Counter-Space Payload Engineer

Travel: Yes, 10 % of the Time

SAIC is seeking an experienced engineer with a technical and practical understanding of space systems to support advanced technology development of space-based protection and resiliency capabilities in response to a diverse set of global threats. The Counter-Space Payload Engineer should understand both the technical and programmatic aspects of fielded and planned future technologies, including operational concepts, applied technologies, and system architectures, to facilitate the demonstration and transition of novel resiliency capabilities to operations across the counter-space threat continuum. The Counter-Space Payload Engineer should have specific experience in the design, development, and testing of satellite technologies designed to detect, protect from, and counter reversible and non-reversible threats. The Counter-Space Payload Engineer should have experience with systems which operate across the electromagnetic spectrum, specifically, Radio Frequency (RF) and/or Optical wavelengths. The Counter-Space Payload Engineer will serve as a SETA working amongst a diverse and energetic team in the pursuit of mission objectives with responsibilities that may include but not limited to the following:

Participation in program readiness and design reviews

Analysis of system and subsystem-level counter-space threat technology effectiveness using various modeling and simulation tools

Utilization of modeling and analysis tools to generate mission plans and activities in support of payload tasking

Oversight of vendor conducted payload assembly, integration, and test campaigns

Review of vendor developed technical materials and generation of findings and recommendations for Government action

Advise the customer on the effectiveness of design, performance analysis, and test data for vendor developed technologies, payloads, and satellite systems

Required Qualifications:

Must possess an active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph

Bachelor’s in electrical engineering or science discipline related to physics, engineering, or mathematics and nine (14) years or more experience; Masters and seven (12) years or more experience; PhD and four (9) years or more experience

Experience with Intelligence Community and/or the Department of Defense single-domain and multi-domain architectures (Space, Air, Ground, etc.) for self-protection missions

Understanding of satellite payload architectures and the employment of counter-space technologies down to the component-level (such as FPGAs, ASICs, and corresponding firmware implementation into larger payload hardware and software)

Ability to develop link budgets and understand link parameters to assess effectiveness of payload operations

Experience with Strategic Indications & Warnings (I&W) and/or SDA programs

Experience in the design, development, deployment, and operations of Radar, Optical, and RF systems for the detection of counter-space threats

Experience in utilizing analytical and modeling tools (e.g., STK, MATLAB, Simulink, etc.)