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 is seeking a seasoned Systems Engineer to manage lifecycle processes for our mission-critical systems. You will lead architectural designs, engage with stakeholders and government partners, and drive technical excellence from concept through retirement.

Core responsibilities include lifecycle management, stakeholder engagement, technical governance, and strategic leadership on API contracts and integration architectures.

Qualifications

• Must have extensive systems engineering experience across lifecycle phases.
• Experience with integration platforms and API design.
• Strong communication with technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lifecycle Management: Direct systems engineering phases from Concept to Retirement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary technical liaison for customers and partners.
• Technical Governance: Ensure ISO/IEC 15288 compliance across requirements, design, integration and risk management.
• Strategic Leadership: Lead technical discussions, define API contracts, and document integration architectures.

Skills

System architecture

Stakeholder engagement

Technical governance

Education

Bachelor's degree + 10 years experience

Master's or PhD in engineering + 8 years

High School Diploma/GED + 14 years 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).