Target Custody Systems Engineer

Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory; North Logan (UT); On-site; USD 114,500 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory seeks a mid-level Systems Engineer to support the Space Development Agency’s PWSA within the Strategic & Military Space Division. The role focuses on defense mission space and ground systems integration, end-to-end testing, and programmatic documentation.

You will collaborate with multiple teams, draft key technical documents, and help ensure system interoperability and verifiability while supporting schedule and risk management in a dynamic

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field is required.
• 10+ years of space systems engineering experience preferred.
• Experience with space and ground subsystems in government or commercial programs.
• Ability to interpret requirements and assess technical, cost, and schedule risks.

Responsibilities

• Provide subject-matter expertise on defense mission space and ground systems integration.
• Assess architecture, design, implementation, and operations for interoperability and end-to-end performance.
• Draft ICDs, SOWs, test plans, ConOps, and architecture documents.
• Lead or contribute to IV&V and interface working groups across space-to-ground domains.
• Communicate technical status across government program offices and stakeholders.
• Support program management in tracking, risks, interfaces, configurations, and task planning.

Skills

Systems engineering

Space systems

Ground systems

Requirements management

Test planning

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Join the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) team, where you'll contribute to groundbreaking innovations! We are seeking applicants for a mid‑level Systems Engineer to help manage software development projects that support the Space Development Agency’s PWSA with our Strategic & Military Space Division.

The Strategic & Military Space Division delivers advanced satellite and sensor systems that support the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. Our division is a key component of national security, providing technological solutions and expert mission support.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides subject‑matter expertise related to defense mission space and ground systems integration
  • This includes space‑ground and ground‑ground interface requirements, design, integration, testing, and operations
• Assesses system architecture, designs, implementation, and operations with focus on interoperability, verifiability, and end‑to‑end performance
• Drafts, develops, and/or provides input to ICDs, SOWs, test plans and procedures, ConOps, architecture and systems descriptions, schedules, and various other engineering and programmatic documents
• Leads or has a key role in interface and IV&V related working groups focused on space‑to‑ground, ground network, cloud services, and other intra‑ and inter‑ground segment products
• Maintains strong communication on technical topics between working groups, integrated product teams, space system providers, ground system providers, and government program offices
• Leads government assessment of the ground system contractor’s integrated system validation and verification (end‑to‑end) test planning and execution
• Monitors systems testing and interface/end‑to‑end testing with the space vehicle vendors and mission partners
• Provides technical assessment of success of such testing and recommendations on acceptance of test results and disposition of deviations
• Provides decision support to government program managers and system leads on topics in areas of responsibility
• Supports program managers and lead systems engineers on a program in technical management of projects through tracking, risks, requirements, interfaces, configurations, and related tasks
• Designs and coordinates complex systems that involve interdisciplinary engineering
• Creates and maintains programmatic and technical documentation to ensure efficient planning and execution

Required Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen with an active or previously held U.S. Government security clearance
• Bachelor’s or higher degree in engineering or a related technical field and 10+ years of space systems engineering experience, preferably with deep knowledge in one or more space or ground subsystems
• Systems engineering experience with familiarity with space systems, ground systems, and space mission operations within government and commercial programs
• Ability to interpret customer‑driven requirements to determine areas of risk from a technical, cost, and schedule perspective
• Ability to respond resourcefully to new demands and challenges in a dynamic environment
• Proficiency in managing and prioritizing requirements development and verification, risks, interfaces, configurations, and trade studies
• Ability to work effectively both individually and within a team environment
• Strong attention to detail while still having a system‑level perspective
• Ability to anticipate ground‑space system integration and test risks and develop contingency plans to manage them
• Ability to relate well with outside customers and maintain good relationships under challenging circumstances
• Moderate travel to support SDA (approximately 6‑9 weeks a year)

Salary Range

• $114,500 – $210,000, salary commensurate on education and relevant experience

Benefits: SDL offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.