Sr Systems Engineer - Satellite Ground Systems

Sierra Space Careers:

At Sierra Space, we build the missions and systems that keep our world secure in the domain above Earth.

Sierra Space team members share a spirit of innovation and collaboration and a belief that we can deliver on the boldest missions in space today. Together with our customers, we aim to safeguard our nation, sustain human presence in space, and secure the freedom of operations in low Earth orbit and beyond.

Our success is measured by the trust of those who rely on what we build and deliver, and our technologies keep the United States and its allies mission-ready throughout space.

We are mission-driven, and together, we are an extraordinary team.

About the Role

The Sr Systems Engineer contributes to the development and implementation of advanced ground system solutions supporting a national missile tracking satellite program, providing alignment, connection, and direction to the technical team throughout a fast-paced, mission-critical development lifecycle. The Sr Systems Engineer champions the viewpoint of the integrated whole during ground system development and works to glue segments and subsystems together via top-down decomposition of stakeholder requirements, traceability through development artifacts, and bottom-up validation and verification of the system, all in support of an aggressive schedule to get critical missile tracking capability on orbit quickly. They shepherd the team through technical development milestones, track performance measures, and identify and retire technical risk rapidly to arrive at a compliant and cohesive ground system solution without sacrificing schedule velocity. The Sr Systems Engineer is a promoter of Systems Engineering principles and has expertise across the major systems engineering skills, including requirements management, system architecture development, concept of operations definition, system integration, and system verification, with a focus on ground system elements (e.g., command and control, mission operations, satellite tasking, sensor data processing, and network/communications infrastructure) that interface with the space segment. The Sr Systems Engineer leads teams to execute systems engineering scope in a high-tempo environment and helps develop systems thinking in others, thriving on ambiguity and rapid iteration rather than requiring fully mature processes before contributing.
In this role, you will lead the specification, architecting, and integration of complex ground system solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams, government stakeholders, and subject matter experts to understand project requirements and objectives under compressed timelines. You will oversee the derivation, decomposition, allocation, tracing, and management of ground system requirements and architectures, as well as define and document concepts of operation for ground-to-space mission support, including satellite command, control, and missile tracking data delivery. Leading development milestone reviews by creating artifacts and deliverables will be a key responsibility, alongside overseeing system integration and verification activities to ensure ground system functionality, performance, and readiness to support on-orbit operations. You will identify and manage technical risks, develop and execute mitigation strategies quickly, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that keep pace with program velocity. Adhering to established engineering processes and standards, while pragmatically streamlining where appropriate, will be essential. You will communicate effectively and proactively with team members, customers, and stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful execution in support of this nationally critical missile warning and tracking mission.

About You

Our mission is driven by an unyielding commitment to advancing space-based technology in service of our customers and safeguarding national security. We seek individuals who are passionate about innovating beyond boundaries and relentlessly pursuing solutions that protect, preserve and empower – to join us in this critical mission.

We’re looking for team members who align with our values, mission and goals – while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires Bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree or Masters +8 yrs experience).
• Typically 10+ years of related experience (or Masters + 8 years of experience).
• Demonstrated expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including a comprehensive understanding of the systems development lifecycle.
• Progressive experience across the system development lifecycle, including requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation.
• Progressive experience developing systems architecture and performing systems integration, verification, and validation (V&V) activities.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with technical and specialty subject matter expert engineers to drive systems engineering products.
• The ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance is required. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Extensive experience with Requirements Management and Model Based Systems Engineering tools and frameworks, such as DOORS, CAMEO EA, Rhapsody, Matlab, and SysML. 

• Strong understanding of ground systems architecture, including command and control, telemetry processing, data management, and network infrastructure subsystems. 

• Proven ability to architect and design ground system solutions, including interface definitions, data flows, and subsystem integration strategies. 

• Experience creating, managing, and executing comprehensive test plans for ground systems, including integration testing, end-to-end testing, and operational readiness validation. 

• Background in software systems engineering and integration test (SW SEIT) for complex ground systems. 

• Knowledge of Agile and Dev Sec Ops methodologies for ground software development and deployment. 

• Strong understanding of project management methodologies including risk management and technical performance tracking. 

• Strong understanding of technical baseline and configuration management. 

• Proven experience in leading projects and mentoring junior and mid-level engineers. 

• Experience or certification in INCOSE standards. 

• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail. 

• Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. 

• An active Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance. 

Compensation:

Pay Range:

$143,700.00 - $197,608.50

Your actual base compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, experience, internal equity and market competitiveness.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. Citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance.  The Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF), a federal government agency, handles the adjudicative aspects of the security clearance eligibility process for industry applicants. Adjudicative factors which affect the outcome of the eligibility determination include, but are not limited to, allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations and illegal drug use.

Elevate Your Career

At Sierra Space, we are committed to your personal and professional development. We empower you to make profound and meaningful contributions and foster a vibrant culture of collaboration, where teamwork ignites breakthrough innovations.

We also offer a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, and more.

Sierra Space is an industry-leading space and defense technology company providing satellites, spacecraft, and enabling mission systems and components. We deliver mission-proven technologies to our customers that safeguard our nation, protect space-based assets and enable space exploration.

Application Deadline: This role will remain posted until a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

Please note: Sierra Space does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to Sierra Space team members not through our approved vendor list or Talent Acquisition will be considered property of Sierra Space, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

Sierra Space Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need special assistance or a reasonable accommodation related to applying for employment with Sierra Space or at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.