Lead (Chief) Satellite Systems Engineer (Contingent)

Key Responsibilities:

• Be the lead systems engineering authority for a satellite program or major technical scope, ensuring the integrity of system design, integration, verification, and mission readiness

• Translate mission objectives and program constraints into clear technical direction across architecture, requirements, interfaces, trade studies, verification planning, readiness evidence, and technical risk closure

• Lead system-level design and integration across spacecraft subsystems, connecting subsystem decisions to whole-system performance, operations, reliability, customer commitments, and lifecycle needs

• Partner with Program Management, Product Assurance, subsystem teams, suppliers, customers, and leadership to align technical execution, manage expectations, and close decisions

• Lead technical reviews, trade studies, anomaly investigations, readiness milestones, and decision forums with clear recommendations and disciplined follow-through

• Manage technical risks and uncertainty by structuring ambiguous problems, clarifying assumptions, defining decision points, and maintaining clear escalation paths

• Represent the technical team in program reviews, customer briefings, supplier discussions, and leadership updates through clear writing, presentations, and decision rationale

• Mentor engineers and technical leads while improving systems engineering, integration, verification, and review practices to increase predictability and support mission success

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field

• 10+ years of experience in space systems engineering, spacecraft development, satellite systems integration, or a related technical leadership role

• Demonstrated experience delivering through at least one satellite-level program lifecycle, including architecture, design, integration, verification, launch readiness, customer delivery, or mission operations phases

• Strong working knowledge of satellite systems engineering, including requirements management, system architecture, interface definition, verification planning, integration, technical budgets, risk management, and mission readiness

• Experience leading major technical reviews or readiness milestones such as SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, MRR/MRB, FRR, or equivalent program reviews

• Demonstrated willingness and ability to leverage AI-assisted engineering and development tools to improve productivity, design quality, and innovation while adapting to evolving technologies and best practices

• Familiarity with systems engineering standards and disciplined technical governance practices, including configuration management, discrepancy review, engineering change control, and verification evidence management

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams through uncertainty, changing priorities, and high-pressure program milestones

• Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to align engineering, program management, Product Assurance, customers, suppliers, and leadership around technical decisions and program outcomes

• Excellent technical writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical issues into clear impacts, options, recommendations, and decision rationale

• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and risk management skills

• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to maintain technical rigor while operating in a fast-paced program environment

• Flexible, proactive, adaptable, and results-oriented, with a practical “can-do” approach

• Demonstrated willingness and ability to leverage AI-assisted engineering and development tools to improve productivity, design quality, and innovation while adapting to evolving technologies and best practices

Bonus Points:

• Experience with constellation-level systems, multi-satellite programs, portfolio-level technical execution, or scalable satellite architectures

• Development or technical leadership experience in one or more spacecraft subsystem areas, preferably software, communications/RF, avionics, payloads, or other mission-critical satellite systems

• Experience using subsystem development knowledge to guide IPTs, provide credible recommendations, and connect subsystem-level decisions to whole-system outcomes

• Experience with FMECA, FDIR design or development, reliability engineering, fault management, or mission assurance practices

• Good working knowledge of orbit analysis, constellation configurations, RF link analysis, system budgets, operations, ground segment, space environment, and satellite mechanical and electrical architectures

• Good knowledge of a range of satellite applications, such as Earth observation, communications, navigation, science, or related mission domains

• Experience with payload development, integration, customer delivery, technical management, operations, or mission application understanding, including optical, SAR, SigINT, communications, or other mission payloads

• Experience applying AI-enabled tools or automation to improve systems engineering workflows, including design iteration, technical reviews, documentation, trade studies, and decision tracking, while maintaining engineering rigor and human oversight