Keyword Search

Back to open positions

Spacecraft Systems Engineer

Mid-Senior Level | Full-time
Engineering | livermore, CA | 03/05/2024

Apply Now  

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States’ security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is important for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range

$132,810 - $170,556 Annually for the SES.2 level

$159,330 - $204,636 Annually for the SES.3 level

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

Job Description

We're looking for multiple Spacecraft Systems Engineers to work on projects and initiatives with a focus on U.S. national security. You will be a member of a multi-disciplinary team performing concept development, requirements generation, modeling & simulation, and analyses of advanced space payloads and spacecraft models for the Z Program’s Space Science and Security Program (SSSP).  You will collaborate with scientific and engineering personnel as well as senior management to design and deliver spacecraft models to support national security missions in Livermore, CA. These positions are in the National Security Engineering Division (NSED) within the Engineering Directorate.

These positions will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level.

You will 

  • Work in a diverse team of scientists and engineers to develop requirements for models of advanced spacecraft systems.
  • Apply cutting edge research to the analysis of spacecraft performance and capabilities.
  • Interface directly with management and external sponsors to communicate technical milestones and solicit input from technical leaders in the space program.
  • Communicate results through formal technical reports and presentations.
  • Review intelligence reports and derive technical assessments for the intelligence community and external sponsors.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.3 level

  • Lead a multi-disciplinary team including engineers, scientists, and technical staff to achieve specific technical goals relevant to national security missions in space systems.
  • Perform advanced analyses of spacecraft system performance and capabilities.
  • Review complex intelligence reports and derive advanced technical assessments for the intelligence community and external sponsors.
  • Mentor junior technical staff to promote professional development. Provide performance feedback to the appropriate managers as input to personnel performance evaluations.

Qualifications

  • Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access, which requires U.S. citizenship.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or related field or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
  • Broad aerospace and/or spacecraft engineering experience with designing, assembling, testing, or operating flight hardware and/or software.
  • Experience working as a member of a multidisciplinary project team that may include engineers, scientists, designers, and technicians.
  • Demonstrated ability to devise solutions for moderately complex to complex  problems that require in-depth analysis of tangible and intangible factors.
  • Proficient verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment and present and explain technical information to colleagues, management, or sponsors.
  • Ability to travel as necessary to present analyses to sponsors, stakeholders and counterparts.

Additional qualifications at the SES.3 level

  • Advanced knowledge of concepts related to aerospace and/or spacecraft engineering and demonstrated experience leading the development of proposals or systems to meet space mission customer requirements.
  • Significant practical experience and/or theoretical depth in one or more spacecraft subsystems or functions such as: system requirements, integration & test, launch support, on-orbit operations, attitude and orbital controls, propulsion, solar array design, electrical power systems, avionics, data handling and on-board processing, thermal, structures and mechanisms, telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C), RF antennas and communications, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payloads, and/or electro-optical (EO) payloads.
  • Experience estimating cost and schedule of scientific, technical, spacecraft, or aerospace projects.
  • Significant experience and demonstrated track record of success developing and implementing creative solutions to a diverse range of complex multi-disciplinary problems.
  • Ability to effectively manage multiple parallel tasks, often requiring the resolution of conflicting work requirements and prioritization of tasks toward predetermined long-range targets.

Qualifications We Desire

  • Current active DOE Q-level security clearance with SCI access.
  • Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or related field.
  • Practical knowledge of industrial spacecraft engineering processes, standards, and practices.
  • Familiarity with orbital mechanics, orbit determination, satellite maneuvering, identification or tracking.
  • Experience with spacecraft operations in any phase, including but not limited to launch, deployment/initialization, mission operations, and disposal.
  • Experience with on-orbit anomaly resolution, spacecraft failure review boards, and/or fault tree analysis.
  • Experience with software tools, methods, and techniques as applied to spaceflight systems, such as: ANSYS, Thermal Desktop, MATLAB STK, SolidWorks, PDM, COMSOL, or Cameo.
  • Experience conducting research and analysis related to national security issues, including extensive experience with Intelligence Community and Department of Defense needs and practices, including SCI security marking, intelligence oversight and compliance, and related security and safety practices.
  • Familiarity with machine learning and/or data science theories or techniques.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance.  Also, you must have the ability to obtain and maintain Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access.  If you are selected, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing. Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship. 

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

How to identify fake job advertisements

Please be aware of recruitment scams where people or entities are misusing the name of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to post fake job advertisements. LLNL never extends an offer without a personal interview and will never charge a fee for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Career Page under “Find Your Job” of our website. If you have encountered a job posting or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond.

To learn more about recruitment scams: https://www.llnl.gov/sites/www/files/2023-05/LLNL-Job-Fraud-Statement-Updated-4.26.23.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory.  If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request. 

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.

Videos To Watch

Apply Now  

Refine Search Clear All


Career Areas

Show More

Experience Level


Employment Type


Location


Organization

Show More

Security Clearance