Senior Systems Engineer, Proposal Development

Iridium Satellite•Reston, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Iridium is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer, Proposal Development for a Space Development Agency (SDA) project. This role involves leading the systems engineering aspects of proposal development, architecture definition, technical planning, and cross-functional collaboration. The ideal candidate will be an effective communicator, comfortable leading complex technical efforts with minimal oversight, and possess an active/current Secret Security Clearance or the ability to obtain one.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, or related field
8+ years of relevant experience in the defense, aerospace, or space industry
Advanced knowledge of systems engineering methodologies, model-based systems engineering concepts, systems architecture, and Agile development processes.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts, analyses, and recommendations to engineering teams, program leadership, customers, and executive stakeholders.
Confidence and ability to build collaborative relationships across multidisciplinary engineering organizations and leadership teams.
Analytical mindset with the ability to solve highly complex technical challenges, evaluate alternatives, and develop innovative engineering solutions.
Proactive in identifying technical risks, improving engineering processes, and mentoring other engineers while sharing technical knowledge across the organization.
Capable of independently managing multiple complex technical priorities while coordinating cross-functional activities to meet aggressive proposal and program deadlines.
Active/current Secret Security Clearance or the ability to obtain a Secret Security Clearance (A U.S. Security Clearance that has been active in the past 24 months is considered active).

Nice To Haves

Experience designing, developing, and operating Space Vehicle Subsystems.
Experience with Hardware and Software Development Life Cycle processes.
Working knowledge of networking protocols, routers, switches, and communication architectures.
Familiarity with Atlassian tools including Jira, R4J, and Confluence.
Experience supporting U.S. Government proposal development and competitive capture efforts.
Experience performing system architecture trade studies and technical solution development for large-scale aerospace or defense programs.

Responsibilities

Lead the systems engineering execution of complex proposal efforts by developing technical approaches, system architectures, Requests for Proposal (RFP) responses, Basis of Estimates (BOEs), and supporting technical documentation.
Independently define system architectures, requirements decomposition, interface definitions, trade studies, and technical baselines across Space and Ground Segments.
Drive technical collaboration across Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Program Management, Business Development, and other stakeholders to ensure proposal solutions are technically sound, executable, and aligned with customer requirements.
Develop innovative technical solutions, evaluate design alternatives, identify risks, and provide recommendations that improve proposal competitiveness and program execution.
Lead complex system analyses, including functional, performance, interface, and requirements analyses, ensuring technical decisions are supported by sound engineering principles and data-driven conclusions.
Coordinate technical deliverables, proposal schedules, engineering estimates, and milestone execution while ensuring quality, consistency, and compliance throughout the proposal lifecycle.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to less experienced engineers while promoting systems engineering best practices and continuous process improvement across proposal development activities.