Principal Space Systems Engineer - Space- Nuclear Detonation Detection; R&D Engineer

What You Will Do

We are seeking an experienced professional with broad technical and management expertise to join our diverse and collaborative team in the role of Senior/Principal Space Systems Engineer. As a member of the Space Systems Assurance & Implementation Group (ISR-7), your role will be to translate mission needs into technical objectives and coordinate system integration and verification efforts for advanced spaceflight payload sensors.

Our mission is broad, from technology innovation and discovery science to ensuring national and global security. Mission success is achieved through our cohesive, interdisciplinary teams of engineers, technicians, and scientists working within a highly creative and dynamic R&D environment.

The Principal Space Systems Engineer (PSSE) is a recognized technical expert in the development, testing, and operation of spaceflight payloads, provides technical and programmatic reporting to internal and external stakeholders, and collaborates with industry partners. The selected candidate will serve the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)-sponsored Space-based Nuclear Detonation Detection (SNDD) program, whose goal is to detect, locate, and report nuclear detonations in the atmosphere or near space in real-time.

The program supports the development and deployment of space flight payloads for in situ and remote sensing of electromagnetic pulses, radiation, and the space environment, as well as data processing and physics-based analysis and interpretation systems. The PSSE will work closely with line managers, project leads, technical and programmatic staff, and sponsors with planning, requirements, integration, and communications. The PSSE supports the SNDD Program Manager and is a member of the SNDD program leadership team that plans, tracks, manages, and reports on the SNDD portfolio to the NNSA sponsor, the LANL Nuclear Nonproliferation and Security (NNS) program office, and LANL's Intelligence & Space Research (ISR) division, which executes the majority of SNDD work at Los Alamos.

Organizationally, the PSSE reports to the ISR-7 Group Leader. As a member of ISR-7, the successful candidate will provide systems engineering leadership, process oversight, and mentorship for the group's systems engineers. This programmatic and organizational leadership serves both overall mission execution and capability stewardship needed to guide ISR division into the future. This role includes the potential of additional programmatic and organizational leadership opportunities, with possible growth into a division-level systems engineering technical leadership role.

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to understand project scope and develop project requirements, systems engineering controls, and risk management strategies.
• Guide strategic technical planning and technical decision-making for large, complex space projects supporting national security objectives.
• Coordinate system integration activities across internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead technical peer reviews, engineering review boards, and root cause analysis teams for anomaly resolution.
• Serve as the program-level systems engineering subject matter expert and technical resource to staff across the SNDD program.
• Lead and coordinate a team of project-specific systems engineers for three multidecadal SNDD projects and various demonstration/validation payloads.
• Develop methods for tracking and resolving technical risks to support teams involved in time-sensitive troubleshooting of spaceflight payloads.
• Represent ISR while presenting results to peers, customers, and management in formal and informal settings.
• Interact with and provide feedback to ISR systems engineers regarding processes, technical approaches, and career trajectory, and/or other peer interactions typical of a senior-level position.

• Space Systems Technical Expertise and
  
  Experience:
  
  Demonstrated systems engineering leadership roles in major space system development efforts from concept development, requirements solicitation and flowdown, through delivery and operations.
• Teaming & Communication:
  Proven ability to work and interact effectively in a dynamic team environment; to build and lead cross-organization collaborations and teams; and to motivate colleagues through common goals and objectives. Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop and present briefings that are clear and compelling.
• Leadership:
  Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, establishing strategic technical direction, and managing risks and requirements for large, complex, and/or high-risk projects throughout their full lifecycle.
• Problem-Solving:
  Track record of solving complex technical problems, applying industry best practices, establishing engineering processes and standards, and collaborating with internal and external experts. Proficiency in performing risk assessments and…