System Engineer, Level 3

Independent Software; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Independent Software in Fort Meade, MD seeks a System Engineer Level 3 to provide technical leadership across the full lifecycle for complex hardware and software systems. You will analyze user needs, COOs, and architectures to craft comprehensive requirements and design solutions in collaboration with government stakeholders and program leadership.

You will guide requirements formulation, manage traceability, and ensure interoperability across development, integration, testing, deployment, and

Qualifications

• Experience leading systems engineering efforts for complex hardware/software
• Expertise in requirements analysis, decomposition, and traceability
• Architectures aligned to DoDAF and service-oriented architectures
• Experience with system integration, verification, validation, and test planning
• Strong configuration management and change control experience
• Experience conducting trade studies, risk assessments, and life-cycle analyses
• Knowledge of Information Assurance principles (CIA, non-repudiation)
• Ability defining and managing system interfaces across engineering disciplines
• Familiarity with modeling, simulation, and prototyping for design decisions
• Strong documentation and briefing skills for technical and non-technical audiences

Responsibilities

• Analyze user requirements and high-level architectures to develop system requirements specifications
• Lead system design and development to align with approved architectures and needs
• Guide users in requirements formulation, evaluating alternatives, and feasibility studies
• Manage system requirements to ensure production compatibility with DoDAF/SOA
• Develop and maintain system architecture and design documentation
• Review systems engineering documentation and ensure compliance with standards
• Support planning for system integration and test activities
• Coordinate actions from design reviews and program reviews
• Participate in Integrated Product Teams to design new capabilities
• Generate alternative concepts and design solutions
• Allocate real-time budgets for systems and subsystems
• Define verification methods and evaluation criteria
• Ensure configuration management of hardware, software, and docs
• Serve on Configuration Control Boards
• Conduct system trade studies considering lifecycle cost and risk
• Provide technical direction for requirements elicitation and end-to-end analysis
• Define and manage system interfaces (software, electrical, mechanical)
• Develop DoDAF-based standards views
• Apply validated models/prototypes to reduce risk and cost
• Communicate effectively with program personnel and oversight bodies

Skills

System Engineering leadership

Requirements analysis

DoDAF alignment

System integration

Verification & validation

Configuration management

Trade studies

Information Assurance

System interfaces

Modeling and prototyping

Documentation & briefing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering

Twenty years of System Engineer experience

Job description

What You Will Do

As a System Engineer Level 3, you will provide technical leadership across the full systems engineering lifecycle for complex hardware and software systems. You will analyze user needs, concepts of operations, and system architectures to develop comprehensive system requirements and design solutions. This role involves close collaboration with government stakeholders, engineers, and program leadership to ensure technical integrity, interoperability, and mission success across development, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze user requirements, concepts of operations, and high‑level system architectures to develop system requirements specifications
• Lead system design and development activities, ensuring alignment with approved architectures and operational needs
• Guide users in formulating requirements, evaluating alternatives, and conducting feasibility studies
• Manage system and derived requirements to ensure delivery of production systems compatible with defined architectures such as DoDAF and SOA
• Develop and maintain system architecture and system design documentation
• Contribute to and review systems engineering documentation, including Systems Engineering Plans, Requirements Specifications, Interface Control Documents, and Initial Capability Documents
• Support system development and implementation planning, including system integration and test plans
• Coordinate and resolve action items from Configuration Control Boards, design reviews, program reviews, and test reviews
• Participate in Integrated Product Teams to design and evaluate new system capabilities
• Generate alternative system concepts, architectures, and design solutions
• Allocate real‑time process budgets and error budgets to systems and subsystems
• Define verification methods, processes, and evaluation criteria to ensure systems meet requirements
• Ensure effective configuration management of hardware, software, and documentation throughout the system lifecycle
• Serve as a member of Configuration Control Boards
• Conduct system trade studies and analyses of alternatives, considering life‑cycle cost, risk, performance, and scalability
• Develop risk mitigation strategies, alternative courses of action, and fallback plans; monitor risks using earned value management data
• Provide technical direction for requirements elicitation, functional allocation, integration, testing, and end‑to‑end system flow analysis
• Fully define and manage system interfaces, including software, electrical, and mechanical characteristics
• Develop operational, system, services, and technical standards views using applicable DoDAF standards
• Apply validated models, simulations, and prototypes to reduce risk and cost
• Communicate effectively with program personnel, government oversight org

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Strong experience leading systems engineering efforts for complex hardware and software systems
• Expertise in requirements analysis, functional decomposition, and requirements traceability
• Experience developing system architectures aligned to DoDAF and service‑oriented architectures
• Experience with system integration, verification, validation, and test planning
• Strong background in configuration management and change control processes
• Experience conducting trade studies, risk assessments, and life‑cycle analyses
• Knowledge of Information Assurance principles, including confidentiality, integrity, availability, and non‑repudiation
• Experience defining and managing system interfaces across multiple engineering disciplines
• Familiarity with modeling, simulation, and prototyping to support system design decisions
• Strong documentation, briefing, and communication skills for technical and non‑technical audiences

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or a related discipline from an accredited college or university
• Five (5) additional years of Systems Engineering experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of twenty (20) years of experience as a System Engineer supporting programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity
• Demonstrated experience planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts across the full system lifecycle
• Additional experience with system architectures, integration planning, and secure system environments is required

Clearance Requirement

• Must possess an active TS/SCI with appropriate Polygraph to be considered for this role

Benefits

At Independent Software, our people are the mission. We’ve built a company around collaboration, integrity, and innovation and we make sure our team has the tools and support to grow, succeed, and thrive.

Support critical national security missions that matter.

Be part of a close‑knit, employee‑first culture where your voice is heard.

Expand your skills through ongoing training, mentorship, and career development.

Enjoy competitive compensation, generous benefits, and work‑life balance.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.