Staff Systems Engineer

Insight Global; Bothell (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global is seeking a staff-level Systems Engineer to lead complex quantum computing programs supporting government and national security customers. You will drive requirements, architecture, integration, verification, validation, and delivery across the lifecycle.

You will translate contract requirements into clear, testable system-level requirements, manage risk, and present technical status to executives.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant engineering experience with systems-level responsibility.
• Experience leading technically complex hardware/soft­ware/firmware or integrated programs.
• Experience with government/federal contracts (e.g., DARPA, DoD, DOE, national labs).
• Ability to translate contractual requirements into executable plans and verification activities.
• Strong skills in requirements development, traceability, and risk management.
• Proven ability to connect testing results to system requirements and customer objectives.
• Excellent written and oral communication for executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide staff-level systems engineering leadership across the full development lifecycle.
• Translate contract requirements and mission needs into verifiable system requirements.
• Define and maintain requirements traceability and verification plans.
• Establish and monitor risk registers with mitigation and ownership.
• Lead reviews (requirements, design, test readiness) and technical governance.
• Present status and recommendations to government customers and executives.
• Mentor engineers and strengthen systems engineering processes and documentation.

Skills

Staff leadership

Systems engineering

Government contracts

Requirements traceability

Risk management

Verification & validation

Technical storytelling

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Job description

Job Description

Provide staff-level systems engineering leadership for complex quantum computing programs supporting government and national security customers.Lead systems engineering activities throughout the full development lifecycle, including requirements definition, architecture, integration, verification, validation, and delivery.Translate contract requirements, statements of work, customer objectives, and mission needs into clear technical and system-level requirements.Develop and maintain requirements traceability, ensuring that design decisions, test activities, and verification results are linked to applicable customer and system requirements.Build and manage Requirements Verification Traceability Matrices, including verification methods, test evidence, acceptance criteria, ownership, and closure status.Establish and maintain program risk registers, including risk identification, probability and impact assessments, mitigation plans, controls, triggers, owners, and residual-risk tracking.Partner with engineering and program leadership to identify technical, schedule, integration, manufacturing, and performance risks before they affect program delivery.Define verification and validation strategies for complex hardware, software, firmware, and integrated systems.Review test plans, procedures, results, and technical data to determine whether system and contractual requirements have been satisfied.Create clear narratives that explain what was tested, why it was tested, what the results demonstrate, and how those results connect to program requirements and customer objectives.Present technical status, testing outcomes, risk posture, requirements compliance, and program recommendations to government customers and executive stakeholders.Communicate complex technical information in a concise, credible, and audience-appropriate manner.Serve as a systems-level connector across quantum scientists, electrical engineers, hardware engineers, firmware engineers, software engineers, test teams, manufacturing teams, program managers, and customers.Facilitate technical reviews, requirements reviews, design reviews, test-readiness reviews, risk reviews, and customer-facing program meetings.Provide technical leadership without losing sight of broader program goals, contractual commitments, schedule constraints, and customer expectations.Mentor engineers and help strengthen systems engineering processes, documentation standards, and technical governance across the organization.

Skills and Requirements

Typically 10+ years of relevant engineering experience, including significant systems-level responsibility.Staff, Principal, Lead, or equivalent experience supporting technically complex hardware or integrated engineering programs.Experience supporting large government contracts or federally funded programs for organizations such as DARPA, DoD, DOE, national laboratories, or other federal agencies.Demonstrated experience translating contractual and customer requirements into executable engineering plans and verification activities.Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including:Requirements development and decompositionRequirements traceabilitySystem architectureInterface definition and managementIntegration planningVerification and validationConfiguration and change managementExperience developing and maintaining a Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix, verification cross-reference matrix, or similar compliance framework.Experience creating and managing technical and programmatic risk registers, including mitigation strategies, controls, ownership, and closure criteria.Demonstrated ability to connect testing results and technical evidence directly to system, contract, and customer requirements.Experience presenting technical information, program status, risks, and test findings directly to customers.Strong technical storytelling skills, with the ability to turn complex engineering data into a clear and persuasive customer narrative.Experience leading multidisciplinary teams or serving as a Technical Lead, Systems Lead, or Technical Program Manager.Broad systems-level perspective with the ability to understand dependencies across hardware, software, firmware, testing, manufacturing, and program execution.Strong written communication, technical documentation, presentation, and executive-briefing skills.Ability to work effectively in an evolving, research-oriented, and highly technical environment.

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to [e-mail].