Systems Engineer Senior Staff

Job Description
The coolest jobs on this planet… or any other… are with Lockheed Martin Space
Overview
At the dawn of a new space age, Lockheed Martin is a pioneer, partner, innovator and builder. Our amazing people are on a mission to make a difference in the world and every day we use our unique skills and experiences to create, design and build solutions to some of the worlds' hardest engineering problems. Our culture encourages employees to dream big, perform with excellence and create incredible products. We provide the resources, inspiration and focus and if you have the passion and courage to dream big, we want to build a better tomorrow with you.

Going to space is just the beginning. It's what you do when you get there that matters. Lockheed Martin builds the satellites and spacecraft that do amazing things in space for government and commercial customers. Connecting people. Advancing discovery. And protecting what matters most. Lockheed Martin-built satellites give earlier warning of severe weather, connect troops on the battlefield, and deliver GPS directions to a billion people worldwide.

Lockheed Martin is looking for a dedicated Systems Engineer to join the team in Waterton, Colorado supporting Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture programs.

As the Responsible Systems Engineer (RSE) within the SEIT team at the Waterton, CO campus, you will oversee satellite bus and payload integration, development, and delivery for the Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. This role requires technical leadership in satellite systems design, qualification, and deployment to enable advanced missile tracking capabilities using infrared sensors on a constellation of over 18 space vehicles operating in Low Earth Orbit. The lead will coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, ensure interoperability across the PWSA layers, and support satellite production timelines to meet launch and operational milestones.

What does this role look like?

• Oversee all Space Vehicle performance and integration activities, including support to all satellite testing, culminating in final certification of the satellite for launch
• Oversee Subsystem RSEs and Component CPEs for hardware, software, and databases to ensure compliance with the spacecraft technical baseline
• Oversee the development and verification of Space Vehicle requirements
• Own Space Vehicle product certification
• Lead Space Vehicle-level Material Review Board (MRB) and Failure Review Board (FRB) investigations
• Lead failure analysis to provide root cause determination and corrective action
• Participate in development and execution of critical development program landmark reviews but not limited to SRR/SDR, PDR, CDR, TRRs/TERs, and MSCSR/PMSR
• Identify key program risks with actionable mitigation strategies
• Work closely with guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), communications, IR mission payload, Bus, and ground system teams to ensure mission performance margins are maintained
• Coordinate with Chief Systems Engineer (CSE) and government counterpart to ensure compliance with SDA standards, cybersecurity requirements, digital engineering workflows, and integration test environment
• Guide technical planning for environmental test campaigns, spacecraft-level test, and calibration/commissioning procedures
• Train and mentor Space Vehicle RSE Delegates for multiple subsystems to support system and subsystem requirement verification board
• Travel occasionally as needed to achieve program goals

Desired Skills

• Deep understanding of Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations or missile warning/tracking satellite systems, and mission data processing chains
• Familiarity with interoperability standards across multi-vendor satellite systems
• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) with 10 years minimum of professional experience in satellite system architecture
• Familiarity with Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture and Tranche 1/2 tracking or transport layers
• Background in electro-optical payload architecture, focal plane technology, cryocoolers, missile defense systems, hypersonic threat tracking, or related space surveillance technologies
• Experience with production ramp-up, satellite qualification, and launch integration for large-scale constellations
• Experience developing or evaluating tracking algorithms, onboard processing, and low-latency tactical data links and satellite communication waveforms (Link 16, S-band)
• Strong skills in spacecraft system verification, calibration processes, and ground system operations integration
• Prior experience working on multi-vendor, spiral development contracts in highly classified or secure environments
• Familiarity with optical communication terminals (OCTs) and maintaining optical inter-satellite links (OISL)
• Active TS/SCI security clearance

Other Important Information
By applying to this job, you are expressing interest in this position and could be considered for other career opportunities where similar skills and requirements have been identified as a match. Should this match be identified you may be contacted for this and future openings.

Ability to work remotely
Onsite Full-time: The work associated with this position will be performed onsite at a designated Lockheed Martin facility.