Project Engineer III (Clearance Required)

About this role

Sierra Space Careers: At Sierra Space, we build the missions and systems that keep our world secure in the domain above Earth.     Sierra Space team members share a spirit of innovation and collaboration and a belief that we can deliver on the boldest missions in space today. Together with our customers, we aim to safeguard our nation, sustain human presence in space, and secure the freedom of operations in low Earth orbit and beyond.  

Our success is measured by the trust of those who rely on what we build and deliver, and our technologies keep the United States and its allies mission-ready throughout space.

We are mission-driven, and together, we are an extraordinary team.

About the Role The Project Engineer III role focuses on leading and executing technical projects, ensuring the successful integration of engineering solutions, and driving innovation within the team. This position requires a strong technical foundation, advanced engineering expertise, and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams. The role involves overseeing the design, development, and implementation of engineering projects, ensuring they meet technical specifications and quality standards as well as cost & schedule constraints. This role serves as a bridge between the Engineering and Program Office on a given project.

In this role, you will lead small cross-functional teams and projects, effectively balancing technical, cost, and schedule constraints while overseeing the design, development, and implementation of engineering projects. You will provide technical estimation support to develop Basis of Estimates and ensure projects meet technical specifications and quality standards. Your responsibilities will include conducting trade studies, leading technical evaluations, and providing technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers. Additionally, you will manage supplier coordination by developing and managing Statements of Work, coordinating with contracts and quality teams, and supporting Risk and Opportunity management on the project. You will communicate and coordinate across engineering and functional teams, delivering clear verbal and written communication of technical concepts, plans, and actions, and effectively communicating project status to both technical and programmatic audiences. Driving innovation and continuous improvement within the engineering team will be a key focus, as will serving as the bridge between Engineering and Program offices to resolve conflicts and represent the voice of all stakeholders, including support functions and customers. About You Our mission is driven by an unyielding commitment to advancing space-based technology in service of our customers and safeguarding national security. We seek individuals who are passionate about innovating beyond boundaries and relentlessly pursuing solutions that protect, preserve and empower – to join us in this critical mission.  

We’re looking for team members who align with our values, mission and goals – while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

Ground Systems:   • Design and maintain ground system architectures including mission operations centers, ground data systems, ground communication networks, and interfaces with launch site infrastructure and tracking stations 

• Develop ground software and tools for vehicle monitoring, telemetry processing, command & control, and support pre-launch checkout, mission simulations, and ground rehearsals 

• Coordinate ground segment integration with flight systems and ensure end-to-end operational readiness 

• Varying scope by level:  • SE II focuses on subsystem-level tasks and test support; 

• SE III owns segment integration and anomaly resolution; 

• Sr SE defines architecture and leads cross-functional ground system initiatives 

Requirements & Verifications:  • Derive, decompose, and manage technical requirements from stakeholder needs through system, subsystem, and component levels; manage requirements baseline changes and impact assessments across the product lifecycle 

• Develop verification and validation strategies including analysis, inspection, demonstration, and test methods; author verification procedures, test plans, and acceptance criteria aligned to requirements traceability 

• Lead requirements reviews, trade studies, and technical audits to ensure completeness, consistency, and compliance 

• Varying scope by level:  • SE II executes verification activities and documents results; 

• SE III leads V&V planning and closure; 

• Sr SE owns requirements architecture and approval authority for complex changes 

   Space Vehicle Integration:  • Plan and execute hardware and software integration activities for spacecraft buses, payloads, and subsystems; coordinate interface control documents (ICDs) and manage technical interfaces across vehicle elements 

• Support integration and test campaigns including functional checkout, environmental testing, and system-level qualification; resolve integration anomalies and troubleshooting across mechanical, electrical, thermal, and software domains 

• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, and mission assurance teams to ensure flight readiness 

• Varying scope by level:  • SE II supports hands-on integration tasks and test readiness; 

• SE III leads integration planning and anomaly resolution; 

• Sr SE defines integration strategy and owns vehicle-level technical risk 

Minimum Qualifications: • Requires Bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree or Masters +3 yrs experience).

• Typically 5+ years of related experience (or Masters + 3 years of experience).

• Emerging expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including a thorough understanding of the systems development lifecycle.

• Knowledge of requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and a

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