Principal Missile Defense Space Systems Engineer

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Space Capabilities Program Office (DCS) is responsible for the development and demonstration of space based capabilities required to support the Missile Defense mission. The MITRE MDA/DCS project is seeking an experienced engineer and strategic thinker with deep technical skills, an ability to communicate concepts and recommendations clearly and effectively with leadership, and a demonstrated track record of fostering, promoting, and fielding innovative ideas and solutions. This position would interface directly with MDA/DCS programmatic and engineering leadership, space and ground segment development teams (both industry and FFRDC/UARCs), MDA C2BMC, MDA Weapon Systems, and the Space Mission enterprise to help develop, demonstrate and integrate capabilities toward successful fielding. This is a Principal System Engineer Step, Colorado Springs, CO-based, position; this work location is required to effectively foster staff relationships and shape the direct work program.

Roles & Responsibilities

Highly competitive candidates must be self-directed and bring a strong technical background and depth of domain knowledge to advance the department’s strategic growth in next generation missile defense in one or more of the following ways: Drive innovation in next generation missile defense space enterprise architecture Advance space systems integration within future Missile Defense Architectures Lead technical efforts to ensure space-based assets and associated ground segments are integrated into broader defense systems frameworks, enabling interoperability across sensors, interceptors, and Command/Control elements Coordinate across MDA and DoW space enterprises and industry partners to achieve MDA and DoW enterprise outcomes Leverage space systems engineering subject matter expertise to understand and analyze MDA and DoW enterprise priorities, requirements, architectures, and designs, and craft associated recommendations to inform and facilitate mission critical leadership decisions. Lead strategic communication with MDA government senior leadership, MITRE division and center leadership, Inter-Agency and Intra-Agency/Service Leadership, -Industry Partner Leadership, individual Govt personnel Inform and influence system development, integration, demonstration, and test and evaluation of MDA/DCS developed and external space capabilities. Architect, integrate, and demonstrate data distribution architectures, command and control interfaces, and constellation management solutions. Develop and coordinate Enterprise Architectures, System Specifications, Concept of Operations, Concept of Employment, and Operational Concepts for Missile Defense Space Capabilities programs.

Basic Qualifications

Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a BS engineering, physics, mathematics or equivalent; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience. Active Secret clearance or the ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance. U.S. Citizenship required Demonstrated systems engineering experience, including Command and Control (C2), space platform development and integration Understanding of large, complex C4I System of Systems Understanding of space-based sensor system capabilities Analytical, decision-making, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills Ability to clearly communicate complex ideas to executive-level stakeholders This position has an on-site requirement of 5 days a week on-site.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s)

Salary compensation range and midpoint

$162,400 - $203,000 - $243,600 Annual

Work Location Type