Systems Engineer, Space Emerging Talent

Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · USD 99,000-130,000 · 0-2 years experience · Posted Sep 25, 2026

At a glance

The Systems Engineer, Space Emerging Talent will work at the intersection of hardware, software, and mission operations to design, build, test, and field next-generation spacecraft and ground architectures.
This role is designed for a recent graduate or early-career engineer to gain comprehensive exposure across the entire lifecycle of a space program.

Support the breakdown and tracing of complex mission needs into functional system requirements, subsystem specifications, and Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
Perform mission and system-level trade studies to balance risk, performance, and schedule.
Assist in preparing technical data packages, analysis results, and presentation materials for major program milestones.
Collaborate with test and assembly engineers to plan and execute functional checkouts and environmental testing.
Work across flight software, GNC, payload, electrical, and ground C2 teams to resolve technical discrepancies.
Maintain system budgets, risk registers, and verification matrices throughout the development lifecycle.

Pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Systems, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM field.
0–2 years of professional, internship, or hands-on university project team experience.
Baseline understanding of spacecraft subsystems and their interactions.
Familiarity with the systems engineering lifecycle, requirements definition, and trade-study methodologies.
Proficiency with modeling/analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, Excel, or CAD software.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

Hands-on experience developing, integrating, or testing small satellites, payloads, or autonomous robotic systems.
Familiarity with spacecraft environmental testing standards such as SMC-S-016 / MIL-STD-1540 or NASA GEVS.
Exposure to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) concepts or tools like SysML or Cameo.
Exposure to hardware-software integration, lab test equipment, and FlatSat environments.