Sr Systems Engineer (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 Sr Systems Engineer contributes to the development and implementation of advanced system solutions by providing alignment, connection and direction to the technical team throughout the product development lifecycle. The Sr Systems Engineer champions the viewpoint of the integrated whole during system development and works to glue segments and subsystems together via top-down decomposition of stakeholder requirements, traceability through development artifacts, and bottom-up validation and verification of the system. They shepherd the team through technical development milestones, track performance measures and identify technical risks to arrive at a compliant and cohesive system solution. The Sr Systems Engineer is a promoter of Systems Engineering principles and has expertise across the major systems engineering skills including requirements management, system architecture development, concept of operation definition, system integration and system verification. The Sr Systems Engineer leads teams to execute systems engineering scope and helps to develop systems thinking in others.

In this role, you will lead the specification, architecting, and integration of complex system solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams and subject matter experts to understand project requirements and objectives. You will oversee the derivation, decomposition, allocation, tracing, and management of system requirements and architectures, as well as define and document system concepts of operation. Leading development milestone reviews by creating artifacts and deliverables will be a key responsibility, alongside overseeing system integration and verification activities to ensure system functionality and performance. You will identify and manage technical risks, develop mitigation strategies, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying areas for enhancement. Adhering to established engineering processes and standards will be essential, and you will communicate effectively with team members and stakeholders to ensure project alignment and successful execution. 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 +8 yrs experience). • Typically 10+ years of related experience (or Masters + 8 years of experience). • Demonstrated expertise in Syst

Similar jobs

• Sr Systems Engineer (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Remote
• Principal Systems Engineer (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Centennial, CO | Louisville, CO
• Principal Systems Engineer (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Louisville, CO | Centennial, CO
• Software Systems Engineer II (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Centennial, CO | Louisville, CO
• Sr Systems Engineer - Satellite Ground Systems (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Louisville, CO | Centennial, CO
• Manager, Systems Engineering (Clearance Required) — Sierra Space · Centennial, CO
• Sr Systems Engineer - (SEIT Lead) Clearance Required — Sierra Space · Centennial, CO | Louisville, CO
• Solutions Engineer (Clearance Required) — Scaleai · Washington, DC