System Engineer IV with Security Clearance

Black Eagle Defense; Jessup (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Eagle Defense in the United States is seeking a seasoned Systems Engineer to manage the lifecycle of mission-critical systems, leading architectural designs and direct engagement with government partners.

You will drive technical excellence across the engineering lifecycle, govern integration, and translate complex requirements into actionable plans for stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or higher in an engineering field or related discipline with progressive systems engineering experience.
• Advanced degrees with relevant experience are preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience considered.

Responsibilities

• Lifecycle Management: direct systems engineering phases from Concept to Retirement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: act as technical liaison for customers, partners, and leadership.
• Technical Governance: ensure ISO/IEC 15288 compliance across requirements, design, integration, and risk management.
• Strategic Leadership: lead technical discussions, define API contracts, document integration architectures.
• System Architecture: design integration patterns and lead technical strategy.
• Customer Engagement: translate operational needs into technical requirements and present capabilities.
• Technical Communication: author customer-facing docs and brief mixed audiences.
• Data & AI/ML Expertise: architect analytics features for analyst workflows.
• Domain Knowledge: background in SIGINT/RF, UTT processes, or multi-INT correlation tradecraft.

Skills

Systems engineering

Stakeholder engagement

API design

System architecture

Technical governance

Data/AI ML expertise

Technical communication

SIGINT/RF knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline

Master's degree or PhD in engineering or related discipline

High School Diploma/GED + 14 years of experience

Tools

NiFi

Camel

REST/GraphQL

Java/Spring Boot

Data modeling

Job description

Job Description Salary: $180000 - $200000 We are seeking a seasoned Systems Engineer to manage technical integrity and lifecycle processes for our mission-critical systems. You will lead complex architectural designs, engage directly with stakeholders and government partners, and drive technical excellence across the systems engineering lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Lifecycle Management: Direct systems engineering phases from Concept and Development to Production, Utilization, Support, and Retirement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary technical liaison for customers, partner programs, and internal leadership.
• Technical Governance: Ensure compliance and quality across ISO/IEC 15288 process areas, including requirements definition, architectural design, integration, and risk management.
• Strategic Leadership: Lead technical discussions, define API contracts, and document integration architectures to ensure clear communication across engineering, user, and project management teams. Core Capabilities
• System Architecture: Proficiency in designing integration patterns and leading technical strategy.
• Customer Engagement: Ability to translate complex operational needs into actionable technical requirements and present capabilities effectively.
• Technical Communication: Skilled in authoring customer-facing documentation and briefing mixed technical/non-technical audiences. Strong Differentiators
• Data & AI/ML Expertise: Experience architecting analytics and AI/ML features (e.g., pattern recognition, anomaly detection) for analyst workflows.
• Domain Knowledge: Background in SIGINT/RF, UTT processes, or multi-INT correlation tradecraft.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Option 1: Bachelor's degree in a qualified engineering field or related discipline + 10 years of systems engineering experience.
• Option 2: Master's or PhD in a qualified engineering field or related discipline + 8 years of systems engineering experience.
• Option 3: High School Diploma/GED + 14 years of general systems engineering experience. Note: Qualified engineering fields include Aeronautics, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Nuclear, Software, Systems, and Engineering Management. Related disciplines include Chemistry, Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, and Physics.

Desired Skills Technical Skills (Preferred)

• Experience with integration platforms (NiFi, Camel, messaging systems) and API design (REST/GraphQL).
• Familiarity with Java/Spring Boot and data modeling trade-offs (relational vs. search indices vs. graph).