Senior Systems Engineer

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With more than 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the U.S. and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA strives to be a value-added Objective, Responsive, and Trusted partner and premier provider.

The Space and Intelligence (S&I) Division provides engineering services and analytic support to the Air Force, Space Force, Combatant Commands, the Intelligence Community, and NASA. Our work includes systems engineering and integration, test planning and execution, cost estimating and analysis, developing approaches and concepts to meet emerging, high priority National Defense needs, and assessing and developing cutting-edge computer-based solutions, advanced technologies and progressive capabilities to meet those needs.

The S&I Division comprises the Intelligence Programs Group (IPG), the Space Systems Group (SSG), and the Strategic Technology Analysis Group (STAG), which collectively provide outstanding support to help their customers achieve our nation’s most critical objectives and goals designed to protect the safety and livelihoods of all U.S. Citizens and military forces at home and abroad.

SPA has an immediate need for a number of highly qualified Systems Engineers at multiple levels of seniority to support our new U.S. Space Force, Space Systems Command Hemisphere contract in the Colorado Springs, CO and El Segundo, CA areas and selected other workplaces in the continental United States.

Travel is not anticipated but would occur less than five percent of the time on an occasional and irregular basis and be limited to domestic locations only. 

Systems Engineers assist in leading engineering teams in taking a multi-discipline approach to requirements engineering, solutions engineering, scheduling, reliability, resiliency, services development, integration, test and evaluation, maintainability, and analysis.  They work with technical experts to design systems and advanced system capabilities. The systems engineers that we are seeking for this important opportunity will help enable advanced capabilities and proactive protective understanding of how our family of space-based assets and programs operate, interact, and serve our highest priority national defense. Objectives include:

• Configuration Managers that are:
  • Knowledgeable in U.S. Air Force records management
  • Able to process, receive, track, coordinate, and store large volumes of program critical information
  • Able to coordinate and organize multiple geographically-separated team members
  • Able to manage taskers
  • Highly knowledgeable of USSF/SSC and HHQ staffing process
  • Skilled in Platform 1, Jira, Confluence
  • Able to compile inputs for Configuration Control Boards (CCBs)
• Data Engineers that are:
  • Able to analyze data, develop or improve algorithms and use data visualization tools
  • Knowledgeable in Design of Experiments to develop performance characterizations
  • Experienced in developing test and characterization plans for suites of instrumentation
• Digital Environment Managers that are:
  • Experienced in analyzing and evaluating current events and providing recommendations on DevSecOps and Hybrid Cloud Architectures
  • Able to manage Digital Engineering Ecosystems on a SAP/SAR level
  • Knowledgeable in DoD and IC security processes and procedures
  • Experts in classified systems data handling and operational level support
  • Certified PMPs
  • Preferred to have DevSecOps and Cloud Architecture advanced training or relevant certifications
• Knowledge Managers that are:
  • Experienced with MS SharePoint site creation and management of data storage
  • Competent at the SCRUM Master level using Jira and Confluence
  • Experienced managing Atlassian Jir User Groups and project roles
  • Experienced building and configuring Jira workflows and dashboards
• Lifecycle Planners that are:
  • Experienced in planning, developing, implementing, and managing comprehensive, affordable and effective system support strategies across entire system lifecycles
  • Knowledgeable in the generation of data pertaining to Reliability, Availabiliity, and Maintainability (RAM)
  • Familiar with corrosion control plans in accordance with DoD Instructions
• Modeling & Simulation (M&S) Engineers that are:
  • Experienced in providing modeling and simulation support
  • Versed with engineering and technical expertise for modeling, simulation, and analysis for space defense efforts, e.g., Assessment of national Space Control Capabilties (ANSCC), Space Production Program (SPP), Space Situational Awareness (SSA), etc.
  • Versed with Executive Agent for Space Systems (EASS) expertise in modeling, simulation and study activities
  • Versed with expertise in performing and implementing National-level studies
  • Versed with expertise in leading Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) and Concept of Operations (CONOPS) types of studies
• Requirements Engineers that are:
  • Familiar with the JCIDS process
  • Able to consolidate requirements between multiple test customers to meet the needs of current and future customers.
• Systems Engineers that are:
  • Experienced in providing M&S support
  • Able to support ANSCC, SPP, SSA, EASS and other National-level and Joint-level studies and analyses
  • Experts in performing and implementing National-level studies
  • Versed with expertise in leading Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) and Concept of Operations (CONOPS) types of studies
  • Highly knowledgeable in design and development of entire space systems and associated components
  • Highly knowledgeable in multiple space operations and space control-related fields, e.g., orbitology, navigation, sensor employment, communications, optimization, and Command and Control (C2)
  • Highly knowledgeable in analyzing data sources and space system management
  • Able to process, track, coordinate and store large volumens of program critical information
  • Able to lead, manage, and execute internal projects and to create and update analysis tool suites
  • Able to develop Courses of Action (CoAs) for capabilities improvements and software inferfaces for data analysis
  • Knowledgeable in classified space control systems engineering processes and procedures, e.g., requirements development, configuration control, and government Deficiency Review (DR) board establishment and DR disposition and management
  • Able to organize and conduct ACAT-like technical design reviews and audits and T&E planning and execution for developmental and operational test activities
  • Experienced in one or more Space Control; Network Integration; RF engineering; Computer Science; Electronic Warfare; or Systems Engineering
  • Knowledgeable in Model-Base Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and techniques as applicable to requirements refinement, archticture design, and verificaitoin and validation
  • Able to interface with the cyber and DoD IC
  • Able to organize and conduct technical design reviews and audits.

