Space Systems Engineer

KBR•Chantilly, VA

8d•$150,000 - $225,000•Onsite

About The Position

KBR National Security Solutions is seeking a Space Systems Engineer with a strong background in Verification and Validation (V&V) to support a major U.S. Government organization responsible for acquiring, integrating, and operating proliferated satellite constellations. The role provides expert advice and manages systems engineering processes and implementation for a System Program Office-developed collection system, including space vehicles, payloads, and associated ground command and control elements. The engineer will work across space, ground, and user segments to define verification strategies, trace requirements, and assess contractor compliance throughout the system lifecycle. The position is based on-site in Chantilly, Virginia, with minimal travel (less than 25%) to contractor facilities, test sites, or launch locations. Working hours are flexible, supporting standard Government work hours and surge support during integration and launch phases. The position requires U.S. citizenship and an active TS/SCI clearance with a current polygraph. Candidates who join KBR’s Mission Technology Solutions business before its planned spin-off, expected in January 2027, will transition to Trinzic when the separation is complete and will not need to reapply.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Active TS/SCI clearance with a current polygraph.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related STEM technical discipline; specific contract requirements regarding education and experience prevail.
At least 8 years of demonstrated experience supporting space system development, integration, and test.
Basic knowledge of the Government customer’s space and ground domain mission and technical capabilities.
Systems engineering background and understanding of the systems development lifecycle, from concept and requirements through design, integration and test, deployment, maintenance, and decommissioning.
Experience in requirements definition, system architectures, systems analysis and design, interface and data architectures, validation, and verification.
Ability to take initiative, proactively address customer requirements without supervision, and define solutions for broad, abstract topics.
Ability to work with standard business management tools and financial systems, MS Office, and project management software.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain trusted client relationships.
Knowledge of U.S. Government contracting and federal acquisition regulations, spacecraft lifecycle milestones, and review processes, and success operating in this environment.
Ability to work both in a team environment and independently.
Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical issues clearly to all levels of Government leadership.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or Ph.D. degree in a related STEM technical discipline.
At least 10 years of experience supporting space system development, integration, and test.
Experience working across multiple satellite programs or production lines.
Experience initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling DoD or Intelligence Community projects or programs.
Deep knowledge of satellite Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (TCPED) architectures.
Familiarity with JIRA and Confluence.
Familiarity with model-based systems engineering and digital engineering concepts and tools, Agile/DevSecOps development methodology, and cloud technologies.

Responsibilities

Manage and develop requirements from higher-level Enterprise governing documents to segment and lower levels.
Develop and manage system-level verification and validation strategies.
Define verification methods, success criteria, and traceability from requirements to test.
Evaluate contractor V&V plans, procedures, and results.
Support test planning across components, subsystems, systems, and mission levels.
Identify gaps, risks, and disconnects in verification approaches and recommend corrective actions.
Lead coordination and completion of segment specification sell-off and other V&V activities.
Support technical reviews and provide V&V status to Government decision makers.
Coordinate proposed specification changes across the SPO and facilitate their integration into the baseline.
Identify risks to mission closure in the collection segment and evaluate proposed burn-down plans.
Support the customer in CONOPS development.
Interface with spacecraft, payload, network, and user segment teams to define and manage end-to-end system interfaces.
Support integration and test planning and execution across ground and space segments.
Evaluate contractor designs, test results, and operational concepts for compliance with mission requirements.
Contribute to system documentation, reviews, and decision briefings for Government leadership.
Document, develop, and deliver analyses, recommendations, plans, reports, and briefings to the Government.