Technical Support Engineer – Space Systems

Modern Technology Solutions Inc•Columbia, MD

17h•Onsite

About The Position

The Technical Support Engineer – Space Systems, Electrical & RF position will provide technical advisory and analytic support to a Government Program Office (GPO) executing research, engineering, prototyping, development and test. Candidate will support the Program Director by providing engineering evaluation, integration, and oversight of technical performance, with emphasis on space systems electrical engineering, electronics, and radio frequency (RF) elements. This position is located in Columbia, Maryland. The ideal candidate for this position must be motivated and able to work independently or in a small team and have experience in the following areas: Space systems requirements and technical baseline, Architecture, interfaces, and integration (spacecraft/payload/ground), Design review and engineering oversight, RF and communications engineering support, Electronics, Verification, test, and acceptance support, Technical evaluation (pre-award), and Technical risk management.

Requirements

15+ years of demonstrated experience supporting space systems programs (payload and/or bus; and/or ground/user segment integration)
Hands-on or directly relevant experience in at least one: electrical engineering, electronics design, RF/comm systems
Experience supporting technical reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR and test readiness/flight readiness activities)
Strong technical writing skills and ability to brief technical risk and tradeoffs to mixed technical/non-technical stakeholders
Bachelor’s degree in related science or engineering field
Must have a current TS/SCI clearance and be eligible for special program access

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies including machine learning, natural language processing, generative AI, and responsible AI
Experience with Ethical AI Implementation and policy development, such as addressing security and ethical considerations in AI deployment, or contributing to AI risks and mitigations for policy reports
Familiarity with the applicability of adversarial attacks in real-world AI systems, AI Red Teaming, and identifying vulnerabilities across the AI supply chain
Willing to travel both CONUS and OCONUS
Master’s degree in a science or engineering field, physics, or other quantitative fields

Responsibilities

Support decomposition of mission objectives into system/subsystem requirements
Develop/maintain requirements traceability (mission system subsystem verification) and identify gaps/ambiguities
Support development/review of technical content for SOO/SOW/PWS, technical specifications, interface requirements, and technical data deliverables
Support the development/maintenance of a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to surveil contractor performance against contract requirements and deliverables
Support development/review of system and subsystem architectures: power, avionics, comms/RF, harnessing, command & data handling interfaces as applicable
Support definition and control of interfaces (ICDs), including RF and electrical interfaces, grounding/bonding, EMI/EMC drivers, and timing/synch considerations where relevant
Identify cross-segment dependencies (space/ground/user terminals) and integration risks; maintain technical inputs to the integrated dependency tracker
Support planning and execution of technical reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR and TEMs); agendas, entry/exit criteria, action items, and closure verification
Review contractor designs and analyses (e.g., link budgets, RF chain analyses, parts selection rationale, reliability and derating approaches, radiation tolerance strategy) for completeness and risk
Support review of proposed drawings/schematics, board-level design artifacts, harness plans, and assembly/test approaches
Support evaluation of RF architecture and performance: link budgets, spectrum considerations, interference susceptibility, modulation/coding/impacts, antenna considerations, and end-to-end performance allocations
Support assessment of compliance with applicable standards and constraints (e.g., EMI/EMC, frequency coordination requirements, spectrum management artifacts)
Support RF test planning and results assessment (e.g., antenna patterns, conducted/radiated emissions, RF compatibility, payload calibration/characterization)
Support evaluation of power subsystem concepts (power generation/storage/regulation/distribution), electrical margins, and fault protection
Support assessment of electronics design robustness; component selection, obsolescence, radiation effect (TID/SEE) approach, parts screening, and workmanship considerations
Support review of reliability/quality artifacts as provided (e.g., worst-case circuit analysis, derating analysis, quality plans where applicable)
Support development/review of verification plans, test plans/procedures, and verification cross-reference matrices
Support analysis of test results, anomaly/RFB inputs, and corrective action effectiveness; track technical issues to closure
Support definition of technical acceptance criteria for deliverables and test events
Support creation of technical evaluation guides/compliance matrices and proposal assessment focused on space//EE/RF technical maturity, feasibility, and risk
Identify discriminators, key risks, and recommended clarifications; draft technical questions for Government use
Maintain technical risk register inputs/ likelihood/impact, triggers, mitigation plans, and residual risk assessments
Provide technical trade studies and decision support: alternatives, pros/cons, recommended path