Senior/Principal Systems Engineer - Satellite Ground Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

As a Satellite Ground Systems Engineer, you will play a critical role in advancing satellite ground systems technology. You'll work closely with project leads to formalize and document requirements for enhancements to existing systems or new architectures. Your work will ensure that customer needs are translated into actionable requirements and schedules, enabling successful delivery of highly engineered solutions. This role requires familiarity with satellite ground systems and the ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.

You'll join a dynamic team of systems engineers working on the high-level design, implementation, and testing of a large system, as well as computer scientists specializing in algorithm development, coding, and data analysis. This position offers the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art satellite ground system technology and sensor systems, alongside subject matter experts who are leaders in their field. With over three million lines of software code and cutting-edge hardware, these systems represent some of the most advanced engineering in the industry. You'll gain exposure to complex projects, contribute to mission-critical solutions, and grow your expertise in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.

On any given day you will be expected to perform the following:

• Work collaboratively with partners to collect requirements, design solutions, and deliver high-quality, easy-to-use state-of-the-art infrastructures.
• Create derived requirements from customer project requirements that will provide specific design needs to ensure project success.
• Research, prototype, architect, and design new models and algorithms for existing and new satellite flight and ground systems.
• Work with project leads to plan, develop, and execute projects to ensure completion on schedule and within budget.

This position is based in Albuquerque, NM, and requires four days onsite each week. Some travel is expected.

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• The ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q and SCI, which may require a polygraph.

The ideal R&D S&E, Systems Engineering candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Engineering or a directly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLNL), and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
• Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Experience with Systems Engineering principles and methods
• Two years of experience in software engineering project management, specifically with complex engineering projects and portfolios
• Demonstrated experience in fielding and delivering flight and ground ready software
• Experience with large-scale satellite flight and ground systems
• Experience working with government agencies and working with classified information handling and data distribution
• Experience with Matlab
• Familiarity with Python, C++ or other object-oriented programming languages
• Familiarity with Linux network programming (TCP/UDP sockets)
• Familiarity with Strategic Intelligence Partnership Programs and Customers
  
  

We design, evaluate, and develop complex, high-performance satellite software flight and ground systems for remote sensing information for high-consequence national security missions. Our team also provides software engineering, system engineering, and project lead expertise to virtualize and restore legacy ground systems and develop innovative ways to re-use existing and develop new ground software for our customers. You will employ systems-level thinking to plan, develop, and execute the implementation of solutions in the areas of satellite ground systems, modeling and simulation, software architecture, and network engineering. The department currently provides a core technical competency for developing satellite models and simulations for critical national security missions. We design, develop, and deploy ground satellite systems that push the state-of-the-art in data processing throughput and real-time action and response.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.