Principal Systems Engineer - Velocity Satellite Integration (Clearance Required)
About The Position
Sierra Space is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to lead systems engineering work for a satellite in its Eclipse Velocity product line during Assembly, Integration & Test. The role supports a critical national security mission and works across both an engineering test-bed (flat sat) and the flight space vehicle, helping drive integration, reduce risk, complete verification, and prepare for launch. The Principal Systems Engineer provides technical direction throughout the product development lifecycle and promotes an integrated system perspective. The role connects segments and subsystems through stakeholder-requirement decomposition, traceability across development artifacts, and system validation and verification. It also leads complex systems-engineering scope, guides technical development milestones, monitors performance measures and technical risks, and contributes to systems-engineering initiatives and corporate strategy. The position includes mentoring and developing systems-engineering talent.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in a related field, or equivalent work experience in lieu of a degree; alternatively, a master's degree plus 13 years of experience.
- Typically 15 or more years of related experience, or a master's degree plus 13 years of experience.
- Ability to drive multidisciplinary system-development initiatives and architect systems integrating multiple subsystems.
- Advanced expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including comprehensive understanding of the systems development lifecycle.
- Robust experience across multiple system-development lifecycles, including requirements management and functional-requirement parsing, derivation, and allocation.
- Expertise in systems architecture development and systems integration, verification, and validation 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.
- Current/active Top Secret U.S. security clearance with SCI eligibility.
- U.S. citizenship is required for the active U.S. security clearance needed for employment.
Nice To Haves
- 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 or engineering test-bed environments and flight space vehicle integration and checkout.
- Experience supporting or interfacing with government or mission customers in a close integrated product team setting.
- Previous experience working on 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 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.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a key technical leader on the Integration & Test team across the flat-sat engineering test-bed and flight space vehicle.
- Drive system-level integration and verification on the flat sat and carry lessons learned and verified procedures forward to the space vehicle.
- Perform risk-reduction testing on the flat sat to identify and resolve issues before they reach the flight vehicle.
- Lead systems and hardware problem investigations and risk-reduction planning across test-bed and flight configurations.
- Own requirements derivation, decomposition, allocation, and traceability, ensuring verification evidence ties back to stakeholder needs.
- Lead development milestone reviews and represent the technical baseline in customer discussions and stakeholder alignments.
- Identify and manage technical risks across flat-sat and space-vehicle activities, developing and driving mitigation strategies with the execution team.
- Mentor and develop systems-engineering talent and contribute to broader systems-engineering process and policy improvements.
- Drive multidisciplinary system development initiatives and architect comprehensive systems that integrate multiple subsystems.
- Contribute to corporate Systems Engineering policy and process definition and implementation.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision plans.
- 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%.
- Life insurance.
- Three weeks of paid time off.
- Additional benefits are referenced but not specified.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
