Systems Engineer

Salary: $87,390 - 120,837 per year Requirements:

• We require a bachelors degree in systems engineering, physical science, computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering, or a related discipline, or substantial equivalent experience in a comparable setting.
• We prefer at least five years of experience as a systems engineer on integrated project teams, ideally within scientific research and development environments.
• Certification from INCOSE or an equivalent professional body is considered an advantage.
• We expect demonstrated proficiency in core systems engineering practices, including requirements capture, verification and validation planning, and full lifecycle planning.
• We value experience across multiple lifecycle stages, such as preliminary and detailed design, design qualification, production, fabrication or construction, and transition to operations.
• Exposure to at least two technical domains such as electromagnetic systems, RF, digital signal processing, mechanical engineering, software engineering, or civil engineering is preferred.
• We look for experience with model-based systems engineering methods and tools.
• We need strong verbal and written communication skills, along with the ability to organize and run effective meetings with geographically dispersed teams.
• We seek a proactive, independent working style.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States; we are unable to sponsor H-1B visas for this role.

• We lead the full range of systems engineering activities for our Computing and Software System (CSS).
• We maintain requirements traceability and ensure alignment between CSS and the ngVLA project, including tracking requirements through the ngVLA Cameo model.
• We document requirements, develop verification and validation plans, update CSS design and system architecture, and prepare technical materials for gate reviews.
• We define, maintain, and control internal and external Interface Control Documents for CSS software subsystems within the ngVLA Cameo model.
• We model system and subsystem behavior, including activity, state, and mode diagrams, to document workflows and control logic.
• We support verification and validation activities for CSS software subsystems in collaboration with development teams.
• We manage systems engineering plans and documentation required for successful system design reviews.
• We use model-based systems engineering techniques, including Cameo Systems Modeler, SysML, and MagicDraw, to expand the ngVLA model, document workflows, and maintain interface specifications.
• We prepare technical documentation and presentations for CSS gate reviews and help coordinate subsystem design reviews.
• We participate in configuration management, baselining, change control, and document management processes.

• CSS
• Flow
• Support
• Backbone
• Hardware
• System Engineer

More:

We are the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a leading research facility supporting the exploration of the universe through world-class radio telescopes including the VLA, GBT, ALMA, and VLBA. This Systems Engineer II-III role is part of our Next Generation Very Large Array program and will be based at our headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia. The position sits within our Computing and Software System team, which underpins telescope control, data flow, processing pipelines, and user-facing services. We offer a collaborative research and development environment, a comprehensive benefits package, competitive starting salary range of $87,390 to $120,837, paid time off, first-day medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement contribution equal to 10 percent of base pay with no employee contribution. We are an equal opportunity employer and ask candidates to submit a CV or resume and cover letter through our application process.

last updated 32 week of 2026