Spacecraft Systems Engineer

*Active Top Secret Clearance required for consideration to this role*

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Spacecraft Systems Engineer to support to the US Space Force (USSF) in engineering development and integration expertise to defend and protect the Nation's most valuable space assets. This position is ONSITE - located in El Segundo, CA.

Responsibilities:

• Provide Systems Engineering expertise across the entire system lifecycle from concept development to operations and sustainment for cloud-based, USSF Satellite Operations Centers (SOCs) and emerging, state of the art ground-to-satellite communication technologies (e.g., laser optical communication, phased array antennas, advanced modulation techniques).
• Provide technical oversight of development efforts (i.e., design, development, manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, production and sustainment) whether they are traditional acquisition methods (e.g., waterfall, spiral) or agile/prototype.
• Develop operational concepts, requirements, architectural designs, and network diagrams; evolve system architectures; conduct and analyze requirements flow down; and propose and implement verification methodologies.
• Oversee risk management processes and methods for identifying and adjudicating program risk; conduct analyses to identify program risk areas and recommend/implement risk reduction measures.
• Coordinate with U.S. Government and commercial providers to establish and integrate communications between SOCs, Satellite Communication (SATCOM) Ground Entry Points, and cloud infrastructure.
• Ensure network and system solutions meet DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) requirements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree and nine (9) years or more experience, Masters degree and seven (7) years experience, or PhD and four (4) years experience in an engineering or equivalent technical discipline.
• Experience with the following:
  • Leading combined hardware/software and/or ground integration activities.
  • Systems and Systems-of-Systems Architecting.
  • Network and communications systems design, building, and testing.
  • Architecting and/or implementing cloud-based solutions and cloud architectures (e.g., Ground Segment as a Service, Antenna as a Service).
  • Agile and/or DevSecOps development processes.
• Must have an in-scope security background investigation (T5 or SSBI), adjudicated for SCI eligibility and enrolled in the Continuous Evaluation program (if applicable).
• Must be willing to be nominated for access to Sensitive Compartment Information and Special Access Programs and willing to consent to a Polygraph examination

Compensation Includes:

• $160,000 - $200,000 *Depending on Experience*
• Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, Paid Holidays, Sick Leave if Required by Law

This job opens for applications on 10/15/25. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date

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Keywords: Space Force, USSF, ground systems engineer, air force, united states air force, DoD, top secret, DevOps, satellite, satellite operations, space systems command, space domain awareness, combat power, california, el segundo, requirements, zero trust, zero-trust, software systems engineering, architecture, Department of defense, continuous integration, CI/CD pipelines, agile, TS/SCI, spacecraft engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering,