Lead Systems Engineer, Space Systems

Due to the classified nature of our work, candidate must be a US Citizen and possess (and be able to maintain) a Final Secret Clearance or meet the eligibility to obtain (and maintain) a Secret Clearance.

Location: El Segundo, CA, Nashua, NH, Mukiteo, WA, Sunnyvale, CA

About Us

is an industry leading developer of advanced RF and electronics systems for the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial customers. We specialize in Open Systems Architecture solutions for the non-kinetic fight. Our vision provides cost effective, highly capable, modular, and rapidly reconfigurable systems to our customers in less than half the time of traditional defense contractors. Our team delivers sensing and effects solutions for the Land, Air, Sea and Space domains at an unprecedented pace. We accomplish this strategy by combining broad domain experience in Radar, EW, SIGINT, and Communications with a go-fast commercial execution model. Our model fully leverages Open Standards, like,, and, as well as rapid prototyping methodologies to bring our advanced capabilities to customers. The Pacific Defense family includes with expertise spanning signal processing, novel algorithm development, cognitive systems, high performance computing, hardware design and development, and systems integration and test. We embrace the diversity of people, ideas, and a great employee experience to drive the innovation that runs through everything we do. Pacific Defense has established an excellent reputation in our professional community and is growing our team to seize new opportunities to solve tough challenges for national defense. Come join our team and accelerate your career!

Who are we looking for?

Pacific Defense is seeking a proven Lead Systems Engineer, Space Systems with the ability to lead and execute complex programs. The Lead Systems Engineer will partner with the Mission Solutions Chief Engineer (MSCE) in the Space Systems business area. In this partnership the LSE will be the primary Engineering Authority for the execution of the various programs within the business area. While the MSCE is focused outwardly and owns the technical baselines, the LSE is inwardly focused on program execution implementing the technical baselines on a per program basis.

Requirements

You’ll Bring These Qualifications

Support the Mission Solutions Chief Engineer to ensure the business area baselines, product evolution and program execution align. Be capable of standing in for the MSCE as needed.

Requirement generation, allocation, and verification for all business area programs

Accountable for the overall system architecture and its capabilities in support of the program requirements

Develop and Support the Integration and Test phases including verification/validation/acceptance.

Support product definition for new products and/or modifications of existing products that comprise the systems being developed on each of the business area programs.

Responsible for the day-to-day execution of the program engineering team. This will include all engineering disciplines with a focus on execution within cost/schedule budgets.

Work solutions to program problems across the company

Support new business initiatives as required to include contribution to technical content, distribution, and collection/validation of Engineering BOEs across engineering disciplines for proposals.

Required Skills:

Experience with space hardware requirements, specifications, design, integration, and testing

Applied systems engineering skill set with knowledge of hardware for space applications

Work with customers to develop and document system requirements

Monitors supplier performance to ensure system integration and compliance with requirements

Strong understanding of hardware engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, and computer architectures for space

Coordinate work to analyze and translate requirements into system architecture, hardware and software designs and interface specifications

Ability to design, analyze, and evaluate hardware products for space applications

Knowledge of hardware integration, test, and verification, and intermediate understanding of MIL-STD-1540

Experience following processes to ensure quality and predictability of hardware development

Develop models or simulations and apply advanced computer programs, analytical techniques, or control strategies to effectively meet requirements and resolve problems

Critical thinker, with prudent risk tolerance to balance risk and technology with requirements, cost, and schedule

Competitive spirit accepting of challenges with a willingness to learn and recover from mistakes

Travel when necessary in support of business goals

Proven ability to work and lead in a small team environment

Strong written and oral communication skills with experience presenting technical material

Must be a US Citizen, with ability to gain/regain security clearance

Desired Skills:

RF, EW, SIGINT/COMINT/ELINT Experience

Experience with circuit design, requirements and interface definition, modeling and analysis, testing, performance, and design verification – with emphasis on Power Supply and Analog and Digital Circuit Design

Strong mathematical background with basic understanding of General-Purpose Graphical Processing Units (GPGPUs), General Purposes Processors, and Firmware devices

Master’s degree or beyond in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or similar degree

Experience using NI hardware, drivers, and application software such as VeriStand, TestStand, and LabVIEW

Introductory level understanding of orbital mechanics and/or astrodynamics for modeling and simulation

Experience with schematics in Microsoft Visio is a plus

Understanding of radiation effects, mitigations, and techniques

Knowledge and experience with parts, processes, and materials

Familiarity with space environmental testing, verification, and qualification

Expertise with MIL-STD-1540/ SMC-S-016, MIL-STD-461, and knowledge of INST-EEE-002

Experience with AFSIM, Matlab/Simulink and C++

RF, digital signal processing (DSP), and/or optical communications

Ability to establish and maintain strong working relationships internally and with external customers and suppliers

Experience with Python, Bash, and other languages, knowledge of Linux, cFS, and or sel4 for space applications is a plus

History with bidding, estimating, and proposing hardware projects and programs for space applications

Business development, capture, and program execution experience for space programs

Knowledge and experience with open systems standards

TS/SCI Security clearance

Education

Minimum of 8-15 years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, or other relevant technical field; or six (6) years of experience with a Master’s Degree

Benefits

What we can offer you:

Pacific Defense provides competitive salaries and immediately vested 401K match. We provide 100% coverage for the employee, and 75% coverage for dependents’ medical, dental, vision, and life insurance premiums, as well as a flexible spending account for incidental health care expenses. We offer paid time off and federal holidays to spend time with family, pursue outside interests, or just get some extra rest.

Pacific Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.

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