Assembly, Integration, & Test (AI&T) Systems Engineer

About the role

Join a mission‑driven satellite program at the forefront of national defense innovation. The AI&T Systems Engineer provides embedded support within the Government program office to guide concept development, verification, and deployment of a critical space system, bridging the gap between system design and system deployment.

Location: Chantilly, VA, US. Schedule: Full‑Time, Day shift. Travel: Up to 10% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Provide Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) to Government Program Managers and Directors for accelerated space acquisition, mission development, contractor oversight, and enterprise‑level program execution.
• Oversee rapid assembly, integration, test, launch, and operational readiness of a major satellite system.
• Oversee contractor AI&T activities to ensure technical, cost, schedule, mission assurance, and performance objectives are achieved.
• Lead and support Engineering Review Boards (ERBs), contractor technical reviews, anomaly resolution, risk mitigation, rapid issue closure, and mission readiness.
• Support creation and execution of acquisition plans for the system’s AI&T infrastructure and provide technical and programmatic assessments of contractor designs at major milestone reviews.
• Participate in acquisition and program management activities including Statement of Work (SOW) reviews, requirements development and updates, technical evaluations, milestone payment reviews, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) assessments, and requirements verification and sell‑off.
• Interface daily with Government leadership and contractors, providing programmatic recommendations and status updates.
• Participate in major program reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, operational readiness reviews) to assess technical maturity, integration progress, mission readiness, and contractor performance.
• Develop and review system requirements, interface documentation, CONOPS products, risk assessments, compliance documentation, and technical evaluation packages.
• Provide technical oversight and mission assurance support for spacecraft and payload systems, including root‑cause investigations, corrective actions, and operational planning during integration, test, and mission phases.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with five (5) or more years of experience, or Master’s degree with three (3) or more years of experience.
• Experience providing systems engineering support and technical guidance in the acquisition, development, and deployment of satellite systems.
• Excellent interpersonal, team‑building, and problem‑solving skills; ability to work effectively in a government/contractor team environment.
• Ability to work in a very dynamic environment and interact with numerous DoD, military/civilian personnel, and industry partners.
• Ability to facilitate technical discussions with SMEs and communicate with senior decision‑makers of varying technical expertise.
• Effective communication, coordination, and customer‑engagement skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced, dynamic team environment.
• TS/SCI clearance required; ability to obtain TS/SCI if not already held.
• Previous SAP experience desired.

Pay

Target salary range: $120,001 – $160,000 (based on experience and other factors).

Schedule

Full‑Time, Day shift.