Instrument Systems Engineer

Department: College of Science

Classification: Research Staff 12-month

Job Category:Research Staff

Job Type:Full-Time

Work Schedule:Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location:Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type:Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility:Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary:Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted:Yes

Criminal Background Check:Yes

George Mason University, a Carnegie Research I institution, is Virginia’s largest and most diverse university with more than 38,000 students. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, Mason is part of the Washington DC metropolitan area offering easy access to the scientific and political resources of the nation’s capital.

George Mason University is committed to advancing inclusion, access, and equal opportunity throughout our community. We believe that a broad range of voices, cultures, and perspectives brings vibrancy, innovation, and growth to an academic community.

The Landolt Mission team is responsible for developing and executing a NASA space-based mission through coordinated work across science, payload, spacecraft bus, software, systems engineering, integration and test, mission assurance, and project management functions. The unit provides an interdisciplinary research and training environment for faculty, postdoctoral researchers, engineers, staff, and students working collaboratively with federal, academic, commercial, and other external partners.

The Landolt Mission team supports mission formulation, systems engineering, subsystem coordination, technical trade studies, requirements development, verification and validation planning, assembly, integration and testing, technical documentation, mission reviews, and mission operations planning. The unit works collaboratively across payload, spacecraft bus, software, ground systems, mission operations, science, and programmatic interfaces to advance mission objectives and meet NASA requirements.

Statement on Building an Inclusive Culture:
George Mason University's College of Science (Mason Science) is committed to advancing inclusive excellence and fostering an environment free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation throughout our STEM community. At Mason Science, our values include cultivating an organizational culture that promotes belonging, respect, and civility. We believe that varied opinions, cultures, and perspectives are what provides vibrancy, innovation, and growth to an academic community.

By prioritizing cultural responsiveness in academics, teaching, research, and global engagement, we strive to attract faculty and staff who exemplify the Mason Science mission and vision.

The Instrument Systems Engineer is sponsored by the NASA Landolt mission. The duties include (at a different level of involvement and responsibility):

• Contributes to all aspects of payload instrument design and development including mechanical, electrical, software, procedural, and regulatory compliance as a member of the instrument team.
• Participates in the assembly, integration, and testing of components, modules, and fully integrated instruments, ensuring seamless integration with the satellite bus.
• Runs data collection, analysis, and simulation studies to define the instrument performance.
  
  Develops procedures and techniques to process data from the space-based Landolt Mission instrument, while continuously enhancing its performance.
• Documents activities for the Landolt Mission through mission reviews, reports, documentation, and technical publications in a manner consistent with space-based projects and published results in professional scientific journals.
• Collaborates effectively within a diverse, multi-institutional team environment comprising scientists, engineers, students, project managers, and support staff across federal, academic, and commercial partners.
• Fosters a culture of engagement, diversity, inclusiveness, excellence, and innovation. Champions George Mason University's commitment to Access, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that promotes a commitment to safety, integrity, and teamwork.

Executes NASA Landolt Mission throughout its Lifecycle:

• Work closely with mission leadership; and
• Co-manage daily operations and resource utilization.

• Develop, integrate, and test structural, embedded, electronic, and software components for engineering demonstration units, mockups, test…