SATCOM Terminal Systems Engineer

SATCOM Terminal Systems Engineer

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K 's National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country's most critical role – protecting our national security.

The Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Terminal Systems Engineer will support the architecture, analysis, integration, and technical oversight of advanced satellite communications systems. The role will serve as a junior/mid-level technical contributor on a systems engineering team responsible for the design, integration, and fielding of ground-mobile protected communications terminals operating on the MILSATCOM systems. This role requires working-level familiarity with EHF waveform architecture, transmission security (TRANSEC) implementation, and the technical constraints associated with integrating survivable protected communications terminals onto mobile ground platforms.

The successful candidate will be technically credible, methodical in engineering execution, and able to effectively represent contractor engineering positions in formal review and test settings.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain system requirements allocations and traceability for terminal hardware, modem software, and antenna subsystem elements from Government specifications through contractor implementation specifications
• Support and participate in formal design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR, SVR) for hardware and software subsystems, developing assigned technical packages, compliance documentation, and corrective action tracking
• Prepare and review Interface Control Documents governing integration with host platform communications architectures, vehicle power systems, antenna control units, and network interfaces
• Support analysis of EHF waveform performance including terminal access parameters, uplink/downlink margin assessments under operational channel conditions, and AEHF satellite scheduling interface compliance
• Assist in evaluation of TRANSEC implementation compliance and coordinate with cryptographic system engineers to ensure protected communications requirements are properly allocated, designed, and verified at the system level
• Coordinate with mechanical and antenna subsystem teams to address platform integration constraints including antenna articulation envelopes, ground clearance, vehicle load path, electromagnetic compatibility, and RF cable routing
• Support system-level integration and test planning, preparation of test procedures, and execution of laboratory and field integration events including environmental qualification activities per MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-810
• Evaluate subcontractor technical deliverables and identify gaps in requirements compliance, interface definition, or test coverage requiring resolution prior to system-level milestones
• Prepare technical status reports and Government-facing review briefings for submission to PEO C4I, NUWCDIVNPT, and NAVWAR program offices
• Track open technical risks, issues, and action items; support risk management reviews and contribute to Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) updates and reporting

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline
• 5–7 years of relevant systems engineering experience in defense communications or terminal integration programs
• Working knowledge of satellite communications systems, including waveform fundamentals, satellite access protocols, and link performance analysis
• Familiarity with TRANSEC principles and their application to protected Government communications systems, including interface with NSA-certified cryptographic equipment
• Experience performing requirements analysis, allocation, and verification planning in a DoD acquisition environment
• Experience participating in formal design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR) on hardware-dominant defense programs
• Experience developing or reviewing Interface Control Documents and system interface specifications in a multi-subcontractor program environment
• Experience supporting system integration and test activities, including test procedure development and anomaly investigation, in laboratory or field environments
• Ability to prepare and present technical status materials to Government customer audiences at program review level
• Familiarity with requirements management tools (e.g., IBM DOORS, Cradle, or Jama) and DoD systems engineering frameworks (MIL-STD-499, EIA-632)
• Active DoD Secret clearance

Desired

Qualifications:

• Direct experience on ground-mobile or protected SATCOM terminal programs
• Familiarity with AEHF constellation access requirements, EHF waveform specifications, or Milstar/AEHF terminal heritage architectures and interoperability constraints
• Experience with COMSEC/TRANSEC integration requirements and NSA-approved cryptographic equipment interfaces on DoD…