Our client is a leading developer of laser and electro-optic systems for the aerospace community, with key contributions to lasers for atmospheric sensing, laser communications, and lidar sensors for NASA, DoD, and other aerospace customers. They are looking for an experienced Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer to join their R&D team in Herndon, Virginia.

As the Lead Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer, you will lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in the development, assembly, and test of spaceflight or airborne hardware systems. This requires a working knowledge of development processes, performance and environmental testing, and systems integration. You will identify and lead the mitigation of program technical risks and manage the definition and documentation of program interfaces. You will develop rigorous systems engineering processes from the ground up. Strong leadership and communication skills are required to lead a multidisciplinary engineering team from project formulation through final flight hardware delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Work in cross-functional teams with program managers, scientists, and engineers to develop new technologies and laser systems for military and space applications
System level oversight of product development including review and approval of system and subsystem requirements, decomposition of requirements and allocation to system, subsystem, and component levels
Reduce customer specifications and technical governing documents into design and test requirements, track compliance and verification through design, assembly, integration, and test completion
Manage requirements baselines including traceability between system, subsystem, and component specifications through a formal requirements management process
Lead development of internal and external interfaces through a formal interface management process
Perform technology assessments and trade studies
Conduct risk assessments and analyses
Lead investigations and develop solutions to technical problems
Lead the development of test processes, test equipment designs, test configurations, and systems integration
Design and support the execution of system and subsystem verification testing
Support bid and proposal efforts and assist in the development of new business

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or optics, with a master's degree preferred
A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience with a preference for prior experience developing systems for military or space applications
Experience in Systems Engineering with an emphasis on requirements development, test planning, test documentation, and systems integration, verification, and validation
Experience developing and managing system and subsystem requirements flowdown
Demonstrated ability to lead the implementation of systems engineering best practices and tools from the ground up
Experience with systems engineering and requirements management software tools including model-based systems engineering (MBSE)
Ability to effectively communicate technical results and report problems through written and/or graphical formats
Experience with space-based and/or electro-optical hardware is a plus
U.S. citizenship is required
Hold or can acquire a Secret or Top-Secret Clearance preferred

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