Systems Engineering Lead - Lunar Terrain Vehicle

Systems Engineering Lead – Lunar Terrain Vehicle 

(NASA LTVS Award Contingent)

Houston Texas

About Intuitive Machines:

Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. We believe our mission is to further research, communications, and exploration beyond low lunar orbit. With multiple NASA lunar missions in the making and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting NASA, our customers and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.

Role Overview:

We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineering Lead to support the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) program. This individual will work in close partnership with the Systems Engineering Manager, serving as a technical leader in defining, integrating, and validating system-level requirements across the program. The Systems Engineering Lead will collaborate internally across Intuitive Machines’ engineering disciplines and externally with partner companies to ensure seamless integration and mission success. This individual must come from a technical, hardware focused background.

*Employment in this role is contingent upon NASA selecting Intuitive Machines as the winner of the LTVS program, scheduled for announcement later in 2025. 

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Systems Engineering Manager to lead system-level engineering activities across the LTV program.
• Provide technical leadership in the integration of spacecraft subsystems, including mobility, avionics, energy management, sensors, controls, software, and communications.
• Conduct requirements analysis and flow-down, ensuring alignment with customer needs, mission objectives, and NASA standards.
• Develop and maintain the system architecture, interface definitions, and integration plans.
• Lead verification and validation (V&V) planning and execution for system requirements and performance.
• Identify and manage technical risks, develop mitigation strategies, and drive issues to closure.
• Collaborate closely with Intuitive Machines’ internal teams and external partners companies to ensure subsystem interoperability.
• Generate and maintain technical documentation, including requirements, interface control documents, and test procedures.
• Represent systems engineering in design reviews, technical interchange meetings, and customer-facing milestone reviews.
• Mentor junior systems engineers and support continuous improvement of systems engineering processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering etc; Master’s preferred.
• Minimum of 10–15 years of experience in systems engineering , spacecraft development, aircraft development, or vehicle development, with leadership experience on large, multi-disciplinary programs.
• Strong foundation in requirements analysis, system architecture, integration, and V&V.
• Hands on engineering hardware experience in vehicle subsystems, potentially including avionics, autonomy, sensors, or software, propulsion or energy systems.
• Familiarity in MBSE tools (e.g., SysML, Cameo, DOORS, Rhapsody).
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills; able to work effectively across internal teams and with partner companies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead system integration on complex aerospace programs.
• Familiarity with NASA standards and spaceflight development processes strongly preferred.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, if required.

Preferred

• Prior experience supporting lunar, planetary rover, or exploration vehicle programs or the automotive industry
• Experience with cross-company collaboration on NASA or large aerospace contracts.
• Background in leading multi-partner reviews, technical baseline management, and interface control.
• Experience mentoring or developing early-career systems engineers.

US EEO Statement

Intuitive Machines is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.