Senior Project Engineer, Space & Mission Systems

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we're on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We're looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Project Engineer to join our Viasat Government team! Viasat combines experienced leadership, advanced technology, operational agility, and a strong culture of innovation to address the world's most complex communications challenges. Through bold and differentiated business models, we leverage commercial technologies to rapidly deliver transformative Warfighter operational capabilities and continuously evolve those solutions to maintain advantage against emerging adversary threats.

We employ a customer-centric approach to address complex challenges through innovative, scalable solutions delivered on accelerated timelines. Viasat's Government Space and Mission Systems business area supports a diverse portfolio that includes RF and optical communications, advanced sensing payloads, fully integrated space missions, and mission systems and platforms.

As a Senior Project Engineer in Space and Mission Systems, you will lead planning, coordination, and delivery of complex engineering projects from concept through completion. In this role, you will:

• Lead the technical execution of an advanced space network and enterprise program from early development through deployment.
• Translate mission needs and high-level requirements into actionable engineering plans, ensuring alignment across networks, enterprise systems, operations, software, and integration teams.
• Coordinate system-level design activities, guiding program execution development, interface definition, and integration activities across multiple domains for advanced enterprise solutions networking.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration, ensuring consistent technical baselines, verification approaches, and integration readiness across engineering disciplines.
• Support proposals, planning, milestone preparation, and technical communication with internal stakeholders and government customers.

As a key leader in the development and delivery of next-generation miniGEO satellite systems, you will sit at the center of engineering integration and program execution. In this role, you will:

• Support the Program Director and provide leadership across the overall miniGEO program, ensuring coordination between critical technical and programmatic areas.
• Drive technical execution and lead IPTs and internal engineering discussions to keep the program on track.
• Partner with cross-functional teams and external vendors to manage technical scope, schedule, and performance to meet mission-aligned milestones.
• Align requirements, analysis, and modeling activities across the engineering lifecycle.
• Lead and guide teams spanning satellite systems, payload, ground systems, networking, software, cybersecurity, integration and test, and operations through implementation and test phases.
• Troubleshoot and resolve development, integration, and deployment issues by identifying root causes and coordinating corrective actions.
• Own the program's Risk Management process, tracking risks and issues and communicating updates to stakeholders.
• Prepare and present technical briefs, design reviews, and engineering documentation.
• Contribute to program management reviews, executive updates, and weekly status reporting.
• Ensure all design-control practices meet AS9100 and internal quality requirements, represent the program during audits, and oversee compliance with internal review and gate processes.
• Champion the adoption of AI tools across project management, engineering, operations, and other functions, in alignment with company AI guidance.

• 15+ years of experience in system-level engineering, integration, or technical project leadership for complex communications, enterprise, or networking systems.
• Proven ability to independently manage projects and prioritize multiple tasks in a dynamic environment.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering fundamentals, including requirements flow-down, trade studies, verification/validation, and system architecture.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across diverse engineering domains and drive…