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Principal Systems Engineer - Velocity Satellite Integration (Clearance Required) Verified today

Sierra Space · 2 Locations · Space Systems · first seen 2026-10-27
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About the Role

You will join the Integration & Test team for the Eclipse Velocity satellite program, a national security mission in the Assembly Integration & Test phase. This is hands-on engineering work where you see and touch hardware on the bench and flight vehicle as designs become mission.

As Principal Systems Engineer, you lead the technical team and champion the integrated system view throughout development. You align requirements, drive traceability, validate and verify solutions, and shepherd the team through milestones to a compliant and cohesive system.

What You Will Do

  • Serve as a key technical leader on the Integration & Test team, working across both flat sat engineering test-bed and flight space vehicle
  • Drive system-level integration and verification activities on the flat sat and carry lessons learned and verified procedures forward onto the space vehicle
  • Perform risk-reduction testing on the flat sat to surface and resolve issues before they migrate to the flight vehicle
  • Lead systems and hardware problem investigations and risk-reduction planning across both test-bed and flight configurations
  • Own requirements derivation, decomposition, allocation, and traceability, ensuring verification evidence ties back cleanly to stakeholder needs
  • Lead development milestone reviews and represent the technical baseline in customer and stakeholder touchpoints
  • Identify and manage technical risks spanning flat sat and space vehicle activities, developing and driving mitigation strategies
  • Mentor and grow systems engineering talent while contributing to broader SE process and policy improvements

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree, or Master's plus 13 years experience)
  • Typically 15+ years of related experience (or Master's plus 13 years of experience)
  • Ability to drive multidisciplinary system development initiatives and architect comprehensive systems integrating multiple sub-systems
  • Advanced expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including comprehensive understanding of the systems development lifecycle
  • Robust experience across multiple system development life cycles, including requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation
  • Expertise in developing systems architecture and performing systems integration, verification, and validation (V&V) activities
  • Ability to contribute to corporate Systems Engineering policy and process definition and implementation
  • Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with technical and specialty subject matter expert engineers to drive systems engineering products
  • Active Top Secret with SCI eligibility U.S. Security Clearance required
  • U.S. Citizenship required

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field
  • Extensive experience with Requirements Management and Model Based Systems Engineering tools and frameworks such as DOORS, CAMEO EA, Rhapsody, Matlab, and SysML
  • Robust understanding of spacecraft systems, including hardware and software subsystems and components
  • Experience with flat-sat/engineering test-bed environments and flight space vehicle integration and checkout
  • Experience supporting or interfacing with government/mission customers in a close Integrated Product Team (IPT) setting
  • Previous experience working a Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) mission
  • Strong understanding of project management methodologies including risk management and technical performance tracking
  • Robust understanding of technical baseline and configuration management
  • Proven experience in leading major projects and mentoring junior and mid-level engineers
  • Experience or certification in INCOSE standards
  • Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
  • Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment

Compensation

Pay Range: $173,748.00 - $238,903.50

Your actual base compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, experience, internal equity and market competitiveness.

Sierra Space offers a generous benefit package including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, and 3 weeks paid time off.