Duties include: Assisting the U.S. Space Force (USSF), Space Systems Command (SSC) Space Domain Awareness & Combat Power (SDA&CP) and the USSF SSC Battle Management Command, Control & Communications (BMC3) organizations in:

• Developing requirements, engineering solutions, production facilities, supply chain processes; launch processes, satellite operation and communication systems, and system controls.
• Supporting acquisition budgeting, scheduling, reliability maintainability and availability, resiliency, functional integration, test and evaluation, and configuration control and change management.
• Performing independent verification and validation; analyses of alternatives, make vs. buy analyses, quality assurance, information assurance, risk management, opportunity exploitation, technology maturity assessments,  analysis; Cost-Benefit Analyses, Failure, Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analyses, System Safety Assessments, and Interface Control Assessments.
• Conducting design maturity assessment reviews, e.g., Technical Maturity Reviews, Design Feasibility Reviews, System Requirements Reviews, System Safety Reviews, Preliminary Design Reviews, Critical Design Reviews, Production Readiness Reviews, Interim Baseline Reviews, Operational Readiness Reviews, Developmental Test & Evaluations, and Operational Test & Evaluation.
• Developing and preparing program acquisition artifacts, e.g., Program Objective Memoranda (POMs), Plan of Actions and Milestones (POA&Ms), Work Breakdown Structures (WBSs), Spend Plans, Systems Engineering Management Plans (SEMPs), Integrated Master Plans (IMPs), Integrated Master Schedules (IMSs), Quality Assurance Plans (QAPs), Configuration Management Plans (CMPs), Risk Management Plans (RMPs), Technical Program Baselines (TBPs), Requirements Traceability Verifications Matrices (RTVMs), and Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Conducting planning, analysis/traceability of user requirements, architectures traceability, procedures, and problems to automate or improve existing systems and review cloud service capabilities, workflow, and scheduling limitations.
• Advising on proposed changes to the solutions designs based on analysis of requirements and new technology.
• Contributing to the capture and translation of mission and customer requirements/needs into systems/capability requirements and solutions.
• Supporting the analyses and allocation of requirements to systems architecture components and executing programs.
• Supporting strategic technical planning, project management, performance engineering, risk management and interface design.
• Providing expert advice to the Government in the areas of relating vision, strategy, plans, needs, requirements, and process and capability developments.
• Operating at the level of integrating multiple Major Systems Acquisitions across organizational, agency, department, and governmental/national boundaries.

Required:

• All Applicants:
  • Active TS/SCI clearance or TS/SCI Eligible status
  • U.S. Citizens only
  • Earned technical degrees in Systems Engineering or in related technical or scientific fields such as engineering, physics, mathematics, operations research, engineering management, Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or related STEM degree program (or equivalent)
  • Working experience in government or industry in relevant work areas including: DoD/IC Acquisition Process, Requirements Process, PPBES Process or system engineering of large complex System of Systems or Service Oriented Architecture/Cloud environments
  • Experience with and strong understanding of systems engineering lifecycle.
• For SME level applicants:
  • Masters degree or above (or 20+ years plus a B.S. degree; or 25+ years plus an A.A. or A.S. degree)
  • At least 15 years of relevant experience in senior/executive level support and in serving in technical and programmatic advisory capacities
  • Domain expertise in all relevant technical and programmatic tools, techniques and processes
  • PMP, ESEP certifications
• For Senior-Level applicants
  • Masters degree (or 15+ years plus a Bachelors degree; or 20+ years plus an A.A. or A..S. degree))
  • 10-15 years of relevant experience in designing and qualifying technical and programmatic services, processes and products
  • Ability to work independently with all relevant technical and programmatic tools, techniques, and processes
  • PMP and CSEP certifications

Desired:

• Specific work experience in the design, development and operation of space-based systems
• Multiple completed training modules or completed coursework in relevant STEM technical areas
• Familiarity with U.S. Air Force and USSF acquisition policies, protocols, practices, procedures, and processes
• Familiarity with DoD Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System (PPBES) processes and procedures 
• Familiarity with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and the Defense FAR Supplement (DFARSUP) policies, practices and procedures

At SPA, we strive to deliver a robust total compensation package that will attract and retain top talent.  Elements of the compensation package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.  

SPA provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.  

The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, etc.

Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only. Salaries are commensurate with experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. Pay Transparency Range: 180k-250k.