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Lead Systems Engineer Verified today

True Anomaly · Denver, CO · Space Systems · first seen 2026-07-16
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Your Mission

True Anomaly seeks a Staff or Principal Lead Systems Engineer to define, analyze, and ensure successful implementation of mission requirements across complex, mission-critical space systems supporting national defense and autonomous space operations.

As Lead Systems Engineer (LSE), you will have ownership and responsibility over requirements, verification, and validation (RV&V) efforts. You will execute day-to-day systems engineering processes, integrate MBSE and requirements tools, and lead gate review activities. You will oversee daily activities and prioritization of program Systems Engineers, lead RV&V efforts including requirements definition and decomposition, guide interface definition, and chair mission and vehicle level gating reviews. You will have approving authority with the Chief Engineer for hardware vehicle integration and lead or delegate authority for Engineering Review Boards (ERBs) and Failure Review Boards (FRBs).

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with customers, stakeholders, and internal teams to define and document mission objectives, system requirements, and operational concepts.
  • Translate customer and mission needs into actionable engineering solutions, ensuring alignment with technical and programmatic constraints.
  • Lead system trade studies, performance evaluations, and feasibility assessments to ensure optimal system architecture design.
  • Prepare detailed technical reports, presentations, and documentation for internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies and customers.
  • Develop system-level integration and verification plans, conducting end-to-end testing to validate mission requirements.
  • Coordinate with subsystem teams to troubleshoot and resolve integration challenges, ensuring mission readiness.
  • Support mission operations teams during testing and real-time mission execution.
  • Conduct system performance analysis, including reliability, safety, and mission effectiveness, under various environmental conditions.
  • Assess mission success criteria and operational risks and propose mitigation strategies.
  • Identify and analyze mission risks related to complex space missions, including collision risks and operational uncertainties.
  • Develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans for safe and reliable mission execution.

Qualifications

  • Staff level: 12+ years full lifecycle experience, including leading a vehicle through design, test, and verification
  • Principal level: 15+ years full lifecycle experience, including leading a vehicle through design, test, and verification
  • Strong technical leadership and systems architecture experience
  • Proven leadership in design, analysis, and verification on a major aerospace program
  • Strong analytical and communication skills, with ability to lead technical trades
  • Demonstrated ability to balance technical rigor with schedule and program realities
  • Strong systems engineering and technical leadership background across mechanical, electrical, and software domains
  • Strong background in systems engineering practices: requirements, verification, trade studies, interface control, and failure analysis
  • Ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and coordinate across hardware and software boundaries
  • Bachelors Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field
  • U.S. Citizen and eligible for DoD TS/SCI or TS/SAP U.S. government security clearance.

Preferred Skills and Experience

  • Advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering
  • Strong track record leading cross-functional engineering teams and managing design-to-delivery cycles
  • Demonstrated expertise with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
  • Background in range certification, test readiness reviews, and safety boards
  • Active TS/SCI clearance
  • Experience in defense or classified space missions
  • Familiarity with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA mission standards and processes
  • Experience working with government agencies, primes, or subcontractors on space missions

Compensation

  • Base Salary Staff: $160,000-$235,000
  • Base Salary Principal: $195,000-$285,000
  • Equity, Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401(k), Parental Leave

Actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.

Work Location

Fully onsite position based in Centennial, CO.

Additional Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.