Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer Verified today

About the role

CesiumAstro is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer to lead systems engineering activities for complex space systems. You will define, develop, integrate, verify, and support space vehicles throughout their product lifecycle, translating mission objectives and customer requirements into technical solutions that enable successful integration and mission execution.

You will work within a multidisciplinary engineering environment collaborating with software, hardware, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, integration and test, mission operations, and program management teams. You will provide technical leadership from concept development through design, integration, verification, launch, and operational support, contributing to technical decision-making and risk management.

Your responsibilities

• Analyze customer, mission, and system-level requirements and decompose them into clear, verifiable system and subsystem requirements
• Ensure requirements maintain end-to-end traceability to customer requirements, system architecture, and Concept of Operations (CONOPS)
• Define and manage hardware, software, electrical, mechanical, and data interfaces between system elements
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to refine requirements for completeness, feasibility, technical accuracy, and manufacturability
• Support requirements management, configuration management, baseline control, and engineering change activities
• Identify technical risks, requirement gaps, ambiguities, and design issues early in the development lifecycle
• Support system architecture development, technical trade studies, and engineering analyses to evaluate design alternatives and optimize system performance
• Develop system verification and validation strategies, including verification methods (test, analysis, demonstration, and inspection) and acceptance criteria
• Define verification configurations including hardware, software, firmware, and test environments
• Develop and maintain verification documentation, verification cross-reference matrices (VCRM), requirements traceability matrices, and verification evidence packages
• Partner with Integration and Test teams to plan, coordinate, and support system integration and verification activities
• Evaluate test results, resolve technical discrepancies, and support corrective actions to ensure compliance with system requirements
• Support technical planning, Program Increment (PI) planning, staffing assessments, and engineering execution activities
• Prioritize systems engineering activities to meet technical, cost, schedule, and program milestones
• Participate in technical reviews, design reviews, customer meetings, and engineering milestone activities
• Mentor junior engineers on systems engineering best practices, requirements development, traceability, verification, and technical documentation
• Drive continuous improvement of engineering processes, systems engineering rigor, and technical documentation

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline with 5-8 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree in a related technical discipline with 3-6 years of relevant experience; or PhD in a related technical discipline with 0-3 years of relevant experience
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles and the systems development lifecycle
• Experience developing, managing, and verifying system and subsystem requirements for space vehicles
• Knowledge of systems architecture, interface management, systems integration, and configuration management
• Experience with spacecraft fault management architecture and implementation
• Understanding of verification, validation, and systems integration processes
• Ability to interpret customer requirements, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and technical specifications to develop engineering solutions
• Familiarity with spacecraft mission planning, launch support, and on-orbit operations
• Experience supporting spacecraft system integration, mission readiness, and operational activities
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams

Preferred experience

• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated engineering programs

Tools and software

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio)
• Requirements Management tools (Jama, IBM DOORS, or similar)
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools (CATIA Magic/Cameo, MagicDraw, or similar)
• Systems modeling and simulation tools
• Collaboration platforms (Confluence, SharePoint, or similar)
• Configuration management and version control tools (Git, GitLab, Bitbucket, or similar)
• Issue tracking tools (Jira or similar)

What we offer

Full-time employment with company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

About CesiumAstro

CesiumAstro develops and pioneers communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We offer a dynamic and cross-functional work environment that enables learning, development, and engagement across the organization.