Senior Ground System Engineer

Title

Senior Ground System Engineer

K  is seeking a Senior Ground Systems Engineer to provide System Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) support to the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. The selected candidate will advise Government program leadership on ground segment design, antenna scheduling and network operations, requirements and architecture definition, integration planning, software and system baseline control, risk/deficiency resolution, test readiness, mission partner onboarding, and operational data-flow performance in support of classified space missions.

• Provide technical leadership and SETA advisory support for ground system architecture, antenna scheduling systems, ground antenna networks, C2 interfaces, mission planning data flows, and associated software/systems integration activities.
• Serve as a technical contact for ground system design documentation, including system/software requirements, high-level design, interface control documentation, critical methods, test strategies, user stories, and mission partner onboarding requirements.
• Review, evaluate, and recommend changes to requirements, ground threads, Jira projects, test strategies, test plans, and system design baselines supporting ground antenna scheduling and satellite operations.
• Track deficiency reports, technical risks, design trades, and system performance trends; provide recommendations to Government leadership on technical, schedule, cost, and mission impacts.
• Evaluate telemetry, command/status data flows, scheduling data, and operational performance trends to validate nominal system behavior or identify system degradation.
• Facilitate process improvement across ground antenna network implementation, external connections, automation, scheduling, planning, control, and operations workflows.
• Coordinate with Systems Engineering, Mission Adoption, configuration management, test, risk management, and mission partner organizations to support delivery milestones and operational readiness.
• Prepare clear technical recommendations, reports, briefings, courses of action, and decision materials for program management and executive leadership.
• Perform all duties independently in a high-visibility, mission-critical, classified environment and provide technical guidance to less senior personnel when assigned.

• An active TS/SCI clearance is required to be considered for this position, which is something only a U.S. citizen can obtain.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, applied science, or related technical discipline; ABET-accredited engineering degree or Professional Engineering license preferred where contractually required.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant DoD/IC, Government, or industry experience in systems engineering, ground systems engineering, space mission operations, software architecture, C2 systems, or related mission systems.
• Experience developing, fielding, integrating, or sustaining software-intensive space systems, including satellite and ground systems, software architectures, interface requirements, and operational workflows.
• Knowledge of the space operational environment, mission-user needs, ground antenna networks, satellite scheduling applications, RF spectrum considerations, and C2 requirements.
• Experience with requirements analysis, configuration management, risk management, Integrated Master Schedules, SOW/PWS review, test planning, and stakeholder/mission partner onboarding.
• Ability to assess mission partner antenna network requirements and ensure satellite operations systems align with capability needs.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical data into concise actionable recommendations.

• Prior SETA support to a Government program office.
• Five or more years of relevant SAP and/or SCI experience, with recent experience preferred.
• Experience with rapid prototyping, ACAT I/II acquisition programs, integrated air/space/cyber capabilities, and classified mission environments.
• Experience planning, facilitating, or evaluating exercises, training materials, guides, or operational procedures when these duties…