Systems Engineer

Systems Engineer - Senior / Expert Level

Clearance Requirement:

TS/SCI clearance, or the ability to obtain SCI eligibility and successfully pass a polygraph

Experience:

12+ years for Senior-Level; 18+ years for Expert-Level

Education:

Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant STEM field, or equivalent additional experience as specified below

About Our Client

Our client is seeking experienced Senior- and Expert-Level Systems Engineers to support complex engineering initiatives across national geospatial intelligence, allied geospatial intelligence, and federal government environments.

These professionals will contribute to the design, development, integration, assessment, and enhancement of mission-critical systems and capabilities to ensure the timely, accurate, reliable, and secure delivery of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT).

The ideal candidates will bring extensive systems engineering experience, a strong understanding of the intelligence community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) environments, and the ability to translate complex mission needs into actionable technical requirements and integrated engineering solutions.

Candidates at the Expert level will additionally provide strategic technical guidance, support the integration of major systems acquisitions across organizational boundaries, and oversee the work of engineering teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Systems Engineering Leadership: Lead or guide multidisciplinary engineering teams in requirements engineering, solution development, system scheduling, reliability, resiliency, service development, integration, testing and evaluation, maintainability, and technical analysis.
• Requirements Engineering and Analysis: Capture, analyze, document, validate, and trace user, mission, and customer requirements. Translate operational needs into system-level and capability requirements, engineering specifications, and implementable solutions.
• Systems Architecture and Traceability: Analyze and allocate requirements across system architectures, architectural components, interfaces, and executing programs. Maintain traceability between mission objectives, requirements, system designs, and implementation activities.
• Solution Design and Technical Evaluation: Develop, assess, and recommend engineering solutions based on mission requirements, architectural constraints, emerging technologies, and operational needs. Advise government stakeholders on proposed design changes and their technical implications.
• Systems Integration: Plan and execute systems integration activities involving multiple systems, services, processes, and interfaces. Support interoperability across complex system-of-systems environments, including cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid infrastructures.
• Technical Planning and Engineering Management: Support strategic technical planning, project management, scheduling, performance engineering, interface design, risk management, reliability, resiliency, and system lifecycle activities.
• Analysis of Alternatives and Trade Studies: Lead or conduct Analysis of Alternatives (AoAs), Courses of Action (CoAs), trade studies, engineering assessments, and technical evaluations to identify effective solutions and inform government decision-making.
• Cloud and Service-Oriented Architecture: Evaluate cloud service capabilities, workflow constraints, scheduling limitations, system dependencies, and architectural considerations to identify opportunities for system improvement and modernization.
• Process Improvement and Automation: Identify existing system limitations, technical challenges, and process inefficiencies. Recommend approaches to automate workflows, improve system performance, and enhance mission capabilities.
• Testing, Evaluation, and Maintainability: Support test planning, integration testing, evaluation, performance analysis, reliability assessments, and maintainability reviews throughout the systems engineering lifecycle.
• Government and Mission Support: Provide technical advice and engineering recommendations to government stakeholders concerning mission objectives, strategic vision, technical roadmaps, operational requirements, and capability development.
• Cross-Organizational Integration: Support the integration of complex systems and major systems acquisitions across organizational, agency, departmental, and national boundaries, ensuring alignment with mission requirements and enterprise architectures.
• Technical Team Guidance: Guide mid-level and junior-level Systems Engineers in requirements analysis, solution design, integration, technical assessments, and engineering best practices.
• Expert-Level Technical Oversight: For Expert-Level positions, oversee and coordinate the work of Senior-, Mid-, and Junior-Level Systems Engineers while advising government stakeholders on enterprise-wide technical strategy, engineering priorities, and complex integration challenges.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree or higher in Systems Engineering or a related technical or scientific field, such as Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Operations Research, Engineering Management, Computer Science, Information Technology, or Management Information Systems. Candidates without a degree may qualify with four additional years of relevant experience; candidates with a non-STEM degree may qualify with two additional years of relevant experience, subject to applicable contract requirements.
• Relevant Professional Experience:

+ Senior-Level: 12+ years of relevant experience in government or industry.

+ Expert-Level: 18+ years of relevant experience in government or industry.

• Systems Engineering Background: Demonstrated experience in one or more relevant areas, including DoD/IC acquisition processes, requirements management, Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBES), or systems engineering for large, complex system-of-systems or service-oriented architecture environments.
• Systems Engineering Lifecycle: Strong understanding of the systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements development, architecture, design, integration, verification, validation, testing, evaluation, and sustainment.
• Intelligence Community Experience: Previous experience supporting National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and/or National System for Geospatial-Intelligence (NSG) or Allied System for Geospatial-Intelligence (ASG) programs or projects.
• Enterprise Knowledge: Demonstrated knowledge of the NSG/ASG and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) enterprise environments.
• Government Program Experience: Previous experience supporting Intelligence Community (IC) or Department of Defense (DoD) programs and projects.
• Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI clearance or the ability to obtain SCI eligibility and successfully pass a polygraph, as permitted by the applicable program requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in Systems Engineering or a related STEM discipline.
• Working knowledge of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), including relevant processes, tools, and modeling languages.
• Familiarity with Digital Engineering methodologies, processes, and tools.
• Knowledge of software development frameworks and associated engineering practices.
• Relevant INCOSE certification:

+ Senior-Level: Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP).

+ Expert-Level: Expert Systems Engineering Professional (ESEP).

• Professional engineering licensure.
• Documented experience in geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) and related mission environments.
• Experience engineering, integrating, or modernizing solutions using cloud-based technologies.
• Experience developing or engineering solutions that leverage structured and unstructured big data.
• Experience with automation, augmentation, and artificial intelligence technologies.
• Expertise in one or more of the following disciplines:

+ Photogrammetry

+ Remote sensing

+ Image science

+ Information sciences

+ Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

+ Geomatics

+ Related geospatial or technical disciplines

• Membership or leadership participation in relevant professional organizations, such as ACSM, ASCE, ASPRS, OGC, SAREM, or USGIF.

Senior-Level and Expert-Level Expectations

Senior-Level Systems Engineer - 12+ Years

The Senior-Level Systems Engineer guides mid-level and junior engineers, performs systems integration, conducts technical assessments and trade studies, develops engineering solutions, and supports government stakeholders in requirements management, architecture, project planning, and risk management.

The role focuses on integrating multiple systems, services, processes, and interfaces within major systems acquisition environments.

Expert-Level Systems Engineer - 18+ Years

The Expert-Level Systems Engineer provides advanced technical leadership across complex, multidisciplinary engineering initiatives.

In addition to the Senior-Level responsibilities, this position supports government leadership in enterprise-wide engineering strategy, directs or assists with complex acquisition and integration efforts, leads major technical assessments, advises on emerging technologies and mission capabilities, and oversees the work of engineering teams across multiple organizational and government boundaries.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will combine extensive systems engineering expertise with demonstrated experience supporting national security, intelligence community, or defense programs. They will be capable of translating mission requirements into technical solutions, evaluating complex architectures, coordinating systems integration, and advising government stakeholders on engineering strategy.

Candidates with GEOINT expertise, cloud and digital engineering experience, MBSE knowledge, and a strong record of technical leadership will be particularly competitive.