Chief Engineer

Title:
Chief Engineer

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

KBR's National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country's most critical role - protecting our national security.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR's work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.

• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.

• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

KBR is seeking a technical lead to serve as the Chief Engineer for the Hybrid Architecture and Development for Experimental Systems (HADES) program in support of Space System Command Innovation and Prototyping Delta (SSC/SZI).

This position is contingent upon contract award

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior technical advisor to the Program Manager and Government leadership, responsible for technical baseline ownership, engineering direction, and system architecture decisions across all HADES task orders.
• Establish and oversee the process execution baseline delivering integrated systems engineering solutions that preserve baseline integrity.
• Lead all systems engineering activities, including requirements development, CONOPS/CONEMP refinement, system architecture definition, interface control, verification and validation planning, and technical milestone execution.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce the Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP), ensuring consistent processes for configuration management, risk management, change control, and technical reviews.
• Provide technical leadership for ground system design, development, integration, testing, deployment, sustainment, and decommission/transfer activities.
• Oversee engineering support to prototype and operational satellite operations centers (SOCs), including command and control, mission-unique software integration, payload support, and test activities.
• Identify system-level risks, technical issues, and dependencies; lead root-cause assessments and corrective action implementation.
• Support accreditation and cybersecurity compliance activities (RMF, ATO/ATC/IATT) in partnership with ISSM/ISSE staff; ensure all engineering changes adhere to IA requirements.
• Ensure external system interfaces are properly defined, documented, and verified, including interfaces with mission partners, space vehicles, contractor-developed software, and cloud environments.
• Lead engineering Change Requests, Engineering Review Boards (ERBs), Configuration Control Boards (CCBs), and Pre-Execution Reviews (PERs). Work with the Government customer in support of these activities.
• Support facility and network engineering requirements, including power, HVAC, communications, and physical infrastructure needs tied to ground system operations.
• Provide technical oversight for sustainment activities, including EOL/EOS tracking, hardware recapitalization planning, preventive maintenance inputs, and backup/restore strategies.
• Ensure all engineering artifacts, drawings, documents, and baselines remain accurate and current in accordance with Government-defined configuration management requirements.
• Coordinate daily with Government stakeholders, space vehicle contractors, associate contractors, FFRDCs, and mission partners.
• Represent KBR at technical interchange meetings, program reviews, design reviews, readiness events, audits, and technical working groups. Advise the Government leads across these activities.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance to engineering teams across disciplines including software, systems, cybersecurity, facilities, and logistics.

Required Qualifications

• Active DoD TS/SCI, SAP Eligible clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or related STEM discipline.
• 15+ years of systems engineering experience supporting space, ground systems, command and control, or mission operations environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading system architecture and CONOPS development.
• Experience with requirements management, integration and test (I&T), verification and validation (V&V), and cybersecurity-driven engineering.
• Experience leading multi-contractor technical integration environments.
• Strong understanding of satellite ground systems, SOC operations, mission-unique software, RMF/ATO processes, and configuration management.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, documentation, and technical leadership skills.
• Ability to work in secure, high-tempo, multi-disciplinary engineering environments.

Desired Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or related technical field.
• INCOSE CSEP/ASEP or equivalent systems engineering certification.
• Experience with SSC/SZI, SDG, SDX, or other Space Force ground system organizations.
• Experience with cloud-based architectures, digital engineering, modeling and simulation, or DevSecOps pipelines.
• Experience with Atlassian tools.
• Familiarity with facility engineering requirements supporting secure ground system operations.
• Experience with DMSMS/obsolescence management and logistics sustainment planning.

Work Environment

• Location: Albuquerque, NM (Kirtland AFB - Government site)

• Travel: 0-20%

• Working Hours: Standard; additional hours as needed to support mission activities

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're excited about making a significant impact in the field of space defense and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let's shape the future together

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team's philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver - Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.