Job ID: 713362BR Date posted: Dec. 30, 2025
Description:The coolest jobs on this planet… or any other… are with Lockheed Martin Space

OVERVIEW:

At the dawn of a new space age, Lockheed Martin is a pioneer, partner, innovator and builder. Our amazing people are on a mission to make a difference in the world and every day we use our unique skills and experiences to create, design and build solutions to some of the worlds’ hardest engineering problems. Our culture encourages employees to dream big, perform with excellence and create incredible products. We provide the resources, inspiration and focus and if you have the passion and courage to dream big, we want to build a better tomorrow with you.

Going to space is just the beginning. It’s what you do when you get there that matters. Lockheed Martin builds the satellites and spacecraft that do amazing things in space for government and commercial customers. Connecting people. Advancing discovery. And protecting what matters most. Lockheed Martin-built satellites give earlier warning of severe weather, connect troops on the battlefield, and deliver GPS directions to a billion people worldwide.

Lockheed Martin is looking for a dedicated Systems Engineer to join the team in Waterton, Colorado supporting Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture programs.

As the Responsible Systems Engineer (RSE) within the SEIT team at the Waterton, CO campus, you will oversee satellite bus and payload integration, development, and delivery for the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. This role requires technical leadership in satellite systems design, qualification, and deployment to enable advanced missile tracking capabilities using infrared sensors on a constellation of over 18 space vehicles operating in Low Earth Orbit. The lead will coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, ensure interoperability across the PWSA layers, and support satellite production timelines to meet launch and operational milestones.

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What does this role look like?

• Oversee all Space Vehicle performance and integration activities, including support to all satellite testing, culminating in final certification of the satellite for launch

• Oversee Subsystem RSEs and Component CPEs for hardware, software, and databases to ensure compliance with the spacecraft technical baseline

• Oversee the development and verification of Space Vehicle requirements

• Own Space Vehicle product certification

• Lead Space Vehicle-level Material Review Board (MRB) and Failure Review Board (FRB) investigations

• Lead failure analysis to provide root cause determination and corrective action

• Participate in development and execution of critical development program landmark reviews but not limited to SRR/SDR, PDR, CDR, TRRs/TERs, and MSCSR/PMSR

• Identify key program risks with actionable mitigation strategies

• Work closely with guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), communications, IR mission payload, Bus, and ground system teams to ensure mission performance margins are maintained

• Coordinate with Chief Systems Engineer (CSE) and government counterpart to ensure compliance with SDA standards, cybersecurity requirements, digital engineering workflows, and integration test environment

• Guide technical planning for environmental test campaigns, spacecraft-level test, and calibration/commissioning procedures

• Train and mentor Space Vehicle RSE Delegates for multiple subsystems to support system and subsystem requirement verification board

• Travel occasionally as needed to achieve program goals
Basic Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics or related field (Master or PhD degree preferred)

• Minimum 8 years of experience in satellite system design, integration, and test, preferably on space vehicle bus or payload

• Knowledge or experience with infrared sensor payload operations and integration on spaceborne platforms

• Experience in spacecraft integration, verification/validation, and system engineering for large constellation or national security space programs

• Experience with space vehicle subsystems including power, thermal, communications, attitude control, and propulsion

• Knowledge or experience with Technical Readiness Level progression, design maturity, risk management, and major milestone review criteria

• Demonstrated ability to interface with government customers, prime contractors, and multi-organization technical teams

• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams and manage complex project schedules

• Experience working with government space agencies or defense programs

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI Security Clearance, thus US Citizenship is required
Desired Skills:
• Deep understanding of Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations or missile warning/tracking satellite systems, and mission data processing chains

• Familiarity with interoperability standards across multi-vendor satellite systems

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) with 10 years minimum of professional experience in satellite system architecture

• Familiarity with Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture and Tranche 1/2 tracking or transport layers

• Background in electro-optical payload architecture, focal plane technology, cryocoolers, missile defense systems, hypersonic threat tracking, or related space surveillance technologies

• Experience with production ramp-up, satellite qualification, and launch integration for large-scale constellations

• Experience developing or evaluating tracking algorithms, onboard processing, and low-latency tactical data links and satellite communication waveforms (Link 16, S-band)

• Strong skills in spacecraft system verification, calibration processes, and ground system operations integration

• Prior experience working on multi-vendor, spiral development contracts in highly classified or secure environments

• Familiarity with optical communication terminals (OCTs) and maintaining optical inter-satellite links (OISL)

• Active TS/SCI security clearance
Security Clearance Statement: This position requires a government security clearance, you must be a US Citizen for consideration.
Clearance Level: TS/SCI
Other Important Information You Should Know
Expression of Interest: By applying to this job, you are expressing interest in this position and could be considered for other career opportunities where similar skills and requirements have been identified as a match. Should this match be identified you may be contacted for this and future openings.
Ability to Work Remotely: Onsite Full-time: The work associated with this position will be performed onsite at a designated Lockheed Martin facility.
Work Schedules: Lockheed Martin supports a variety of alternate work schedules that provide additional flexibility to our employees. Schedules range from standard 40 hours over a five day work week while others may be condensed. These condensed schedules provide employees with additional time away from the office and are in addition to our Paid Time off benefits.
Schedule for this Position: 9x80 every other Friday off
Pay Rate: The annual base salary range for this position in California, Massachusetts, and New York (excluding most major metropolitan areas), Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington or Washington DC is $128,400 - $226,435. For states not referenced above, the salary range for this position will reflect the candidate’s final work location. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.
Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays.
(Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.
This position is incentive plan eligible.
Lockheed Martin is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified candidates will be considered without regard to legally protected characteristics.
The application window will close in 90 days; applicants are encouraged to apply within 5 - 30 days of the requisition posting date in order to receive optimal consideration.
At Lockheed Martin, we use our passion for purposeful innovation to help keep people safe and solve the world's most complex challenges. Our people are some of the greatest minds in the industry and truly make Lockheed Martin a great place to work.

With our employees as our priority, we provide diverse career opportunities designed to propel, develop, and boost agility. Our flexible schedules, competitive pay, and comprehensive benefits enable our employees to live a healthy, fulfilling life at and outside of work. We place an emphasis on empowering our employees by fostering an inclusive environment built upon integrity and corporate responsibility.

If this sounds like a culture you connect with, you’re invited to apply for this role. Or, if you are unsure whether your experience aligns with the requirements of this position, we encourage you to search on Lockheed Martin Jobs, and apply for roles that align with your qualifications.
Experience Level: Experienced Professional
Business Unit: SPACE
Relocation Available: Possible
Career Area: Systems Engineering: Other
Type: Full-Time
Shift: First