Technical Support Engineer - Space Systems

The Technical Support Engineer - Space Systems, Electrical & RF position will provide technical advisory and analytic support to a Government Program Office (GPO) executing research, engineering, prototyping, development and test. Candidate will support the Program Director by providing engineering evaluation, integration, and oversight of technical performance, with emphasis on space systems electrical engineering, electronics, and radio frequency (RF) elements. This position is located in Columbia, Maryland.

The ideal candidate for this position must be motivated and able to work independently or in a small team and have experience in the following areas:

Space systems requirements and technical baseline

• Support decomposition of mission objectives into system/subsystem requirements
• Develop/maintain requirements traceability (mission  system  subsystem  verification) and identify gaps/ambiguities
• Support development/review of technical content for SOO/SOW/PWS, technical specifications, interface requirements, and technical data deliverables
• Support the development/maintenance of a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to surveil contractor performance against contract requirements and deliverables

Architecture, interfaces, and integration (spacecraft/payload/ground)

• Support development/review of system and subsystem architectures: power, avionics, comms/RF, harnessing, command & data handling interfaces as applicable
• Support definition and control of interfaces (ICDs), including RF and electrical interfaces, grounding/bonding, EMI/EMC drivers, and timing/synch considerations where relevant
• Identify cross-segment dependencies (space/ground/user terminals) and integration risks; maintain technical inputs to the integrated dependency tracker

Design review and engineering oversight

• Support planning and execution of technical reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR/TRR and TEMs); agendas, entry/exit criteria, action items, and closure verification
• Review contractor designs and analyses (e.g., link budgets, RF chain analyses, parts selection rationale, reliability and derating approaches, radiation tolerance strategy) for completeness and risk
• Support review of proposed drawings/schematics, board-level design artifacts, harness plans, and assembly/test approaches

RF and communications engineering support

• Support evaluation of RF architecture and performance: link budgets, spectrum considerations, interference susceptibility, modulation/coding/impacts, antenna considerations, and end-to-end performance allocations
• Support assessment of compliance with applicable standards and constraints (e.g., EMI/EMC, frequency coordination requirements, spectrum management artifacts)
• Support RF test planning and results assessment (e.g., antenna patterns, conducted/radiated emissions, RF compatibility, payload calibration/characterization)

Electronics

• Support evaluation of power subsystem concepts (power generation/storage/regulation/distribution), electrical margins, and fault protection
• Support assessment of electronics design robustness; component selection, obsolescence, radiation effect (TID/SEE) approach, parts screening, and workmanship considerations
• Support review of reliability/quality artifacts as provided (e.g., worst-case circuit analysis, derating analysis, quality plans where applicable)

Verification, test, and acceptance support

• Support development/review of verification plans, test plans/procedures, and verification cross-reference matrices
• Support analysis of test results, anomaly/RFB inputs, and corrective action effectiveness; track technical issues to closure
• Support definition of technical acceptance criteria for deliverables and test events

Technical evaluation (pre-award)

• Support creation of technical evaluation guides/compliance matrices and proposal assessment focused on space//EE/RF technical maturity, feasibility, and risk
• Identify discriminators, key risks, and recommended clarifications; draft technical questions for Government use

Technical risk management

• Maintain technical risk register inputs/ likelihood/impact, triggers, mitigation plans, and residual risk assessments
• Provide technical trade studies and decision support: alternatives, pros/cons, recommended path

Deliverables/Outputs examples to be familiar with

• Technical requirements traceability matrix and compliance checklists
• Technical review read-ahead packages, action item trackers, and closure evidence summaries
• RF link budget assessments and performance allocation reviews
• ICD review comments and interface risk summaries
• Verification/test assessment memos; anomaly trending inputs and corrective action tracking
• Technical evaluation worksheets and summary narratives

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of demonstrated experience supporting space systems programs (payload and/or bus; and/or ground/user segment integration)
• Hands-on or directly relevant experience in at least one: electrical engineering, electronics design, RF/comm systems
• Experience supporting technical reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR and test readiness/flight readiness activities)
• Strong technical writing skills and ability to brief technical risk and tradeoffs to mixed technical/non-technical stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies including machine learning, natural language processing, generative AI, and responsible AI
• Experience with Ethical AI Implementation and policy development, such as addressing security and ethical considerations in AI deployment, or contributing to AI risks and mitigations for policy reports
• Familiarity with the applicability of adversarial attacks in real-world AI systems, AI Red Teaming, and identifying vulnerabilities across the AI supply chain
• Willing to travel both CONUS and OCONUS

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related science or engineering field
• Master's degree in a science or engineering field, physics, or other quantitative fields - DESIRED

Clearance requirement:

• Must have a current TS/SCI clearance and be eligible for special program access

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