Sr. Systems Engineer – Control Systems Lead

Are you a bold thinker? We dream big at Sierra Space—leading and advancing the exploration of space, keeping service members safe, and creating the systems that keep our world united and sustain our way of living. Join our team!

Your role as Control Systems sub-IPT Lead will be critical for the Crewed Dream Chaser Spaceplane mission. You will provide leadership to a team of multi-functional engineers and have ownership and accountability over the Control Systems technical baseline, comprising a suite of Command & Data Handling (C&DH) and Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) subsystem hardware that enables successful orbit and atmospheric flight. You will demonstrate ‘systems thinking’ to lead architectural trades and down-select hardware that satisfies functional, performance, environmental, and safety requirements, to ensure mission success.

As a sub-IPT Lead, you will support make vs. buy decisions, manage risks and opportunities, and be responsible for the upfront requirements derivation and allocation to generate component and subsystem-level hardware specifications. You will collaborate closely with industry partners to drive successful development, qualification, and delivery of sub-contracted hardware. You will own all Control Systems hardware throughout its lifecycle, culminating in vehicle-level integration, test, and certification. You will be a contributor to the expansion of human civilization beyond earth!

Sierra Space, based in Louisville, Colorado with operations in Madison, Wisconsin, Durham, North Carolina, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida, designs and manufactures advanced spacecraft, satellites, propulsion and environmental systems, spacecraft subsystems and components for the U.S. government (including NASA), commercial customers and international organizations. Learn more about Sierra Space

Must-haves:

• Bachelors of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline and typically 10+ years of relevant experience.

• Related experience may be considered in lieu of required education

• Practical knowledge of engineering principles and best practices

• Experience working in multi-disciplinary engineering design and development teams

• Excellent Communication Skills

• Knowledge of requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation; systems design, systems integration, technical risk identification and management strategies, and Verification and Validation (V&V) principles

• An ideal candidate will have experience with high performance aircraft, launch vehicle or spacecraft avionics.

• Experience architecting Avionics subsystems (e.g. C&DH)

• Experience architecting Navigation subsystems (on orbit, RPO or EDL/atmospheric flight)

• Working knowledge of digital data bus architectures (ex: MIL-STD-1553B, Ethernet, SpaceWire, RS-422, RS-485)

• Experience with flight computer development and integration

• Design and integration experience with complex electro-mechanical controls

• Experience supporting technical meetings and reviews.

• Ability to perform requirements analysis and trade studies.

• Ability to identify technical problems and recommend solutions.

• Ability to work with minimal supervision on projects involving both small and large engineering teams.

Preferred:

• Advanced engineering degree

• Experience leading a team of multi-disciplined engineers and assigning/allocating tasks to team members

• Experience with HW/SW integration, verification, and validation efforts

• Experience with Digital/Analog Board design and/or FPGA design

• Experience with technical subcontract management, and management of engineering schedules and milestones

• Experience supporting refinement of avionics architecture and specifications, i.e. decomposing requirements, developing component specifications and developing hazard controls

• Experience supporting procurement by identifying vendors and maintaining impeccable vendor relationships throughout the life cycle

• Experience supporting the vehicle build and test as a subsystem expert

• Experience authoring test plans and procedures for verifying operation of subsystem and components during Integration and Test

• Experience effectively developing and delivering technical presentations

• Experience determining root cause and resolving hardware failures and/or anomalies

• The ability to obtain and maintain a Security Clearance may be required Learn more about the background check process for Security Clearances

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

To conform to U.S. Government international trade regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.

With 30+ years of proven spaceflight heritage, Sierra Space has provided more than 4,000 space systems, subsystems and components to customers worldwide, and participated in more than 500 missions to space, including to Mars. The company has technology in production and in development to enable space habitats for short- and long-duration space travel, a fleet of Dream Chaser spaceplanes, and the first free-flying commercial space station. Please visit www.sierraspace.com to learn more about Sierra Space, its business areas, capabilities, programs, products and services.

Physical/Mental/Emotional Requirements:

• Frequently walk, sit, stand, climb stairs and steps
• Frequently repeat same hand, arm, and finger motion many times to include finger and hand dexterity
• Rarely lifting or carrying up to 20 lbs.

Working Conditions:

• Rarely exposed to outdoor elements (high/low temperatures, sun, rain/snow, etc.)
• Rarely exposed to fumes or hazardous chemicals/materials
• Rarely exposed to loud noises

Estimated Starting Salary Range: $120,552.10 - $165,759.14

Sierra Space offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.

Sierra Space offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 8%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

At Sierra Space, our mission is to dream, innovate, inspire and empower the next generation to transform humanity through technology and imagination. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome our employees to bring their whole selves to their work. Sierra Space is committed to fostering an inclusive, accepting, and diverse environment free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Contributions to Sierra Space come in many shapes and styles, and we believe diversity in our workforce fosters new and greater ways to dream, innovate, and inspire.