Programmatic Space Vehicle Engineer

SAIC • Chantilly, VA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

SAIC is seeking a Programmatic Space Vehicle Engineer in Chantilly, Virginia, to support innovative space programs. The engineer will work daily on-site with the Government, advising on technical and programmatic aspects of a critical space system and helping ensure that mechanical, electrical, and software components function safely and reliably to complete the mission.

The role supports multidisciplinary system-level acquisition, design, manufacturing, integration, and testing of space vehicles and their interfaces with launch vehicles and ground systems. It includes providing technical leadership on risks and issues, assessing contractor designs and performance at milestone reviews, supporting system development from requirements verification through mission design and testing, and serving as a technical point of contact who translates customer needs into engineering requirements.

The engineer will also support studies and system trades, verification and validation planning, Government programmatic processes, customer communications, and the preparation and delivery of reports, risk assessments, recommendations, presentations, documents, and briefings. The position includes developing procedures and tools to test integrated vehicle assemblies and verify vehicle health before launch, and ensuring assembly areas can conduct checkouts efficiently.

The mission operates in a fast-paced acquisition environment supporting national defense priorities. SAIC describes itself as a mission integrator serving defense, space, intelligence, and civilian markets. The company has approximately 23,000 employees and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 14 or more years of experience, or a master’s degree and 12 or more years of experience.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Strong satellite systems engineering background.
• Experience with major Government acquisition programs.
• Extensive experience in one or more of the following: mass properties; mechanical design and analysis; design for manufacturing; optical-mechanical systems; environmental testing; propulsion; mechanisms; guidance and controls; thermal engineering; structures; or aerospace engineering.
• Experience with space systems, including developing concepts of operations and mission threads, collaborating with stakeholders on interfaces, conducting trade studies, defining interfaces, and working with developers to mature interface requirements.
• Ability to absorb extensive technical detail and formulate logical solutions for execution on inflexible schedules, including when data is conflicting or incomplete.
• Knowledge and application of systems engineering processes and functions.
• Systems engineering and system integration experience.
• Experience with Intelligence Community or Department of Defense Satellite Program Office best practices.
• Experience with satellite system requirements development, design, manufacturing, and test.
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, team-building, and problem-solving skills, with demonstrated effectiveness in a Government/contractor team environment.
• Ability to facilitate technical discussions with subject-matter experts.
• Ability to communicate with diverse senior decision-makers with varying levels of programmatic and technical expertise.
• Effective communication, coordination, and customer engagement skills.
• Ability to work independently, without supervision, in a fast-paced, dynamic, team environment.
• Active TS/SCI clearance required.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Previous SAP experience desired.

Responsibilities

• Provide the Government with space vehicle and subsystem engineering support, recommendations, and courses of action on technical and programmatic topics.
• Oversee multidisciplinary, system-level acquisition, design, manufacture, integration, and testing of space vehicles and interfaces to launch vehicles and ground systems.
• Identify, mitigate, and solve space vehicle and subsystem risks and issues.
• Prepare and deliver written reports, risk assessments, recommendations, and presentations to the customer.
• Foster communication and alignment among team members to identify challenges and solutions.
• Evaluate prime contractor performance at milestone reviews for compliance with technical requirements and quality of deliverables.
• Support system development from initial requirements verification through mission design, prototype development, and test.
• Serve as the main technical point of contact, lead reviews, and translate customer needs into actionable engineering requirements.
• Participate in studies and system trades for enhanced capabilities.
• Support verification, validation, and test planning.
• Assess contractor designs at major milestone reviews, including progress, risks, issues, and ability to meet mission requirements.
• Provide technical support to Government customer activities and programmatic processes.
• Develop documents and briefings to communicate work or study status and brief Government and industry audiences as required.
• Develop procedures and tools to test integrated vehicle assemblies and verify vehicle health before it leaves for the launch pad.
• Ensure individual assembly areas meet requirements for seamless checkouts with minimal overhead.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior