Systems Engineer

SDFM; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Powerus is seeking a Systems Engineer to decompose customer and mission needs into requirements, control interfaces between subsystems, lead trade studies, and plan verification and validation.

This role requires coordinating across airframe, avionics, propulsion, payload, flight software, and ground systems to ensure the integrated platform meets its performance budgets in mass, power, endurance, link, and latency.

Qualifications

• Write unambiguous, testable requirements.
• Manage interface definition, trade studies, and verification planning.
• Work across mechanical, electrical, and software domains.
• U.S. Person status required; access to ITAR/EAR data.

Responsibilities

• Decompose mission, customer, and regulatory needs into verifiable system and subsystem requirements.
• Maintain traceability from stakeholder need through design, test, and acceptance.
• Lead trade studies on architecture, configuration, and components and document the rationale.
• Maintain system performance budgets for mass, power, endurance, link, and latency.
• Own interface control between airframe, avionics, propulsion, payload, flight software, and ground systems.
• Support design reviews, configuration management, and change control.
• Plan verification and validation activities and define acceptance criteria.
• Maintain system-level risk, failure mode, and safety analyses and track mitigations to closure.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements writing

Interface control

Trade studies

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering

Tools

MBSE

SysML

DOORS

Jama

Job description

About Powerus

Powerus is building a next-generation American autonomous systems platform designed to move, protect, and sustain critical assets in high-consequence environments. The company combines advanced autonomy, manufacturing capability, operational expertise, and strategic acquisitions to support defense, national security, critical infrastructure, and commercial operations globally.

Mission

Our mission is to deliver resilient autonomous technologies that strengthen national security, improve operational safety, and expand the capabilities of organizations operating in complex environments.

Why Join Powerus

Powerus develops several platforms across airframe, propulsion, avionics, autonomy, and ground software at once. Defense and national security programs require requirements, interface control, and verification evidence as formal artifacts.

This role holds the whole vehicle in view: requirements, interfaces, trade studies, and the verification that shows the integrated system meets its requirements.

Position Overview

Powerus is seeking a Systems Engineer to decompose customer and mission needs into requirements, control interfaces between subsystems, lead trade studies, and plan verification and validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Decompose mission, customer, and regulatory needs into verifiable system and subsystem requirements
• Maintain traceability from stakeholder need through design, test, and acceptance
• Lead trade studies on architecture, configuration, and components and document the rationale
• Maintain system performance budgets for mass, power, endurance, link, and latency
• Own interface control between airframe, avionics, propulsion, payload, flight software, and ground systems
• Support design reviews, configuration management, and change control
• Plan verification and validation activities and define acceptance criteria
• Maintain system-level risk, failure mode, and safety analyses and track mitigations to closure

Qualifications

• Must be located in the United States, within commuting distance of Rock Hill, SC
• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering, or equivalent practical experience
• Systems engineering experience on a complex hardware product, or subsystem experience integrating multiple disciplines
• Ability to write unambiguous, testable requirements
• Experience with interface definition, trade studies, and verification planning
• Working knowledge across mechanical, electrical, and software domains
• U.S. Person status required (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)); this role involves access to ITAR- and EAR-controlled technical data

Preferred Qualifications

• UAS, aerospace, defense, or other regulated hardware program experience
• Experience with MBSE, SysML, DOORS, or Jama
• Experience with FMEA, fault tree analysis, or system safety
• Experience with defense acquisition documentation and customer acceptance testing
• Experience supporting flight test or field trials
• Active or prior U.S. security clearance

What We Look For

Candidates should have resolved a requirements or interface conflict between disciplines and be able to show how the decision was documented and verified.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Powerus is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and mission-driven workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.