

Test & verification

Written & oral communication

Education

Bachelor of Science in a technical field

Master's degree in a technical field

Tools

Thermal Desktop

VxWorks

RTOS

Job description

SSI is seeking an Spacecraft Bus, Avionics & Systems Engineerto join our team in Chantilly, VA.

We seek technical individuals who will thrive in a highly collaborative work environment of small teams, using the most modern tools and methodologies to tackle the challenges of integrating complex space and ground communications systems.

This role evaluates contractor bus design, subsystem trade studies, radiation- hardening strategies, flight software architecture, and environmental testing.

Role and Responsibilities include:

• Provide the technical leadership and assessment for the ESS Program Office in the prime contractor delivery of the space vehicle in the area of Mechanical, Electrical, or Test.
• Lead the trades for unit and subsystem designs if necessary, integration and testing into the spacecraft bus, payload, and space vehicle.
• Ensure thetechnical designand interfaces within the space vehicle, along with the ground and terminal segments.
• Support all component and unit test programs, including space qualification testing, ensuring survivability in the space environment. Develop test documentation, e.g., test plans and reports as necessary.
• Support the space vehicle test program, ensuring survivability in the space environments. Develop test documentation, e.g., test plans and reports as necessary.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with various government customer organizations, contractors, and FFRDC teammates.

• Must possess an active Top Secret/SCI clearance with the ability to obtain a Polygraph.
• Bachelor of Science in a technical field, such as engineering, mathematics, physics, software, or computer science.
• 15 years’ experience with spacecraft bus or subsystems, or Master’s degree and 12 years’ experience.
• Previous provencoordinationexperience.
• Effectivecommunication(both written and oral), andinterpersonal skills.
• Ability to perform in highly visible and stressful situations.
• DOD or IC space experience preferred.
• Space systems engineering experience desired at the unit, subsystem, spacecraft, or space vehicle levels.

Key Technical & Capability Requirements:

• Radiation Hardening: Deep Understanding of Beyond Low Earth Orbit (BLEO)radiation environments, single-event effects (SEE/SEU), total ionizing dose (TID),and mitigation strategies for Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) and Solar ParticleEvents (SPE).
• Thermal & Environmental Controls: Evaluation of thermal architectures
  designed for extreme lunar eclipses, long thermal soak periods, and deep-spacesinks (using thermal modeling tools like Thermal Desktop).
• High-∆ v Propulsion: Technical oversight of liquid bipropellant, monopropellant,or high-power electric propulsion (EP) systems required for lunar orbit insertionand station keeping.
• Avionics & Flight Software: Review of rad-hard FPGAs, power processing units (PPU), and flight software framework architectures (e.g., NASA, cFS, VxWorks, RTOS) featuring autonomous fault management.
• SETA Oversight Duties: Leads technical review of contractor Assembly
  Integration & Test (AI&T) plans, Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) test matrices, andvendor verification cross-reference matrices (VCRM).

• Requirement to work on site atLAAFB100%. Remote work unavailable.
• Approximately 10% travel within Southern California and CONUS, depending on prime contractor selection of unit suppliers.