Senior Systems Engineer

Senior Systems EngineerAurora, Colorado, United States; Sterling, Virginia, United StatesWhat Impact You'll HaveWe are seeking an accomplished Senior Systems Engineer to serve as a principal technical anchor across a large-scale, multi-team engineering initiative supporting mission-critical satellite ground systems. In this lead-by-example role, you will bridge the gap between high-level mission operations, external segment stakeholders, and distributed software development pods.Operating embedded within an agile development framework, you will provide deep domain expertise to steer ground segment architecture, author authoritative digital engineering artifacts, resolve cross-system interface complexities, and drive full-lifecycle verification and operational sell-off.What You'll be OwningLead the translation of complex customer mission needs, operational concepts (CONOPS), and multi-segment interfaces into robust digital engineering artifacts—including baseline ICDs, end-to-end operational sequence diagrams, data schemas, and verifiable requirements.Architect, govern, and maintain the ground segment's behavioral and structural SysML models. Ensure model consistency, maintain tight bidirectional traceability to software user stories, and enforce MBSE modeling standards across the engineering teams.Embed with agile scrum teams to decompose epic-level capabilities into precise technical acceptance criteria and software backlogs, ensuring software builds reliably conform to mission objectives and interface constraints.Drive the definition and technical governance of ground-to-space and ground-to-ground messaging schemas and protocols (REST, Protobuf/JSON, pub/sub), ensuring low-latency data transport and clean subsystem separation.Architect comprehensive verification and validation strategies. Review automated test plans, establish verification matrices, troubleshoot high-tier integration anomalies, and spearhead formal requirements sell-off with customer representatives.Lead technical exchange meetings (TEMs), interface control working groups (ICWGs), and engineering review boards (ERBs). Represent the engineering program during formal milestone reviews and executive customer demonstrations.What You Must HaveActive or current Top-Secret clearance with SCI access and polygraph (TS/SCI with poly).Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline) with 15+ years of relevant engineering experience (or Master's degree with 13+ years).Extensive, proven track record delivering space-ground architectures, Command and Control (C2), and mission management solutions through all lifecycle phases from concept to operational handover.Expert-level proficiency building and managing complex behavioral and structural models using MBSE tools.Deep experience establishing interface protocols and data contracts for modern, distributed software architectures (RESTful APIs, event streaming, message brokers, microservice data models).Extensive experience applying systems engineering discipline within scaled Agile/Scrum development frameworks using the Atlassian suite (Jira, Confluence) for product backlog decomposition and technical traceability.What Would be Nice to HaveDirect experience integrating systems deployed to cloud-native, containerized environments (Kubernetes, Docker).Familiarity with automated integration test frameworks (e.g., Playwright, PyTest, or automated API test suites).Experience modeling or evaluating space-vehicle subsystem interactions (telemetry, commanding, orbit dynamics, payload operations).Track record of coordinating architecture across multi-vendor or geographically dispersed engineering teams.Pay Range: At GRVTY, we understand that compensation is influenced by many factors—such as geographic location, federal contract labor categories, wage rates, prior experience, skillsets, education, and certifications. We're proud to offer a work environment that empowers our team to achieve a strong work-life balance. GRVTY provides competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and meaningful opportunities for professional growth. Our benefits package is designed to support the well-being of our employees and their families, and includes coverage in areas such as healthcare, financial wellness, retirement planning, family assistance, continued education, and paid time off.The pay range for this position is: $160,000 - $225,000Colorado Pay Range$160,000 - $225,000 USDVirginia Pay Range$160,000 - $225,000 USDWhy Choose GRVTYThe toughest national security challenges demand vision and ingenuity, not just resources. We deliver mission and technical expertise to outpace our adversaries. We're purpose-built to tackle the most entrenched, systemic national security issues around the world.We partner with our customers to help them overcome challenges in every corner of technology and defense—including the ones still being explored. Our growing capabilities create complementary advantages, giving on-the-ground operations the edge they need to succeed. We muster everything we have to answer every challenge presented, every day of our lives.At GRVTY, we believe that when our employees thrive, our company thrives. That's why we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and work-life balance.Robust health plan including medical, dental, and visionHealth Savings Account with company contributionAnnual Paid Time Off and Paid HolidaysPaid Parental Leave401k with generous company matchTraining and Development OpportunitiesAward ProgramsVariety of Company Sponsored EventsEEO StatementGRVTY is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.Anyone requiring reasonable accommodations should email View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io with requested details. A member of the HR team will respond to your request within 2 business days.Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (eeoc.gov)Please review our current job openings and apply for the positions you believe may be a fit. If you are not an immediate fit, we will also keep your resume in our database for future opportunities.