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Lead Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer

fibertek
Herndon, VA Full Time
POSTED ON 7/25/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 8/25/2026
Job Title
Lead Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer
Location
Herndon, VA - Herndon, VA 20171 US (Primary)
Job Description

Fibertek, Inc. is a leading developer of laser and electro-optic systems for the aerospace community, with key contributions to lasers for atmospheric sensing, laser communications, and lidar sensors for NASA, DoD, and other aerospace customers. We are looking for an experienced Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer to join our R&D team in Herndon, Virginia.

As the Lead Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer, you will lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in the development, assembly, and test of spaceflight or airborne hardware systems. This requires a working knowledge of development processes, performance and environmental testing, and systems integration. You will identify and lead the mitigation of program technical risks and manage the definition and documentation of program interfaces.  You will develop rigorous systems engineering processes from the ground up. Strong leadership and communication skills are required to lead a multidisciplinary engineering team from project formulation through final flight hardware delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Work in cross-functional teams with program managers, scientists, and engineers to develop new technologies and laser systems for military and space applications
  • System level oversight of product development including review and approval of system and subsystem requirements, decomposition of requirements and allocation to system, subsystem, and component levels
  • Reduce customer specifications and technical governing documents into design and test requirements, track compliance and verification through design, assembly, integration, and test completion
  • Manage requirements baselines including traceability between system, subsystem, and component specifications through a formal requirements management process
  • Lead development of internal and external interfaces through a formal interface management process
  • Perform technology assessments and trade studies
  • Conduct risk assessments and analyses
  • Lead investigations and develop solutions to technical problems
  • Lead the development of test processes, test equipment designs, test configurations, and systems integration 
  • Design and support the execution of system and subsystem verification testing
  • Support bid and proposal efforts and assist in the development of new business
     
Job Requirements

Experience and Expertise Required:

  • A bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or optics, with a master's degree preferred
  • A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience with a preference for prior experience developing systems for military or space applications
  • Experience in Systems Engineering with an emphasis on requirements development, test planning, test documentation, and systems integration, verification, and validation
  • Experience developing and managing system and subsystem requirements flowdown
  • Demonstrated ability to lead the implementation of systems engineering best practices and tools from the ground up
  • Experience with systems engineering and requirements management software tools including model-based systems engineering (MBSE)
  • Ability to effectively communicate technical results and report problems through written and/or graphical formats
  • Experience with space-based and/or electro-optical hardware is a plus
  • U.S. citizenship is required
  • Hold or can acquire a Secret or Top-Secret Clearance preferred
FIBERTEK, Inc. is a recognized leader in advanced lasers, lidars and laser communication systems providing our DoD, NASA and aerospace customers discriminating capabilities. We pride ourselves in our innovation and customer success focused culture enabled by a creative and relaxed work environment. Fibertek fosters a progressive learning environment that values inspiration, promotes professional challenge and encourages personal growth. We offer a competitive and incentivized compensation package with excellent benefits.


Fibertek, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual merit, skills, and experience. Fibertek does not engage in nor permits any discrimination in the workplace.

Salary.com Estimation for Lead Aerospace Payload Systems Engineer in Herndon, VA
$146,557 to $178,244
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