Senior Systems Engineer

Nakupuna Companies•San Diego, CA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

Nakupuna Companies is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to support Navy Platform Engineering and Integration (PE&I) customers under the Platform Delivery Office (PDO) 20 Next Generation (NexGen) C4I Integration services contract. The role focuses on platform and system-of-systems integration, evaluating how independently managed C4I, mission, network, hardware, software, and support systems combine on Navy surface ships to deliver interoperable, mission-ready capabilities throughout their lifecycle. The engineer provides advanced systems-engineering, technical-integration, and technical-program-management support. The work includes translating mission needs into technically sound and executable efforts by analyzing requirements, architectures, interfaces, dependencies, risks, and implementation options; developing technical products; and coordinating with engineering, program, acquisition, logistics, test, cybersecurity, and operational stakeholders. Assignments may involve new construction, modernization, in-service engineering, capability integration, fielding, sustainment, or cross-platform technical initiatives. The position provides analysis, recommendations, coordination, documentation, and technical support within established customer and company authorities. It does not exercise Government decision, approval, direction, or commitment authority. The role is based in San Diego, California, with initial work on site at the Navy customer’s Old Town Complex. New hires are normally expected to work on site for their first 30 calendar days. Afterwards, work may be performed at the customer location, Nakupuna’s nearby San Diego office, or another approved location as mission and customer requirements permit. Remote arrangements may be considered case by case following on-site onboarding. The position requires availability for scheduled meetings, on-site engagements, classified work, travel, and time-sensitive deliverables. The posting is open-continuous, and qualified candidates may be considered as opportunities become available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, or at least 14 years of directly relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of the degree, subject to applicable eCRAFT labor-category and level requirements.
At least 7 years of professional experience in systems engineering; the stated degree-and-experience qualifications are subject to applicable eCRAFT requirements and authorized education-experience equivalencies.
Demonstrated experience applying systems-engineering disciplines to complex military, maritime, C4I, shipboard, software, hardware, network, or comparable mission systems.
Demonstrated experience with platform-level or system-of-systems integration, including external interfaces, interoperability, technical dependencies, installation and configuration impacts, verification and validation, and end-to-end mission performance across independently managed systems.
Ability to analyze and communicate relationships among mission needs, technical requirements, system architectures, interfaces, implementation constraints, risks, and lifecycle impacts.
Experience supporting technical planning, integration, modernization, test, fielding, sustainment, or lifecycle management of complex systems.
Working knowledge of systems-engineering processes, including requirements management, interface management, configuration coordination, technical risk management, verification and validation, and technical planning.
Experience developing technically accurate analyses, engineering recommendations, roadmaps, decision briefs, presentations, and written products for technical and senior-leadership audiences.
Ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary organizations involving engineering, acquisition, program management, logistics, cybersecurity, test, ship integration, and operational stakeholders.
Ability to facilitate technical exchanges, organize complex information, reconcile competing inputs, identify material decisions, and sustain action and risk follow-through across organizations.
Strong analytical, written, oral, critical-thinking, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical matters to nontechnical audiences.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and collaboration and action-management tools.
Ability to work independently and as part of an integrated customer-facing team, exercise sound judgment, and protect sensitive information.
Ability to travel when authorized for customer engagements, shipyard or site visits, integration activities, technical reviews, test events, or fielding support.
Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a Government-issued Common Access Card and required site and system access credentials.
Must be eligible for and able to receive a favorable Interim Secret clearance determination as a condition of employment or assignment, and able to obtain and maintain a final Secret clearance if mission requirements require it. An active Secret clearance is not required at application, and may not be required for every assignment.
Must successfully complete applicable background screening, security-processing, and customer-access requirements.
Able to perform repetitive motions with the hands, wrists, and fingers; engage in and follow audible communications in emergencies; sit for prolonged periods at a desk while using a computer; and move within the office for routine workplace activities.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Navy acquisition, NAVWAR, PEO C4I, NAVSEA, warfare centers, ship integration, platform modernization, or related Department of Defense environments.
INCOSE, DAWIA, PMP, Agile, cybersecurity, or other relevant systems-engineering, acquisition, or program-management certifications.
Additional education, relevant technical experience, military experience, acquisition background, and professional certifications may be considered during staffing.
Relevant active-duty, reserve, National Guard, or civilian military experience in systems engineering, C4I, platform integration, engineering, test, operations, acquisition, logistics, or comparable technical mission support may be evaluated as directly relevant professional experience when it demonstrates the required competencies and progressively responsible duties.
Highly qualified candidates residing outside the San Diego commuting area are encouraged to apply; remote work may be considered case by case after the required on-site onboarding period.

Responsibilities

Apply systems-engineering principles to define, analyze, integrate, and support delivery of complex Navy surface-platform, C4I, mission-system, software, hardware, network, and infrastructure capabilities.
Analyze operational needs, technical requirements, architectures, interfaces, design constraints, and dependencies to identify viable implementation approaches and tradeoffs.
Support requirements development, decomposition, traceability, allocation, validation, and change coordination for assigned systems, subsystems, interfaces, and capability increments.
Assess technical, programmatic, integration, schedule, cybersecurity, test, sustainment, and fielding risks; identify impacts and dependencies; and develop grounded recommendations for resolution.
Develop and maintain engineering analyses, technical plans, integration roadmaps, interface artifacts, risk assessments, issue papers, decision briefs, presentations, executive summaries, and status products.
Coordinate technical information and activities among Navy program offices, product managers, engineering organizations, warfare centers, system commands, shipyards, original equipment manufacturers, and other Government and contractor stakeholders, as assigned.
Support planning, preparation, facilitation, and documentation of technical exchanges, integrated product teams, engineering working groups, design reviews, program reviews, test events, and stakeholder engagements.
Analyze stakeholder inputs, reconcile differing technical perspectives, identify material decisions and unresolved issues, and maintain action-item and risk follow-through through closure or transition.
Support platform integration, installation, modernization, test, verification, validation, certification, fielding, and sustainment activities as applicable.
Review technical documentation, engineering-change information, configuration data, test results, and system-performance information; identify impacts to requirements, interfaces, readiness, or planned implementation.
Prepare clear, technically accurate communications and recommendations for engineering, program-management, acquisition, operational, and executive audiences.
Maintain current records of technical actions, decisions, assumptions, risks, dependencies, milestones, and supporting analyses in accordance with applicable processes, records-management practices, and information-security requirements.
Anticipate technical needs, identify information gaps or coordination requirements, and elevate issues requiring Government attention early enough to support timely decisions.
Provide technical guidance, quality review, and knowledge transfer to junior personnel when assigned, without assuming supervisory authority unless separately designated.