Senior Payload Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation • Westfield, VA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. The National Systems Group serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch. As a Senior Payload Engineer within Electronic Programs Division’s Adaptive Mission Systems Office, you will provide embedded support within the government program office to guide the development, verification, and deployment of novel reconnaissance systems. You will provide RF engineering expertise to analyze payload performance, assess risk, lead and support impact studies and trades, and provide independent assessment of requirements verification.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in Electrical Engineering or a related technical field
• 10+ years of relevant experience in RF design, signal processing or RF testing
• Comfortable in common and relevant programming languages (e.g., MATLAB, Python) for data analysis, scripting, or building custom analysis tools
• Strong technical writing skills for preparing documentation, design reports, and presenting findings to cross-functional teams
• Experience in troubleshooting or conducting failure analysis of payload electronics
• This position requires travel, approximately 4 trips per year
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI security clearance and CI polygraph, issued by the US Government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

Nice To Haves

• Advanced technical degree, MS or PhD, in Electrical Engineering or another related discipline with a focus on Electromagnetics, Communication Theory, Digital Signal Processing, or another related field
• Experience with electromagnetic and RF simulation software tools such as Ansys HFSS, CST Microwave Studio, GRASP, Keysight ADS, Microwave Office, or similar tools
• Experience in the acquisition of payload hardware
• Working knowledge of DoD/NRO acquisition processes

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for a national security satellite system payload
• Provide ongoing technical consultation to the government, coordinating testing and analysis between SETA, contractor, and internal Aerospace teams
• Support and lead risk reduction efforts and payload assessments to include: failure analysis, performance assessment, and mission impact assessments
• Represent Aerospace in meetings and technical forums such as technical interchanges, delivery status meetings, Anomaly & Failure Review Boards, Engineering Review Boards
• Formulate Aerospace risk positions and recommendations on issues and brief the customer on high interest topics
• Assess and deliver reports on compliance of verification and validation activities

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
• Education assistance programs
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees