Senior Systems Engineer – Satellite Ground Systems

Sierra Space

. Contribute to development and implementation of advanced ground system solutions supporting a national missile tracking satellite program .

Posted 10/22/2026full-timeCentennial • Colorado • United StatesSenior💰 $143,700 - $197,609 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, with a strong focus on requirements management, systems architecture, and integration. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage technical risks while ensuring alignment with project objectives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Systems Engineering PrinciplesRequirements ManagementSystems Architecture DevelopmentIntegration And VerificationTop Secret U.S. Security Clearance

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Requirements ParsingFunctional Requirements DerivationSystems IntegrationValidation And Verification (V&V)Ground Systems ArchitectureTest Plan ExecutionAgile MethodologiesDevSecOps MethodologiesConfiguration Management

Soft Skills

Problem-Solving SkillsAttention To DetailCommunication SkillsAdaptability

Tools & Technologies

DOORSCAMEO EARhapsodyMatlabSysML

Certifications & Qualifications

INCOSE Standards Certification

Industry Keywords

Missile TrackingGround System SolutionsCommand And ControlTelemetry ProcessingData ManagementNetwork Infrastructure

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Contribute to development and implementation of advanced ground system solutions supporting a national missile tracking satellite program
Provide alignment, connection, and direction to the technical team throughout a fast-paced development lifecycle
Champion the integrated-system viewpoint during ground system development
Decompose stakeholder requirements, maintain traceability through development artifacts, and perform bottom-up system validation and verification
Shepherd the team through technical development milestones
Track performance measures and identify and retire technical risks
Lead specification, architecting, and integration of complex ground system solutions
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, government stakeholders, and subject matter experts to understand project requirements and objectives
Derive, decompose, allocate, trace, and manage ground system requirements and architectures
Define and document concepts of operation for ground-to-space mission support, including satellite command, control, and missile tracking data delivery
Lead development milestone reviews by creating artifacts and deliverables
Oversee system integration and verification activities to ensure functionality, performance, and operational readiness
Identify and manage technical risks and execute mitigation strategies
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives
Adhere to engineering processes and standards while pragmatically streamlining where appropriate
Communicate proactively with team members, customers, and stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful execution

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in a related field, or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree, or Master's degree plus 8 years of experience
Typically 10+ years of related experience, or Master's degree plus 8 years of experience
Expertise in Systems Engineering principles and practices, including comprehensive understanding of the systems development lifecycle
Progressive experience across the system development lifecycle, including requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation
Progressive experience developing systems architecture and performing systems integration, verification, and validation (V&V) activities
Ability to work and communicate with technical and specialty subject matter expert engineers to drive systems engineering products
Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance
U.S. Citizenship status required
Preferred: Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field
Preferred: Experience with Requirements Management and Model Based Systems Engineering tools and frameworks, such as DOORS, CAMEO EA, Rhapsody, Matlab, and SysML
Preferred: Strong understanding of ground systems architecture, including command and control, telemetry processing, data management, and network infrastructure subsystems
Preferred: Experience architecting and designing ground system solutions, including interface definitions, data flows, and subsystem integration strategies
Preferred: Experience creating, managing, and executing comprehensive ground-system test plans
Preferred: Background in software systems engineering and integration test (SW SEIT)
Preferred: Knowledge of Agile and DevSecOps methodologies
Preferred: Understanding of project management methodologies, risk management, and technical performance tracking
Preferred: Understanding of technical baseline and configuration management
Preferred: Experience leading projects and mentoring junior and mid-level engineers
Preferred: Experience or certification in INCOSE standards
Preferred: Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
Preferred: Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment
Preferred: An active Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental, and vision plans
401(k) with 150% match up to 6%
Life insurance
3 weeks paid time off
Personal and professional development opportunities
Reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities