Senior Systems Engineer

Job description

***Please Note:**To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.* At **CesiumAstro**, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team. The Skylark product line is focused on the rapid design, build, and test of cutting-edge active phased array antennas (AESA) for terrestrial and airborne applications. Current programs span high-power, large-scale ground terminals for missile defense to commercial airline and helicopter connectivity solutions. We are looking to add a **Senior Systems Engineer** to our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment and are passionate about developing leading-edge phased arrays for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you. In this position, you will be responsible for leading the systems engineering activities required to define, develop, integrate, verify, and support complex aerospace systems throughout the product lifecycle. This role translates mission objectives, customer requirements, and system architecture into technical solutions that enable successful system integration and mission execution. Working within a multidisciplinary engineering environment, the Senior Systems Engineer collaborates with software, hardware, mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, integration and test, mission operations, and program management teams to ensure systems meet technical, operational, cost, and schedule objectives. This role provides technical leadership from concept development through design, integration, verification, launch, and operational support while contributing to technical decision-making and risk management. ### JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Develop system verification and validation strategies, including verification methods (test, analysis, demonstration, and inspection), acceptance criteria, and verification levels aligned with program requirements. - Define verification configurations, including hardware, software, firmware, and test environments required to support verification activities. - Develop and maintain verification documentation, verification cross-reference matrices (VCRM), requirements traceability matrices, and verification evidence packages. - Partner with Integration & Test teams to plan, coordinate, and support system integration and verification activities. - Evaluate test results, resolve technical discrepancies, and support corrective actions to ensure compliance with system requirements. - Support technical planning, Program Increment (PI) planning, staffing assessments, and engineering execution activities. - Prioritize systems engineering activities to meet technical, cost, schedule, and program milestones. - Participate in technical reviews, design reviews, customer meetings, and engineering milestone activities. - Mentor junior engineers on systems engineering best practices, requirements development, traceability, verification, and technical documentation. - Drive continuous improvement of engineering processes, systems engineering rigor, and technical documentation. - Collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams to support successful program execution. - Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned. ### JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline. - A minimum of 5 years of experience with an emphasis on space-based communication payloads. - Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles and the systems development lifecycle. - Experience developing, managing, and verifying system and subsystem requirements. - Knowledge of systems architecture, interface management, systems integration, and configuration management. - Understanding verification, validation, and systems integration processes. - Ability to interpret customer requirements, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and technical specifications to develop engineering solutions. - Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills. - Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. - Effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. - Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams. ### PREFERRED EXPERIENCE - Familiarity with spacecraft mission planning, launch support, and on-orbit operations. - Experience supporting spacecraft system integration, mission readiness, and operational activities. - Experience supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated engineering programs.