Job Description

Senior Systems Engineer – Space & Defense Electronics

Location: Fairfax, VA or Concord, NH (Onsite)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Senior Principal Systems Engineer

About This Opportunity

Our firm has been engaged to recruit a highly capable Senior Systems Engineer on behalf of a leading developer of advanced space and defense electronic systems. This organization supports mission-critical programs for the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and civil space agencies.

The company is recognized for engineering excellence, disciplined product development, and a collaborative culture that drives innovation. Their teams design and deliver high-performance, radiation-hardened electronic solutions that enable complex missions in the most demanding operational environments.

We are seeking a talented, self-motivated Senior Systems Engineer with a proven track record of leading technical teams to develop and deliver complex products on time and within budget.

This role provides systems engineering leadership across R&D and product development programs and contributes directly to technology roadmaps and strategic business initiatives. The Senior Systems Engineer will collaborate closely with program managers and project engineers to ensure successful execution, guiding teams through a holistic, structured systems engineering approach.

The ideal candidate will combine deep technical expertise with broad cross-disciplinary understanding, enabling them to address complex challenges spanning mechanical, electrical, software, and firmware domains. This position requires strong technical judgment, forward-thinking problem solving, and the ability to operate autonomously with high-level objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in the development of advanced multi-function RF, processing, networking, and data storage systems for space applications

• Own the systems engineering process for assigned programs, ensuring proper analysis, trade studies, technical baseline management, and verification/validation activities

• Partner with program management to support planning and execution within defined cost and schedule constraints

• Serve as the primary technical representative and point of contact for assigned programs

• Prepare for and present at major design reviews, including internal leadership and external customer reviews

• Provide technical expertise in planning for internal R&D initiatives and new product development

• Support proposal development and new business capture efforts

• Travel or work on-site as needed to support program requirements

• Perform additional duties as required to support organizational objectives

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics)

• 6+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 4+ years with a Master’s degree

• Demonstrated experience as a technical project lead

• Recognized expertise in one or more engineering or scientific disciplines

• Ability to work effectively across multiple technical domains and engineering disciplines

• Strong proficiency in applying systems engineering methodologies to product design and development

• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through the development of complex electronic systems

• Track record of balancing technical performance objectives with program cost and schedule requirements

• Excellent organizational, leadership, and communication skills

• Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee status)

  Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in a STEM field

  • Experience with space industry product development life cycles

  • Background in high-reliability, high-survivability, or space-environment product design

  • Experience with complex electronics at low levels of integration (PCBAs, mission software, FPGA firmware, etc.)

  • Familiarity with Xilinx devices, including Zynq UltraScale+ or Versal architectures

  • Knowledge of VPX standards (VITA 46 and VITA 65) and embedded hardware implementations

  • Hands-on experience in electronics design, including schematic capture, PCB layout, signal integrity analysis, and mixed-signal design

  • Experience with signal processing and algorithm development

  • Proficiency with engineering tools such as PSpice, LTspice, Altium, SOLIDWORKS, Keysight ADS, MATLAB/Simulink, or MBSE platforms

  • Knowledge of networking protocols and OSI model concepts

  Benefits Overview

  The organization offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, which may include:

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage

  • Basic Life Insurance with AD&D

  • Short- and Long-Term Disability

  • Voluntary benefits (life, accident, critical illness, hospital, pet insurance)

  • Flexible Spending Accounts (HSA, FSA, DCFSA)

  • Paid Time Off and company holidays

  • 401(k) plan with company match

  • Tuition reimbursement programs

  • Parental, maternity, and military leave

  • Eligibility for annual discretionary bonus