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.