Lead Systems Engineer

Job Description

Lead Systems Engineer | Boulder, Colorado | Hybrid

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West Search Partners is partnering with an innovative, technology-driven organization to identify an experienced Lead Systems Engineer for a key role within its Engineering team.

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This position will serve as the system-level technical authority for complex, multidisciplinary instrumentation products , leading system architecture, integration, requirements, and verification across the full product lifecycle. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior technical professional who enjoys solving complex engineering challenges, influencing technical direction, and helping build and mature systems engineering capabilities within a growing organization.

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The Role

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The Lead Systems Engineer will own system-level architecture and provide technical leadership across electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, optics, sensors, and other engineering disciplines. This individual will establish best practices, drive cross-functional alignment, and ensure products meet performance, reliability, quality, and manufacturability requirements.

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Key Responsibilities

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• Own system architecture, decomposition, interface definition, and performance requirements across subsystems

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• Serve as the system-level technical authority for architecture decisions and engineering trade-offs

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• Lead requirements development and maintain traceability from customer needs through verification using JAMA, DOORS, or equivalent tools

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• Drive system integration, verification, validation, and performance characterization

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• Identify and mitigate cross-functional technical risks and integration gaps early in development

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• Lead root-cause analysis of complex system-level issues using analytical and experimental methods

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• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality throughout design transfer, production ramp, and sustaining activities

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• Lead technical trade studies, DFMEA, hazard analysis, and system-level risk assessments

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• Establish and continuously improve systems engineering processes, tools, and best practices

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• Mentor engineers and promote strong systems thinking across technical disciplines

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Required Qualifications

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• BS in Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering/Science, or a related scientific/engineering discipline; MS or PhD preferred

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• 8+ years of experience in complex instrumentation, precision products, or similarly sophisticated engineering environments

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• Demonstrated experience serving as a system-level integrator across multiple engineering disciplines

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• Experience with real-time systems, sensors, optics/photonics, electromechanical systems, signal processing, embedded systems, and/or related technologies

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• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including modeling and experimental validation

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• Experience with requirements management tools such as JAMA or DOORS

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• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and Python

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• Knowledge of control systems, sensor integration, signal processing, and embedded systems

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Preferred Qualifications

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• Advanced degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline

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• Experience leading system architecture and integration for cross-functional product development programs

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• Experience establishing or maturing systems engineering practices

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• Experience in regulated or high-reliability industries such as medical device, semiconductor, aerospace, or scientific instrumentation

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Why Consider This Opportunity?

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This role offers the opportunity to remain deeply technical while having significant influence over system architecture, engineering strategy, and technical decision-making . The successful candidate will also play an important role in developing a systems engineering function with the potential for expanded leadership responsibilities as the organization grows.

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Location: Boulder, Colorado | Hybrid