System Engineer

Scientific Applications & Research Associates, Inc. (SARA) is a world-class Defense Research and Development enterprise, with a charter to create new and emerging technology innovations in support of Commercial & Government organizations. We have expertise in RF, EMP, Pulsed Power, Acoustics and Threat Warning Systems, and we prioritize partnering with our customers to address real-world problems with cost-effective solutions… that work.

The SARA High Power Electromagnetics Division (HPEM) is looking for a remarkably talented, motivated, and imaginative Systems Engineer with a strong electrical engineering or physics backgroundfor SARA’s Test and Measurement Products team. In this role, the candidate will support product development and commercialization efforts and transition innovative technologies to the DoD, DoE, and their contractors in Colorado Springs, CO. The candidate will have the opportunity to grow and learn with talented engineers, physicists, and technicians on long-standing programs and new programs supporting our customers.

Our small group will allow the candidate to experience, contribute, and collaborate in a multidisciplinary nature from conception all the way through to operation.

The Systems Engineer role will bridge high-level technical vision and hands-on execution — taking ambiguous, high-level objectives and translating them into clear requirements, plans, and results. The candidate will work closely with multidisciplinary teams spanning electrical, mechanical, software, and manufacturing disciplines, ensuring that systems come together cohesively and meet performance, schedule, and quality goals.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives on ownership: someone comfortable operating with limited direction, who can engage confidently with stakeholders ranging from engineers to executives, and who brings both technical depth and the systems-level perspective needed to keep complex projects on track.

Core Responsibilities:

• Serve as a technical authority and product owner for portions of SARA’s commercially available and in-development Test and Measurement Products
• Represent SARA while leading product trainings and presentations for customers
• Regularly communicate with customers
• Develop cost proposals and technical proposals based on customer inquiries
• Lead systems engineering efforts across the full product development lifecycle, from concept and requirements definition through design, integration, verification, and deployment
• Interface with production teams to ensure consistent and quality assembly with continuously updated documentation
• Regularly reflect on marketplace competition and ensure products are technically relevant
• Translate high-level goals and ambiguous problem statements into clear technical requirements, work breakdowns, and execution plans
• Coordinate and align multidisciplinary teams (electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, quality) to keep development on schedule and technically coherent
• Own key interfaces and trade-off decisions between subsystems, balancing performance, cost, schedule, and risk
• Communicate project status, technical risks, and decisions clearly to stakeholders with varying levels of technical background, from engineers to executives
• Drive design reviews, test planning, and verification/validation activities to ensure products meet requirements
• Identify technical risks early and proactively develop mitigation plans
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes
• Design and implement advanced measurement systems, including instrumentation, data acquisition, and sensor interfaces

Technical Expertise:

• Strong grounding in electrical engineering and/or applied physics fundamentals (circuits, signal integrity, electromagnetics, sensors, or similar, depending on domain)
• RF test, design, and analysis experience
• Experience in electrical engineering designing electrical schematics, laying out PCBs, and testing designs
• Extensive experience with electrical test equipment including Network Analyzers, Spectrum Analyzers, Signal Generators, Oscilloscopes, Multimeters, etc.
• Experience with verification and…