Senior Software Systems Engineer

Overview

DESE Research, Inc is seeking an experienced Senior Software Systems Engineer to join our team in Huntsville, AL. This position supports the sustainment and modernization of mission-critical software for advanced defense systems. The role involves working closely with stakeholders to elicit and manage requirements, design and document software architectures, and contribute to the development, integration, and testing of reliable, secure, and maintainable software solutions.

Responsibilities span the full system lifecycle, including requirements analysis, model-based systems engineering, software design, and coordination across multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and is comfortable engaging with technical leaders, developers, testers, and end users to deliver effective software upgrades to the field. The role requires full-time, on-site participation.

Responsibilities and duties are as follows:

• Interview customers to elicit and gather software system requirements.
• Generate functional, performance, and architecture requirements to define and document system functionality.
• Document requirements using a robust requirements management tool such as Jama, Jira, DOORS, or Req View.
• Analyze performance and functional requirements to derive detailed lower-level requirements.
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders, customers, and peer organizations to facilitate software changes, enhancements, new features, or bug fixes.
• Perform software architecture design for modification and enhancements to existing systems or capture and document existing architecture and software design for existing systems.
• Use Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices and methods to model system components using SysML to describe architecture and functional flows.
• Design, develop, and test software used in Army artillery systems, with emphasis on reliability, maintainability, security, and effectiveness.
• Lead development or extension of system architecture to include evaluating design tradeoffs.
• Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders to develop technical solutions, including project managers, cybersecurity, software developers, software testers, field engineers, and customers.
• Communicate with leadership, other members of the team, and the customer to ensure a common understanding of requirements, status, action items, issues, etc.
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic development environment.
• Position requires full-time, on-site presence.

• Bachelor s degree in a related field and ten (10) years or more of experience, or Master s degree and seven (7) years or more of experience.

• Experience eliciting requirements from customers and stakeholders.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) using SysML to model system components to describe the high level system architecture as well as the functional flow between components. Output diagrams include Activity, Sequence, and Block Definition Diagrams.
• Experience working with Command and Control (C2) software interfaces.

• Experience administering and using a DOORS database to capture, trace, and analyze requirements for complex systems.
• Familiar with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) principles, including application of Magic Grid concepts.
• Understanding of ballistic and guided munition systems and principles.
• Knowledge of navigation, guidance, and in-flight control concepts.
• Exposure to autonomous system architectures and operational principles.
• Strong focus on software safety and cybersecurity compliance.
• Experience using the IBM Rational Publishing Engine (RPE) to develop documentation and reports, including automated document generation.
• Experience evaluating and refactoring designs for legacy DoD systems.
• Experience applying systems or software engineering disciplines, techniques, tools, methods, and practices on U.S. Army artillery systems.
• Experience using IBM Rhapsody to model system architecture with SysML.
• Experience with Agile Scrum software development process in the Product Owner role to ensure the sprint backlog is adhered to and completed and the end item is an acceptable product of the sprint.
• Experience gathering and briefing status and metrics for the software systems under development.

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Security clearance.

For the past 43 years, DESE has provided industry-leading technical and engineering solutions in the fields of Defense, Energy, Space, and Environment. As a small, family-oriented business, DESE provides a compelling benefits package including a generous profit-sharing plan, competitive salaries, and perhaps most importantly, the opportunity to work alongside talented engineers leveraging cutting-edge technologies to solve complex and engaging problems.

At DESE, we are committed to…