Senior Systems Engineer

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra’s ecosystem operates through three business units: Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms). Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission‑ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.
About the Team
Mission Solutions – The Platforms
Mission Solutions builds on Umbra’s expertise in remote sensing and spacecraft operations to engineer platforms purpose‑built for U.S. and allied defense and intelligence missions. Whether it’s a custom payload, a full‑stack spacecraft, or the infrastructure behind an entire constellation, our team delivers secure, resilient systems tailored to exacting requirements and built on timelines that match the urgency of the mission.

If you want to work on cutting‑edge space technology that’s redefining what’s possible in space platforms, you belong here at Umbra.

About the Job

Umbra is seeking an experienced Senior Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership for a complex space mission program spanning space, ground, launch, mission operations, and mission design. This individual will serve as the program’s senior technical lead, maintaining the program technical baseline and ensuring alignment across internal engineering teams, program leadership, partners, and the customer.

The Lead Systems Engineer will work closely with the Program Manager on a daily basis to manage technical execution, respond to customer needs, maintain program scope, manage technical risks, and develop solutions and offsets as program requirements evolve.

This is a highly visible, customer‑facing role requiring strong systems engineering fundamentals, operational experience, technical judgment, and the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through major program milestones and delivery activities.

This position is based on‑site in either our Arlington, VA office, Reston, VA office, or Santa Barbara, CA office.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the program technical baseline, ensuring requirements, interfaces, architecture, and technical decisions remain aligned across the program.
• Provide systems engineering leadership across the:
• Space Element
• Ground Element
• Launch Element
• Mission Operations
• Mission Design and Modeling & Simulation
• Maintain technical alignment among Umbra engineering teams, program management, external partners, and the customer.
• Partner daily with the Program Manager to address customer requests, maintain program scope, identify and manage technical risks, and develop program offsets and alternative solutions as needed.
• Support mission design, analysis, and modeling and simulation activities using tools such as STK, FreeFlyer, or equivalent platforms.
• Apply knowledge of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and remote sensing mission concepts of operations to system design and mission execution.
• Lead the development, coordination, and delivery of systems engineering documentation and customer‑facing technical presentations.
• Serve as the Umbra technical lead at key customer‑facing reviews, acceptance events, and program milestones, including CDRs, ICD activities, VCRMs, and similar technical reviews.
• Support flight operations, ground‑system sustainment, and flight‑software maintenance throughout program execution.
• Develop and support operations and maintenance training programs for on‑site customer personnel.
• Travel as required to support customer engagements, program reviews, integration activities, training, and acceptance milestones.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of systems engineering experience supporting complex aerospace, spacecraft, or remote sensing programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and remote sensing mission concepts of operations.
• Experience with mission modeling and simulation tools such as STK, FreeFlyer, or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead systems engineering documentation, technical reviews, and customer presentations.
• Experience with flight operations, ground systems, and flight‑software maintenance or sustainment.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and drive technical issues to resolution.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with customers and senior program leadership.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestic and internationally as required.

Desired Qualifications

• 12+ years of systems engineering experience supporting complex aerospace, spacecraft, or remote sensing programs.
• Software development, scripting, data analysis, or other relevant coding experience.
• Previous responsibility for the successful delivery and customer acceptance of flight hardware, flight software, or operational ground systems.
• Experience leading technical activities through major aerospace program lifecycle milestones such as CDR, integration, verification, validation, acceptance, and operational transition.
• Experience supporting deployed or on‑site customer operations and training.
• Demonstrated experience balancing technical performance, program scope, schedule, risk, and customer priorities.

• Flexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Medical Leave
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, STD (employer funded)
• Vol Life, Critical Illness, Accidental, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance (employee funded)
• 401k with 3% non‑elective company contribution
• Stock Options
• Free parking in office building or Transit is reimbursed
• Free lunch daily in office

Umbra is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Employment Eligibility Verification

In compliance with federal laws, all hired persons will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) upon hire.

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.

Pay Transparency

This job posting may cover multiple career levels. To ensure greater transparency, we provide base salary ranges for all roles, regardless of location. Our standard pay ranges are based on the role’s function and level, benchmarked against similar growth‑stage companies. Compensation may vary based on geographical location, as certain regions may have different cost‑of‑living factors. The final offer will also be influenced by the candidate's skills, responsibilities, and relevant experience.

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range for this role is $180,000 - $210,000 DOE.