Ground Systems Engineer

The Ground Systems Engineer – Factory Liaison provides Systems Engineering and Technical Advisory (SETA) support to a Government Program Office Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). This position serves as the in-plant Government Program Office representative at a development contractor facility, supporting the planning, development, procurement, integration, testing, and sustainment of satellite ground software and command-and-control systems.

The selected candidate will act as a technical liaison between the geographically separated Government Program Office and the contractor development factory. This role requires the ability to operate independently, provide technical oversight of contractor execution, and represent Government program interests across engineering, software, test, configuration management, risk management, and program review activities.

Key Responsibilities:
•    Serve as the Government Program Office’s in-plant factory liaison at the contractor development site.
•    Provide direct SETA support to the Government COTR in monitoring contractor program and technical execution.
•    Act as a Ground Software and Command-and-Control Subject Matter Expert (SME).
•    Witness contractor-conducted factory testing and assess test execution, results, and technical issues.
•    Review and analyze contractor data deliverables submitted to the Government.
•    Perform technical evaluations of contractor Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs).
•    Participate as part of the Government Program Office team in formal contractor reviews, including SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and Program Management Reviews (PMRs).
•    Support software release planning, including prioritization of Discrepancy Report (DR) fixes and technical issue resolution.
•    Support the Government Request for Change (RFC) process for new or modified technical requirements to be flowed to the development contractor.
•    Prepare, coordinate, and brief RFC packages at Government-chaired Engineering Review Boards and Configuration Management Boards.
•    Participate in the Agile software development process as a Government customer representative.
•    Support reviews of payload, satellite, ground software, and related technical data artifacts.
•    Facilitate Government leadership visits to the contractor development factory.
•    Manage Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) as required.
•    Support program risk identification, tracking, mitigation planning, and risk management processes.
 

Required:
•    Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline.
•    Minimum of 14 years of relevant technical, systems engineering, software, ground systems, aerospace, defense, intelligence, or acquisition program experience.
•    Demonstrated success applying systems engineering principles and practices across complex technical programs.
•    Experience supporting software-intensive systems, ground systems, command-and-control systems, or mission operations environments.
•    Ability to work independently through all stages of assigned tasking while geographically separated from the Government Program Office.
•    Strong organizational, written communication, verbal communication, briefing, and presentation skills.
•    Ability to interface effectively with Government customers, contractor technical teams, program leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders.
•    Active TS/SCI with poly clearance.
 

Desired:
•    Acquisition program experience supporting Government, defense, aerospace, intelligence, or space systems.
•    Experience with Agile software development processes.
•    Master's degree in computer science, Engineering, Systems Engineering, or another relevant technical field.
•    Familiarity with satellite ground command-and-control systems.
•    Familiarity with Information Assurance, cybersecurity, and Risk Management Framework (RMF) processes.
•    Experience supporting formal program reviews such as SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and PMRs.
•    Experience evaluating Engineering Change Proposals, requirements changes, discrepancy reports, and contractor technical deliverables.
•    Experience with payload, satellite, mission system, or ground segment data products.