Space Systems Engineer

Space Systems Engineer

K ’s National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

• Innovative Projects: K ’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment:
  Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work:
  Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

K  National Security Solutions is seeking a motivated and talented Space Systems Engineer with a strong background in Verification and Validation (V&V) to join our team in Chantilly, Virginia. The position will support a major U.S. Government organization responsible for the acquisition, integration, and operation of proliferated satellite constellations. The position provides expert advice and manages systems engineering processes and implementation for System Program Office (SPO)-developed collection system, including space vehicle, payloads, and associated ground command and control elements.

This role is critical for ensuring that proliferated satellite constellations meet mission requirements through disciplined systems engineering practices. You will work across space, ground, and user segments to define verification strategies, trace requirements, and assess contractor compliance throughout the lifecycle.

• Manage and develop requirements from higher level Enterprise governing documents to the Segment level and lower levels.
• Develop and manage system‑level verification and validation (V&V) strategies.
• Define verification methods, success criteria, and traceability from requirements to test.
• Evaluate contractor V&V plans, procedures, and results.
• Support test planning across components, subsystems, systems, and mission levels.
• Identify gaps, risks, and disconnects in verification approaches and recommend corrective actions.
• Lead coordination and completion of segment specification sell‑off, along with other verification and validation activities.
• Support technical reviews and provide V&V status to Government decision makers.
• Coordinate across the SPO for any proposed specification changes and facilitate integration of changes into the baseline.
• Identify risks to mission closure in the collection segment and evaluate proposed burn‑down plans.
• Support customer in CONOPS development.
• Interface with spacecraft, payload, network, and user segment teams to define and manage end‑to‑end system interfaces.
• Support integration and test (I&T) planning and execution across ground and space segments.
• Evaluate contractor designs, test results, and operational concepts for compliance with mission requirements.
• Contribute to system documentation, reviews, and decision briefings for Government leadership.
• Document, develop and deliver analyses, recommendations, plans, reports, and briefings to the Government.

• Location:
  
  On‑Site
• Travel Requirements:
  Minimal (less than 25%) travel to contractor facilities, test sites, or launch locations.
• Working Hours:
  
  Flexible. Standard Government work hour support and surge support during integration and launch phases.

• Citizenship:
  Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
• Clearance:
  Active TS/SCI clearance (with current polygraph).
• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related STEM technical discipline. Specific contract requirements regarding education and experience will prevail.
• Relevant
  
  Experience:
  
  Demonstrated 8+ years of experience supporting space system development, integration, and test.
• Basic knowledge of Government customer’s space and ground domain mission and technical capabilities.
• Systems engineering background; understanding of systems development life cycle from concept, requirements,…