Systems Engineer – Project Engineer V Verified today

Voyager Space · Folsom, CA · Colorado · Space Systems · first seen 2026-08-14

Job Summary

The Systems Engineer - Project Engineer V serves as a senior technical authority and strategic integrator for high-complexity defense and aerospace programs. The individual provides technical direction and programmatic oversight across engineering disciplines, ensuring alignment of design, performance, and risk with mission and contractual requirements. The Level V engineer represents engineering leadership at the enterprise level, contributing to organizational strategy, process improvement, and technology development initiatives.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as chief project engineer or senior technical lead for large, multi-phase, or multi-contract defense and aerospace programs
  • Define and guide system architecture, integration, and verification strategies aligned with customer and mission objectives
  • Oversee engineering execution across multiple Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and major subcontractors, ensuring technical, cost, and schedule compliance
  • Lead technical baseline definition, configuration management, and system integration planning
  • Chair or provide executive-level support for major design and integration reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure readiness and compliance with technical performance metrics
  • Serve as the primary engineering interface to executive management and DoD customers, supporting technical interchange meetings and milestone reviews
  • Manage and approve Statements of Work (SOWs), subcontractor technical deliverables, and major supplier design inputs
  • Develop and implement advanced risk and opportunity management frameworks across enterprise-level programs
  • Provide mentorship, coaching, and technical oversight to project engineers and functional leads
  • Support proposal development, cost estimation, and new business capture activities
  • Guide and enforce adherence to systems engineering standards, model-based engineering practices, and configuration control
  • Drive organizational engineering process improvements, knowledge management, and best practices

Required Qualifications

  • Must have or be able to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret Clearance
  • Demonstrated success leading large-scale, multi-disciplinary engineering projects through the full lifecycle from concept development through verification, qualification, and delivery
  • Proven ability to develop and execute technical strategies aligned with business and program objectives
  • Exceptional leadership, influencing, and mentoring abilities across engineering, program management, and customer teams
  • Strong technical depth and judgment to guide architecture-level decisions and complex trade studies
  • Proactive, strategic thinker with a continuous improvement mindset and commitment to technical excellence and mission success
  • Advanced knowledge of DoD acquisition frameworks, contract structures, and customer interface management

Experience

  • Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in project engineering, systems engineering, or program-level technical leadership
  • Proven experience managing large-scale DoD or MDA programs, including complex system integration and verification activities
  • Demonstrated success as a Control Account Manager (CAM) and technical lead under EVMS-compliant contracts
  • Deep understanding of DoD acquisition lifecycle (DoDI 5000 series) and MIL-STD systems engineering processes
  • Experience overseeing major subcontractors, suppliers, and multi-disciplinary engineering teams
  • Background in propulsion systems, flight vehicle integration, or complex electro-mechanical systems preferred
  • Prior experience leading customer engagements, proposal efforts, and engineering process improvement initiatives

Education

  • Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, or related STEM field with 10 years of experience in project engineering, OR
  • Master's degree in project engineering or related STEM field with 8 years of experience, OR
  • 14 years of experience in project engineering in lieu of a degree, OR
  • High School Diploma or Equivalent

Skills

  • Advanced technical and organizational leadership
  • System integration and verification planning
  • Risk-based engineering approaches
  • Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills
  • Engineering management and project planning tools (Microsoft Project, Primavera, or equivalent)
  • Data-driven decision making and technical trade analysis
  • Configuration control
  • Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio

Additional Requirements

  • Able to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
  • Must be able to travel approximately 10% of the time to support program and customer needs
  • Must be comfortable working in secure or classified environments, as required
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven development environment
  • Ability to balance multiple priorities across concurrent workstreams
  • Committed to mission success, technical integrity, and collaborative execution in a national defense environment

Compensation

California pay range: $161,700 - $199,400 USD

Nevada pay range: $153,615 - $189,430 USD

Voyager offers a comprehensive total compensation package, which includes competitive salary, a discretionary annual bonus plan, paid time off (PTO), a comprehensive health benefit package, retirement savings, wellness program, and various other benefits.