Lead Systems Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Lead Systems Engineer – Job Description

Job Title: Lead Systems Engineer
Department: Engineering
Reports To: Program Manager and Engineering Director
FLSA Status: Exempt / Full-time

Salary Range: $140,000 - $175,000 Annually

ROLE

We are seeking a senior-level Lead Systems Engineer to drive the architecture, requirements, integration, and verification of complex multi-supplier systems. This role is responsible for coordinating multiple product lines and subsystems across internal teams and external vendors while ensuring technical consistency, system-level performance, and delivery to program requirements. The ideal candidate has deep experience in systems engineering for military, space, or advanced radio communication technologies, with strong competency in requirements development, interface management, and cross-discipline collaboration. Familiarity with NRL programs or similar research-driven DoD environments is highly desirable.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead full life-cycle systems engineering activities, including requirements development, architecture definition, interface control, risk management, verification planning, and integration gates (SRR, PDR, CDR, PRR/FDR, TRR).
• Develop and manage system-level requirements, ensuring traceability to customer specifications, derived requirements, and subsystem allocations.
• Coordinate technical execution across several suppliers, ensuring alignment of system architecture, interfaces, schedules, and deliverables.
• Generate and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs), system block diagrams, data flows, and integration plans.
• Conduct and facilitate technical interchange meetings (TIMs), design reviews, peer reviews, and supplier performance evaluations.
• Collaborate with software, hardware, RF, embedded, test, manufacturing, configuration management and program management teams to ensure coherent system behavior and design integrity.
• Support system integration and test activities, troubleshoot multi-domain issues, and ensure verification rigor and requirement closure.
• Provide leadership in configuration management, requirements tools, and continuous improvement of systems engineering processes.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to engineering discipline development across the organization.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Strong proficiency in end-to-end systems engineering for embedded, radio, spacecraft, or defense systems.
• Hands-on experience with requirements development, modeling, analysis, and verification.
• Experience with radio technologies, RF systems, analog and digital signal processing, software-defined radios, mixed HW/SW architectures and related concepts.
• Experience with full lifecycle systems engineering for complex RF/SW‑defined systems, including formal design reviews and decomposition.
• Familiarity with Space or MIL‑STD‑based system development, qualification processes, and environmental constraints.
• Experience coordinating multi-supplier and multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of embedded systems, software/hardware integration, and complex interface management.
• Ability to lead system-level troubleshooting, data analysis, and integration activities.

• Excellent communication, documentation, and cross-discipline collaboration skills. Comfortable with presenting to customers and other stakeholders.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Direct NRL / NCST / Navy / DoD R&D experience.
• Familiarity with model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) tools (e.g., SysML, Cameo, Rhapsody) and other simulation tools (MATLAB).
• Familiarity with Jama, DOORS, or other requirements tools.
• Understanding of communication protocols, data buses, RF interfaces, and digital hardware.
• Experience with EW, EMSO, ELINT/SIGINT, waveform engineering, and EM communication systems.
• Knowledge of environmental qualification experience (MIL‑STD‑461/810, NASA standards, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with configuration management and digital engineering toolchains.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in systems engineering, including multi-supplier coordination and complex system integration.
• Strong background in requirements development, system architecture, and interface management.
• Demonstrated leadership in technical execution and team collaboration.
• Ability to travel to supplier, and partner sites as required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance. Active clearance preferred.
• Position located in either Rosslyn, VA or Melbourne, FL.