Space Systems Engineer

Job Title:

Principal Systems Engineer

Job Description

We are seeking a seasoned Principal Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership across complex product development efforts, from early concept through qualification and delivery. This role is pivotal in shaping system architectures, guiding multidisciplinary engineering teams, and ensuring that technical solutions align with program objectives, cost targets, and delivery schedules. The Principal Systems Engineer will act as a senior technical authority within development programs, applying disciplined systems thinking to resolve complex challenges and enable successful execution.

This position partners closely with program leadership, engineering management, and business development teams to influence product direction, technology investments, and future growth initiatives. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise and broad cross-domain perspective, enabling effective collaboration across hardware, software, and firmware disciplines while maintaining a focus on end-to-end system performance and lifecycle considerations.

Responsibilities

* Provide technical leadership for the development of integrated hardware and processing solutions intended for high-reliability and space-constrained environments.

* Define and maintain system architectures, interfaces, and technical baselines throughout the product lifecycle.

* Lead requirements development, allocation, traceability, and verification planning to ensure system-level objectives are met.

* Guide engineering teams through trade studies, risk assessments, and design decision-making using sound systems engineering practices.

* Work in close partnership with program managers to align technical execution with cost, schedule, and risk goals.

* Serve as the primary technical interface for internal stakeholders and external partners or customers.

* Prepare and deliver content for technical reviews and milestone events, including preliminary, critical, and qualification-level reviews.

* Contribute to forward-looking technology planning, internal research initiatives, and new product concept development.

* Support proposal development and capture activities by shaping technical approaches, architectures, and cost-conscious solutions.

Essential Skills

* Bachelor's degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) field.

* 9+ years of related experience with a bachelor's degree or 7 years with a Master's degree.

* Experience in electronics design including schematic capture, PCB layout, PCB routing, high-speed data design, mixed-signal analysis/design, signal integrity analysis, etc.

* Experience with complex electronics product design at a low level of integration, e.g., PCBAs, mechanical structures, mission software, FPGA firmware, etc.

* Experience in product development for high reliability, high survivability, and/or space environment applications.

* Technical project lead experience; balance technical performance with program cost and schedule targets.

* Proficient in application of systems engineering methodology to product design and development.

* Ability to lead multidiscipline teams (e.g., system, hardware, software/firmware, and integration and test) through the development of complex electronic systems to meet rigorous space application requirements.

Additional

Skills & Qualifications

* MS degree in a STEM field.

* Experience with space industry product development life cycles.

* Experience with Xilinx family devices, including Zynq Ultra Scale+ or Versal architecture.

* Knowledge of VPX standards (VITA 46 and VITA 65) and demonstrated experience implementing in embedded hardware.

* Experience in signal processing and/or algorithm development.

* Experience with CAD tools, e.g., PSpice, LTspice, Altium, SOLIDWORKS, Keysight ADS, etc.

* Experience with systems engineering related tools, e.g., STK, MATLAB Simulink, requirements management/databases, MBSE, etc.

* Experience with one or more levels of the OSI model, understanding of networking protocols, etc.

Work Environment

The work environment involves collaboration with multidisciplinary teams working on advanced electronics systems.…