Senior/Principal Systems Engineer - Space-based Remote Sensing, Onsite

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas.

Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance

These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Do you have experience in nuclear detonation detection systems and a passion for supporting operational satellite missions as part of a collaborative, dynamic team? We are seeking a motivated Systems Engineer to join our dynamic team for the United States Nuclear Detonation Detection System (USNDS), a Space Force funded program. You will work on antenna systems, satellite communication interfaces, and complex system architectures.

Join us to develop creative solutions to unique national security challenges! The selected candidate may interface externally with the Space Systems Command (SSC) sponsor and collaborate with other government partner organizations on programmatic activities.

On any given day you may be called on to:

• Troubleshoot, analyze, maintain, and repair custom-designed hardware.
• Work with technical leads to track progress, resolve technical issues and support system/subsystem technical reviews.
• Collaborate with the Lead Systems Engineer to define and clarify project requirements, develop project support plan, and acceptance criteria for system and subsystems.
• Perform requirements definition, verification and validation, map and allocate, downlink, definition, Interface Control Document review and management.
• Define acceptance criteria for subsystems and perform technical reviews on project documents.
• Coordinate integration and test activities and provide technical information to internal organizations and the project office.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. This position will require some travel.

Salary

Salary Range: $117,500 – $235,700. Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications

We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to obtain a DOE Q clearance

We Desire

The ideal R&D S&E Systems Engineering candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
• Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Knowledge of RF and digital baseband theory as applied to antenna and digital receiver systems.
• Master's degree in engineering or a closely related field.
• Experience troubleshooting circuit boards to the component level.
• Experience using test and measurement equipment (e.g., spectrum analyzer, oscilloscope, frequency counter).
• Familiarity with the USNDS Program.
• Experience in engineering design, qualification, and production.
• Proven ability to build effective partnerships across customer and organizational boundaries.
• Experience developing and executing formal test processes.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven leadership and a strong commitment to a positive teaming dynamic.
• Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent.

About Our Team

The Space Ground Systems Programs leads the design, development, delivery, and sustainment of the operational ground segment of the United States Nuclear Detonation Detection System (USNDS). USNDS is a space-based remote sensing system designed to meet national security needs for both the war fighter and the treaty monitoring community. The team provides leadership and advanced technical solutions throughout the life cycle of these systems, from inception of new systems to enhancing capability in the operational systems.