Staff Engineer Systems - SEIT Lead - 19008

About the role

The Flight Systems Futures operating unit within Strategic Deterrent Systems is seeking highly motivated Staff Engineer talent to join a team at the forefront of next-generation hypersonic capabilities. Our team focuses on the design, development, and demonstration of hypersonic re-entry vehicles and advanced payloads, with an emphasis on rapid development and prototyping aligned to specific customer missions.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, decomposition, and management of system and subsystem requirements for hypersonic vehicles and associated ground systems.
• Develop and maintain system architecture, interfaces, and configuration baselines, ensuring alignment with mission and customer needs.
• Ensure requirements are clear, testable, and properly flowed down to design, analysis, and supplier teams.
• Develop and maintain the SEIT plan covering requirements, interfaces, integration, verification, validation, and configuration control.
• Care for SE, integration, and test activities across IPTs and suppliers; ensure technical products and milestones are synchronized.
• Own the integration strategy and sequencing for major subsystems (structures, aerothermal/TPS, propulsion, GNC, avionics, ordnance, GSE).
• Define and control interface requirements (mechanical, thermal, electrical, data, environmental); drive resolution of interface issues.
• Develop the Verification & Validation approach and Verification Cross-Reference Matrix (VCRM/VCM), mapping requirements to analysis, test, inspection, and demonstration.
• Plan and support integration and test activities (component, subsystem, system, and flight test) to achieve requirements verification and mission validation.
• Ensure verification evidence is captured, reviewed, and traceable for internal and customer reviews.
• Lead cross-functional trade studies on system performance, requirements allocations, and design/options (mass, cost, risk, schedule).
• Identify technical risks and opportunities; maintain SEIT risk registers and drive mitigation/closure plans.
• Provide clear technical status, issues, and recommendations to IPT, Chief Engineer, and Program Management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with 12 years of experience; or Master's degree with 10 years of experience; or PhD with 8 years of experience.
• Active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope, with an ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) approval within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the company to meet its business need.
• 7+ years of experience in systems engineering for mission critical or defense work with an emphasis in hardware or software.
• 7+ years experience in full lifecycle work (concept, development, verification, sustainment).
• 5+ years experience with MBSE tools (Rhapsody, Cameo, SysML, etc) and the ability to develop and maintain system models.
• 5+ years experience in writing, managing, and tracing complex requirements (e.g., using DOORS).
• 5+ years experience defining verification plans, test procedures, and executing system level verification activities.
• Experience in creating and governing Interface Control Documents (ICD) for hardware, software, and external system interfaces.
• Experience with common engineering standards (CMMI, DO178C, MILSTD498, NQA1) and safety critical development practices.
• Basic proficiency in Python or MATLAB for data analysis and test automation (not a primary development role).
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to produce clear technical documentation and present to senior leadership and customers.