Ground Systems Engineer SME

Modern Technology Solutions Inc•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

The Ground Systems Engineer will support Golden Dome, a Department of Defense initiative focused on space-based operations and national security. The role designs, develops, integrates, and maintains ground segment architectures, systems, and operations supporting Golden Dome space systems. It calls for expertise in ground station operations, network infrastructure, satellite communications, and mission-critical technologies used for real-time data acquisition and control. The position supports a national-level initiative to advance homeland defense capabilities and the Space-Based Interceptor mission. The engineer collaborates with satellite engineers, network experts, mission planners, DoD stakeholders, and other functional teams to ensure ground system capabilities align with mission objectives and integrate seamlessly. The role also provides technical expertise for ground station setup, operations, and maintenance; supports continuous satellite mission operations; improves system performance and reliability; and creates technical documentation and reports. An active Top-Secret clearance with SCI eligibility is required.

Requirements

15 or more years of experience in ground systems engineering, satellite communication systems, or DoD mission-based architectures.
Strong working knowledge of ground segment technologies, including TT&C systems, network infrastructure, and secure communications systems.
Experience with system integration, validation, and troubleshooting in mission-critical environments.
Proficiency with MATLAB, LabVIEW, STK, and data visualization platforms.
Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with attention to technical detail.
Bachelor’s degree with 15 or more years of related experience.
Active Top-Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

Develop ground system architectures connecting satellites, payloads, and command centers for Golden Dome operations.
Design robust and resilient data transmission, telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) systems.
Develop integration strategies for software, hardware, and communications subsystems supporting the ground segment.
Integrate ground systems into mission infrastructure and ensure interoperability across subsystems.
Define and execute functional validation, network performance, and environmental test plans.
Troubleshoot and resolve issues involving ground hardware, software, and communications interfaces.
Provide technical expertise during ground station setup, operations, and maintenance.
Monitor ground system performance to ensure continuous support for satellite missions and space-based assets.
Optimize ground station systems for real-time data acquisition, storage, and secure transmission.
Analyze system performance and develop improvements to reliability and scalability.
Develop and implement disaster recovery procedures and fault-tolerant architectures to safeguard mission continuity.
Coordinate with satellite engineers, network experts, mission planners, DoD stakeholders, and other teams to align and integrate ground system capabilities.
Create and maintain system designs, test procedures, operation manuals, and analytic reports.
Present ground system updates, findings, and recommendations to Golden Dome leadership and relevant stakeholders.