Systems Engineer

Altus provides best value engineering, management consulting, and information services to exceptional customers in the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, other government agencies, academia, and commercial industry. Altus is a trusted advisor and a forward-thinking provider of service to our customers. We integrate technical, programmatic, and acquisition disciplines to build fully defined and executable solutions - all focused-on mission success.

Altus is looking for candidates, to fill a role of a Satellite Optical Communication Engineer. This position is a Telework position, acceptable from these locations: DC Metro, Colorado Springs, CO; Huntsville, AL; Los Angeles, CA; Melbourne, FL

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide technical advice/input to customer's System Program Director that lays the strategic foundation for critical, national capability and customer's future initiatives.
• Understand and contribute to system designs and technical approaches to guide next generation systems to provide resilient space systems for space-based optical communications systems.
• Coordinate the development of satellite system requirements.
• Develop enterprise, system, functional, performance, and interface requirements.
• Consider the impact of the satellites' requirements to the ground system.
• Coordinate and perform source selection activities.
• Oversee and guide integrated space vehicle systems, including integration of mission payloads (Link 16, Ka Band communications, DVB-S2, optical communications, onboard data processors) with satellite busses.
• Consider cybersecurity implications of the system design and relationships, including satellite to satellite networking
• Oversee integration and test of the satellite into the SDA's ground system network design and with the other satellite vendors to create the mesh network.
• Assess necessary changes and updates to ground systems to enable overall architecture capabilities.
• Coordinate the development of operational procedures for tactical data link payloads, including joining networks, maintaining connections, and mission planning.
• Characterize the impact of space vehicle payload design and ground system decisions on mission effectiveness.
• Coordinate with modeling and simulation teams to assess impacts to the architecture.
• Review engineering documents and provide SME support, Participate in SRR, PDR, CDR type activities
• Identify capability gaps and devise Transport Layer actions to help address those gaps.
• Support the SDA's Tranche 2 Program Management and Systems Engineering team.
• Resolve highly complex and multi-dimensional problems requiring consideration of variables that impact multiple aspects of the project/program
• Incorporate Joint Warfighter, Mission Partners, and internal SDA team's feedback and input on product strategy and identify the best path to improve efficiencies
• Support application product managers and coordinate cross-functional teams (i.e. Government, Military, SETA, FFRDC, UARC, & Industry)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in science, technology, engineering, and math
• Minimum of 8 years experience with satellite and ground systems
• TS Clearance Required; Must be able to obtain, maintain TS/SCI clearance.
• Telework is acceptable from these locations: DC Metro, Colorado Springs, CO; Huntsville, AL; Los Angeles, CA; Melbourne, FL
• Strong Experience in requirements development and tracking
• Technical and analytic understanding of satellite and ground system interaction
• Understanding or experience in satellite and ground system acquisition processes
• Experience in systems engineering
• Experience in project management
• Ability to work in fast-paced environment with excellent oral and written communication skills.
• The status of applicable COVID-19 vaccination requirements under Executive Order 14042 are subject to change depending on applicable court orders and the course of ongoing litigation. Candidates may be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or have an approved exemption

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in science, technology, engineering, and math
• 12 years experience with satellite systems
• Agile framework experience including use of Jira/Confluence
• Experience DoD and or IC customers
• Current experience with space systems
• Active TS/SCI clearance

Altus provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status or domestic violence victim status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment and hiring, job assignment/placement, promotion, upgrading, demotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, rates of pay or other compensation, internship, and training.