Staff Spacecraft Systems Engineer

Turion Space; California (MO); On-site; USD 190,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Turion Space

Health Insurance

401(k) Plan with employer contribution

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Employee Assistance Program

Professional Development

Team Building Activities

Job summary

Turion Space is seeking a Staff Spacecraft Systems Engineer to own end-to-end satellite architecture and lead the program as Chief Program Engineer for GEO Space Domain Awareness missions. You will steer cross‑disciplinary teams through SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR/PSR, manage system budgets and requirements traceability, and coordinate with customers and suppliers to secure mission success.

This senior role emphasizes deep architecture ownership, MBSE usage, and rigorous documentation to meet customer and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering or related field
• 12+ years in spacecraft systems engineering or spacecraft design with hands-on experience
• Experience as Chief Program Engineer or lead systems engineer on a complete spacecraft program
• Deep expertise in requirements derivation, decomposition, and traceability
• Proven ability to own and maintain system-level budgets across lifecycle
• Experience authoring and managing compliance documentation and traceability artifacts
• Strong track record leading teams through SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.
• Ability to obtain Secret and/or TS/SCI clearance

Responsibilities

• Serve as Chief Program Engineer for assigned programs, owning end-to-end satellite architecture
• Drive resolution of complex cross-disciplinary issues balancing performance, cost, schedule
• Lead teams through SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, PSR, and post-launch operations
• Interact with customers and suppliers as the primary technical contact for mission success
• Own and maintain budgets (mass, power, delta‑V, pointing, data, link) and the technical baseline
• Define and refine mission CONOPS and derive system requirements with full traceability
• Ensure requirements traceability from mission objectives through subsystems and components
• Define and execute verification and validation plans at system and subsystem levels

Skills

Leadership

Systems Engineering

Architecture Definition

Requirements Traceability

MBSE

Stakeholder Communication

Spacecraft Design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering

Tools

Cameo

Capella

Innoslate

Python

MATLAB

STK

GMAT

FreeFlyer

Jama/DOORS/Flow

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional Staff Spacecraft Systems Engineer to serve as a Chief Program Engineer on an upcoming new product line program focused on GEO Space Domain Awareness missions relying on highly maneuverable and agile small satellites. This senior technical leadership role goes beyond individual spacecraft design to encompass full ownership of the satellite architecture and technical baseline for assigned programs. The Staff Spacecraft Systems Engineer ensures that all aspects of the mission, from requirements decomposition and traceability to mission capability verification, are properly defined, progressed, and documented to meet both customer and mission success criteria.

Key Responsibilities

Program Chief Engineering Leadership

• Serve as Chief Program Engineer for assigned programs, owning end-to-end satellite architecture and ensuring appropriate technical progress throughout the program lifecycle
• Drive resolution of complex cross-disciplinary technical issues, making authoritative architectural decisions that balance performance, cost, and schedule
• Lead teams through all technical milestones including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and PSR, and post-launch operations
• Interact directly with customers and suppliers as the primary technical point of contact to ensure mission success

Mission Definition & Technical Baseline

• Own and maintain system-level budgets, mass, power, delta-V, pointing, data, and link, ensuring the technical baseline demonstrably meets requirements and intended capability performance
• Work alongside mission stakeholders to define and refine mission CONOPS, translating operational needs into rigorous system-level requirements
• Lead derivation and maintenance of system requirements, ensuring full traceability from mission-level objectives through system, subsystem, and component requirements
• Ensure requirements decomposition is executed correctly and that traceability is maintained throughout the entire technical baseline

Requirements Traceability & Compliance

• Establish and maintain robust requirements traceability frameworks to satisfy customer compliance documentation expectations
• Author and oversee Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and all systems engineering documentation required for program compliance
• Define and execute verification and validation plans (test, demonstration, analysis, inspection) at system and subsystem levels
• Track system compliance and overall performance against mission needs, proactively identifying and resolving gaps

Stakeholder & Team Leadership

• Provide top-level technical leadership across the entire spacecraft lifecycle, from proposal and concept through design, manufacturing, test, and operations
• Collaborate with and guide multi-disciplinary engineering experts across all subsystems
• Work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure mission CONOPS alignment and technical coherence
• Mentor senior and mid-level systems engineers, elevating team-wide systems engineering discipline

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field
• 12+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering or spacecraft design, with hands‑on experience in satellite design and integration
• Demonstrated experience serving as a Chief Program Engineer or lead systems engineer on a complete spacecraft program
• Deep expertise in requirements derivation, decomposition, and traceability from mission level through subsystems
• Proven ability to own and maintain all system-level budgets (mass, power, delta‑V, pointing, link, data) across the full project lifecycle
• Experience authoring and managing compliance documentation and requirements traceability artifacts for customers
• Strong track record leading teams through formal technical milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.)
• Must be able to obtain a Secret and/or TS/SCI clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep technical experience with GEO Space Domain Awareness or other missions relying on highly maneuverable and agile spacecraft
• Experience working with Department of War/Defense or Intelligence Community organizations
• 15+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering or spacecraft design with full product lifecycle experience: concept, preliminary design, manufacturing, testing, and operations
• Experience as Chief Program Engineer or equivalent role with direct customer-facing technical accountability
• Experience with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and applicable software such as Cameo, Capella, Innoslate, or others
• Experience with satellite analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, STK, GMAT, or FreeFlyer
• Experience with requirements management tools such as Jama, DOORS, Flow, or others
• Familiarity with customer compliance frameworks and formal traceability documentation expectations (e.g., government or DoD programs)
• Previous experience in a startup or fast‑paced commercial space environment

Staff Systems Engineer / Staff Spacecraft Systems Engineer Salary: $190,000 - $260,000 USD

Employees may be asked to support alternate shifts, extended shifts, and/or travel during peak work periods.

ITAR Requirements

This position may include access to technology and/or software source code that is subject to U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Benefits

• Equity: Receive equity in Turion Space, letting you benefit from the company's success
• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents.
• Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan with a 3% Employer Direct Contribution to help you plan for your future.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, sick days, and holidays to ensure you have time to recharge.
• Parental Leave: Paid parental leave following the birth of a newborn or adoption.
• Emotional Wellbeing: A no-cost Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support you and your household’s emotional health and wellbeing.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing internal training, workshops, and courses to advance your skills and career growth.
• Team Building Activities: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities to foster a positive work environment.

We are dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching environment for our team members, recognizing that our collective success is built upon the well-being and satisfaction of each individual.

Turion Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Turion Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.