What are the responsibilities and job description for the Spacecraft Chief Systems Engineer position at Jobs via Dice?
Job ID: 2612127
Location: Chantilly, VA, US
Date Posted: 2026-05-04
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Aerospace Engr
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 25% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: TS/SCI with Poly
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE
Description
SAIC's Air Force, Space and Intelligence Business Group is growing and looking for innovative, mission-driven professionals to help us advance cutting-edge space capabilities for our Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Embark on a rewarding career just ten miles from SAIC headquarters, as part of our Chantilly, VA team supporting essential programs in systems development, targeting & intelligence analysis, systems engineering & integration, and beyond.
We are seeking a Spacecraft Chief Systems Engineer to serve as a partner to the Government Chief Engineer on a state-of-the-art space program. In this role, you will advise the Government to make critical decisions to adapt reusable spacecraft to achieve new missions critical to US Space Force requirements. Apply system engineering disciplines to advance spacecraft subsystems by mitigating risks to technical development efforts.
________________________________________
Key Responsibilities
In this highly collaborative and technically complex position, you will:
Partner with Government Chief Engineers and Program Managers to advise on development progress and envision future missions.
Lead technical architecture planning to identify critical dependencies to retrofit spacecraft designs to achieve mission objectives.
Partner with multidisciplinary satellite subsystem teams to monitor subsystem development, testing, and integration conducted by developers.
Serve as a team lead to key system engineers and subject matter experts responsible for collaboration, guiding work priorities, mentoring, and corporate compliance.
Participate in Developer-led Integrated Product Teams (IPT) and system milestone reviews, offering innovative recommendations to enhance system performance and delivery timelines.
Conduct risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies throughout the systems engineering lifecycle to safeguard mission objectives and ensure program success.
Qualifications
To excel in this role, you must possess:
Active TS/SCI clearance with a polygraph.
Expertise in spacecraft design and engineering, with proficiency in at least one satellite subsystem (e.g., structures and mechanisms, electrical power, attitude and orbit control, thermal control, command and data handling, propulsion) and a keen interest in rapidly learning others.
Strong system engineering experience, particularly in spacecraft design, development, and implementation.
Hands-on experience with pre-launch integration testing and functionality checkout of spacecraft systems.
A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field with 18 years of experience, or a Master's degree with 16 years of experience.
________________________________________
Desired Qualifications
Additional qualifications that set you apart include:
6 years of experience as a satellite developer, supplier, or SETA working on DoD or IC satellite programs.
Experience serving as a chief engineer or chief system engineer for a satellite program.
Demonstrated program or project management experience, with a proven ability to oversee and align diverse operational and technical objectives.
________________________________________
Why Join SAIC?
At SAIC, we empower employees to innovate, solve complex challenges, and deliver precise solutions. Join us in shaping the future of space technology and supporting some of the nation's most vital intelligence and defense initiatives. Apply today to become part of a high-caliber team driving forward our country's space and intelligence capabilities.
SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's approximately 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see .
Location: Chantilly, VA, US
Date Posted: 2026-05-04
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Aerospace Engr
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 25% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: TS/SCI with Poly
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE
Description
SAIC's Air Force, Space and Intelligence Business Group is growing and looking for innovative, mission-driven professionals to help us advance cutting-edge space capabilities for our Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers. Embark on a rewarding career just ten miles from SAIC headquarters, as part of our Chantilly, VA team supporting essential programs in systems development, targeting & intelligence analysis, systems engineering & integration, and beyond.
We are seeking a Spacecraft Chief Systems Engineer to serve as a partner to the Government Chief Engineer on a state-of-the-art space program. In this role, you will advise the Government to make critical decisions to adapt reusable spacecraft to achieve new missions critical to US Space Force requirements. Apply system engineering disciplines to advance spacecraft subsystems by mitigating risks to technical development efforts.
________________________________________
Key Responsibilities
In this highly collaborative and technically complex position, you will:
Partner with Government Chief Engineers and Program Managers to advise on development progress and envision future missions.
Lead technical architecture planning to identify critical dependencies to retrofit spacecraft designs to achieve mission objectives.
Partner with multidisciplinary satellite subsystem teams to monitor subsystem development, testing, and integration conducted by developers.
Serve as a team lead to key system engineers and subject matter experts responsible for collaboration, guiding work priorities, mentoring, and corporate compliance.
Participate in Developer-led Integrated Product Teams (IPT) and system milestone reviews, offering innovative recommendations to enhance system performance and delivery timelines.
Conduct risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies throughout the systems engineering lifecycle to safeguard mission objectives and ensure program success.
Qualifications
To excel in this role, you must possess:
Active TS/SCI clearance with a polygraph.
Expertise in spacecraft design and engineering, with proficiency in at least one satellite subsystem (e.g., structures and mechanisms, electrical power, attitude and orbit control, thermal control, command and data handling, propulsion) and a keen interest in rapidly learning others.
Strong system engineering experience, particularly in spacecraft design, development, and implementation.
Hands-on experience with pre-launch integration testing and functionality checkout of spacecraft systems.
A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field with 18 years of experience, or a Master's degree with 16 years of experience.
________________________________________
Desired Qualifications
Additional qualifications that set you apart include:
6 years of experience as a satellite developer, supplier, or SETA working on DoD or IC satellite programs.
Experience serving as a chief engineer or chief system engineer for a satellite program.
Demonstrated program or project management experience, with a proven ability to oversee and align diverse operational and technical objectives.
________________________________________
Why Join SAIC?
At SAIC, we empower employees to innovate, solve complex challenges, and deliver precise solutions. Join us in shaping the future of space technology and supporting some of the nation's most vital intelligence and defense initiatives. Apply today to become part of a high-caliber team driving forward our country's space and intelligence capabilities.
SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's approximately 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see .