CesiumAstro
Senior Spacecraft Systems Engineer - Optical Comms
$133K–$161K
Westminster, CO · On-site · Senior · Full-time · Posted Aug 30, 2026
- Experience
- Typically 5–8 years with a bachelor’s degree, 3–6 years with a master’s degree, or 0–3 years with a PhD.
- Education
- Bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in a related technical discipline.
- Visa sponsorship
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individual), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
About the job
Leads systems engineering for optical communications spacecraft programs from requirements and architecture through integration, verification, launch, and operational support.
What you'll do
- Develop and manage system requirements, traceability, and hardware and software interfaces for optical communication payloads and space vehicles.
- Lead technical coordination with vendors and cross-functional teams, including payload research and source selection.
- Plan and support system verification and integration, evaluate test results, and manage technical risks and issues.
What they ask for
- Bachelor’s degree in a related technical discipline with typically 5–8 years of relevant experience; Master’s with typically 3–6 years; or PhD with typically 0–3 years.
- Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles and the systems development lifecycle.
- Experience developing, managing, and verifying system and subsystem requirements.
- Knowledge of systems architecture, interface management, systems integration, and configuration management.
Nice to have
- Familiarity with spacecraft mission planning, launch support, and on-orbit operations.
- Experience supporting spacecraft integration and mission readiness, or work on aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated programs.
Pay
USD 133,000–161,000 per-year-salary; base salary
Tools
Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio), Jama, IBM DOORS, CATIA Magic/Cameo, MagicDraw, Confluence, SharePoint, Git
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative