
Space Experiments System Engineer
Chantilly, VAJob$160–200K/yrSeen 2w agoSeen in employer's feed 1 day ago
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Requirements
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Job overview
SAIC seeks a Space Experiments System Engineer to provide systems engineering and technical advisory support to a U.S. Government customer in Chantilly, Virginia. The role supports a Program Manager and Principal Investigator by coordinating experiment nominations, documentation, stakeholders, and integration activities. It also maintains experiment records, supports strategic reviews, and reports status and issues. The position requires U.S. citizenship and an active TS/SCI with Polygraph.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Description
SAIC, a leading provider of systems development & deployment, targeting & intelligence analysis, systems engineering & integration, and training capabilities and solutions for the Intelligence Community, is seeking a Space Experiments System Engineer to support systems engineering and technical advisory (SETA) services to a United States Government customer in Chantilly, VA. SETA contractors provide analysis and engineering services in a consulting capacity, working closely with the government’s own engineering staff members. This is a critical role within a team, designed to support a government Program Manager (PM) and Principal Investigator (PI) in ensuring the success and smooth operation of space experiment activities. This role requires a blend of technical, organizational, and communications skills, and is fundamental in driving strategic and operational success within a government program.
Responsibilities:
Experiment Management and Nominations:
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Track and manage experiment nominations within a centralized spreadsheet, ensuring that all critical information is accurately documented and maintained.
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Collaborate with the PI to oversee the submission of experiment documents to include Interface Control Documents (ICD) and software, ensuring they are cataloged, verified for accuracy, and useable. Request updates and corrections as necessary.
Stakeholder Coordination and AI&T Support:
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Serve as the primary point of contact for experiment teams, ensuring timely communication and submission of necessary documentation for Assembly Integration and Test (AI&T) and demonstration purposes.
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Liaise with space vehicle providers to obtain and catalog user guides, ICDs, and other integration details, facilitating faster onboarding of potential experiments.
Data Management and Record Maintenance:
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Maintain an up-to-date database of all experimenters, suppliers, industry partners, academic contributors, and other stakeholders in the space experiments domain across the U.S. Government (USG) including comprehensive information on ~400 companies from the small satellite industry.
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Ensure that relevant information is documented and archived within the internal Confluence webpage for easy access, thereby enhancing knowledge retention and operational continuity within the team.
Support for Strategic Review Processes:
- Assist the PI and PM by preparing and presenting experiment details. This support is vital in evaluating the feasibility of experiments within the given manifest windows, ensuring well-informed and sound decision-making.
Collaboration and Liaison:
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Work closely with the PI, PM, and other team members to support the successful integration of experiments, ensuring that they have appropriate transition partners.
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Facilitate communication between experiment nominations and Program Offices to ensure alignment with customer goals and to clarify the pathway for experiment transitions. This coordination helps reduce risk and positions experiments for successful outcomes.
Reporting and Communication:
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Provide consistent updates to the PM and PI regarding the status of experiment nominations, documentation submissions, AI&T processes, and any issues that arise.
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Contribute to a culture of continuous process improvement by identifying inefficiencies and proposing solutions aimed at streamlining experiment management, AI&T, and integration processes.
Qualifications
Requirements:
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Bachelor’s and fourteen (14) years or more experience; master’s and twelve (12) years or more experience; Degree in Engineering, Science, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
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Strong technical and administrative skills; familiarity with space technologies is a plus.
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to coordinate across multiple teams and organizations.
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Proficiency in data management and experience with collaboration tools like Confluence and other project management software.
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Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
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A passion for space exploration and emerging technologies, combined with a commitment to staying informed on the latest industry trends.
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Must be a US Citizen with an active TS/SCI w/Poly.
Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.
REQNUMBER: 2618267
SAIC is a premier technology integrator, solving our nation's most complex modernization and systems engineering challenges across the defense, space, federal civilian, and intelligence markets. Our robust portfolio of offerings includes high-end solutions in systems engineering and integration; enterprise IT, including cloud services; cyber; software; advanced analytics and simulation; and training. We are a team of 23,000 strong driven by mission, united purpose, and inspired by opportunity. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $6.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see Working at SAIC. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability
How this job compares
Set against the 11,552 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 13, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$160–200K/yr
- Virginia median$118–182K/yr919 salary ranges
- US median$115–187K/yr8,721 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $180K, is 19% above the Virginia median midpoint ($151K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Virginia.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 1,154 open Systems Engineer jobs in Virginia and 11,552 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 12 years of experience — more than three in four Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 9,623 postings).
- Education
- 4,343 of the 11,552 open Systems Engineer jobs (38%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 13, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.
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