Senior Space Systems Engineer - Radar Payload & Large Systems Acquisition

Job ID: 2617234
Location: Chantilly, VA, US
Date Posted: 2026-09-24
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Systems Engineer
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 10% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI_wPoly
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE
Description
SAIC is seeking a seasoned Space Systems Engineer to provide onsite Systems Engineering and Technical Advisory (SETA) support to an SAIC prime program at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in Chantilly, VA. This role supports a System Program Office (SPO) responsible for the planning, acquisition, and oversight of advanced satellite systems that enhance the NRO's space resiliency posture, with a strong emphasis on radar payloads and large space system acquisitions.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of system-level requirements for assigned satellite systems and the design features that satisfy those requirements, with a focus on radar payloads and associated ground processing.
• Support full lifecycle systems engineering activities (requirements, design, integration, test, and operations) to ensure satellite and payload designs meet all specifications and customer requirements.
• Evaluate vendor proposals and review technical reports, design artifacts, CDRL deliverables, and program plans for technical accuracy, sufficiency, and alignment with program objectives and acquisition strategies.
• Prepare and deliver technical documents and briefings to government and industry stakeholders, and participate in technical interchange meetings between government, developers, and contractors.
• Provide systems integration and configuration management oversight for program documentation and baselines, coordinating across multiple engineering and mission divisions in the SPO.
• Serve as a systems engineering liaison within the SPO, ensuring effective communication, coordination, and issue resolution across government and contractor teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline and nine (9) years or more of relevant experience; OR
• Master's degree and seven (7) years or more of relevant experience; OR
• PhD or JD and four (4) years or more of relevant experience; OR
• In lieu of a degree, thirteen (13) years or more of directly related space systems engineering and large systems acquisition experience.
• Demonstrated experience in systems engineering and systems integration for space or satellite systems.
• Experience applying systems engineering processes, methods, and tools to develop, implement, and deploy solutions for satellite systems.
• Hands-on experience with space radar payload design, development, manufacturing, and testing.
• Experience with radar system design, operations, and data processing.
• Notable experience supporting or executing large systems acquisition programs within the DoD or Intelligence Community.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare and present technical material to senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to be effective in a government/contractor team environment, including coordination and customer engagement.
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and to execute tasks with minimal guidance.

Clearance Requirements:

• Active TS/SCI clearance with ability to obtain and maintain any required agency-specific accesses for the NRO.
• U.S. citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience supporting NRO, NGA, or other Intelligence Community space or ground programs.
• Experience with space resiliency architectures, contested space scenarios, and mission assurance for national security space systems.
• Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and practices (e.g., SysML, Cameo, Rhapsody).
• Experience with configuration management tools and processes in a large acquisition environment.
• Prior SETA, FFRDC, or government civilian experience supporting major space acquisition programs.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work onsite in a secure government facility in Chantilly, VA, including sitting for extended periods while using a computer and participating in meetings.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 15 pounds of documents or equipment occasionally.
• Ability to travel occasionally for program reviews, technical interchange meetings, or stakeholder engagements as required.

2026.10.2
Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.
SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's approximately 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see .