Staff Space Products Systems Engineer

About the Role Lead the architecture, integration, and lifecycle management of spacecraft hardware designed for LEO missions. This system-level role combines hardware and software elements to deliver flight-qualified solutions, with a preference for electric propulsion experience. What You'll Do

• System-Level Ownership: Serve as the technical authority for spacecraft subsystems and integrated hardware, from concept through qualification and flight.
• Architecture & Design: Define system requirements, architecture, and interfaces for products supporting LEO missions.
• Integration & Trade Studies: Lead cross-disciplinary trade studies, balancing performance, mass, power, cost, manufacturability, and reliability at the system level.
• Verification & Validation: Develop system-level test plans and ensure verification of requirements through analysis, inspection, and flight-representative testing.
• Flight Readiness: Support environmental qualification (thermal-vacuum, vibration, shock, EMI/EMC) and acceptance testing for space hardware.
• Reliability & Safety: Drive FMEA, fault management design, and reliability analyses to ensure system robustness for multi-year missions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with propulsion, avionics, structures, and operations teams to deliver integrated, flight-ready products.
• Technical Leadership: Mentor senior and junior engineers, conduct technical reviews, and act as a subject matter expert for spacecraft system integration.
• Customer & Mission Support: Represent engineering in customer reviews, provide input to mission planning, and support spacecraft integration and operations when needed. What We're Looking For
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field; 8+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering with a proven track record of delivering flight hardware.
• Strong background in system-level architecture, requirements development, and spacecraft integration.
• Deep technical expertise in one or more areas (preferred: electric propulsion, fluid systems, spacecraft avionics, or structural/thermal design).
• Experience with LEO spacecraft requirements, including thermal management, radiation environment, and mission operations constraints.
• Hands-on experience with verification, validation, and qualification testing of flight hardware.
• Familiarity with space standards and processes (NASA, ESA, ECSS, MIL-STD, or equivalent).
• Exceptional problem-solving and communication skills with demonstrated ability to influence technical and strategic decisions at the program level. Nice to Have
• Direct experience with electric propulsion subsystems (Hall-effect, ion thrusters, or advanced EP architectures).
• Background in designing and certifying hardware for LEO satellite constellations or commercial spacecraft.
• Experience leading large cross-functional engineering efforts.
• Familiarity with manufacturing and test of space-qualified hardware at scale.
• Proficiency in system modeling and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB, Simulink, STK, Model-Based Systems Engineering tools).
• Experience designing spacecraft systems to withstand space environments. Compensation & Benefits
• Salary: $160,000 - $220,000 per year (USD). Targeted base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area; excludes bonus and benefits.