Chief Space Systems Engineer

Job ID: 2613991

Location: El Segundo, CA, US

Date Posted: 2026-06-25

Category: Engineering and Sciences

Subcategory: Systems Engineer

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: No

Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: TS/SCI with Poly

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE

Description

SAIC is seeking a highly experienced Space Systems Chief Systems Engineer to support a Space Systems Command SV program. You will work in customer facilities in El Segundo, CA, directly sitting with our Customer to provide our support.

Fun stuff you will do on the job

Engage with Space Vehicle (SV) Contractors to evaluate hardware and software designs against Government generated requirements

Lead technical requirements analysis and development, systems engineering, and oversee development Contractors to develop, design, produce, integrate and test space systems

Oversee integration and test of payloads

Perform system requirements and interface definition development

Provide analysis and recommendations to SV design to ensure technical and performance requirements are being met by the Contractor

Work with Government Customer to manage and negotiate interface control documents with external stakeholders and ensure internal and external interfaces are being met

Provide inputs to System of Systems integration of SV design to overall space systems architecture, ground segment, operations and on-orbit test

Provide assessment and recommendations to execution schedules and life cycle costs

Oversee requirements verification and validation for Government Customer

Provide inputs and assessment of Contractor risk management and provides actionable recommendations to the chief engineer and program manager

Independently collaborates with Government program office representatives, FFRDC, SETA, and contractor personnel

Qualifications

This is you

Bachelor of Science and eighteen (18) years or more experience; Master's and sixteen (16) years or more experience or an additional 4 years of experience may be used in lieu of Bachelor's degree.

Experience with SV/ Space Payload development, integration, and/or operations of DoD or other Agency (NRO, NSA, NASA, etc.).

Experience leading systems engineering teams focused on integration of complex space and/or ground systems.

Experience applying Systems Engineering principles to the execution of SV and / or payload development, build and I&T

Experience with SV subsystem development and requirements (e.g. power, guidance, command & control, structures, etc...)

Understanding of Risk Management process

Good communication skills to peers and customer leadership

Must have an in-scope security background investigation (T5 or SSBI), adjudicated for SCI eligibility and enrolled in the Continuous Evaluation program (if applicable)

Must be willing to be nominated for access to Sensitive Compartment Information and Special Access Programs and willing to consent to a Polygraph examination

Great additional background and skills

20 years or more of experience with SV development and delivery

Experience with integration & test of payloads onto spacecraft

Familiarity with DoW acquisition processes

Experience as a project/program manager on SV or Spacecraft Bus program/project

Familiarity with ground systems and SV operations

Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.