Systems Integration Engineer

Systems Integration Engineer

Location:

Germantown, MD (On-site with 35% travel & some international travel)
Salary: $110,000 - $135,000 + Annual Bonus Overview Seeking  a customer-facing Applications/Integration Engineer to own the integration, testing, and troubleshooting of EO/IR payloads within customer platforms. This role serves as the technical bridge between the engineering teams, U.S.

-based customers, and prime contractors.

Will be responsible for end-to-end system integration, working across hardware, software, and mechanical interfaces, and will act as the primary technical point of contact during integrations, deployments, and field support.

This is a hands-on, high-visibility role requiring strong systems thinking, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues in real-world customer environments.

Core Requirements Must have Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering)3+ years of experience in systems engineering, integration, test engineering, or field engineering roles

Hands-on experience with system-level integration and troubleshooting

Experience working with government, defense, or security customers

Prior customer-facing technical role (Field Engineer, Systems Integrator, Solutions Engineer)
Ability to operate without detailed manuals in dynamic environments

Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills

Ability to travel 35% annually based upon needs, with 2-3 weeks of initial training internationally

Experience working with integrated hardware systems (components, subsystems, payloads, or platforms)
Electrical wiring, connectors, and harnesses

Power distribution and signal flow Mechanical interfaces and physical integration

Comfort performing assembly/disassembly and field diagnostics

Experience supporting software-enabled systems or SDK-based integrations

Understanding of communication protocols, data/message flow, and system interfaces

Experience in troubleshooting software issues related to upgrades or configuration

Experience executing or supporting test procedures and system validation

Ability to interpret test data and communicate results clearly

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with EO/IR, ISR, radar, sensor, UAV, or defense systems

Experience supporting international engineering teams

Familiarity with UAV, maritime, vehicle, or other surveillance platforms

Key Responsibilities System & Payload Integration Lead integration of EO/IR payloads into customer platforms

Understand and validate payload-to-platform interfaces, including power, data, mechanical, and communication protocols

Support both prime and sub-contractor integration scenarios

Translating customer system requirements into actionable technical execution

Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis Perform system-level troubleshooting to identify whether issues originate at the component, subsystem, or interface level

Analyze test outputs, logs, and data to determine root cause and corrective actions

Decide whether issues require:

Component replacement

Subsystem removal

Escalation to engineering teams

Support rapid issue resolution during factory testing, integration testing, and field deployments

Hardware & Hands-On Technical Work Perform assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of payloads and integrated systems

Trace electrical wiring, connectors, and harnesses to isolate faults

Validate proper power delivery, signal flow, and mechanical connections

Support physical inspections and system validation at customer sites

Software & SDK Integration Support Support software and SDK-based integrations between payloads and customer systems

Troubleshoot communication issues, data/message flow, and integration mismatches

Work with software engineers to…