
USNDS Systems Engineer
El Segundo, CA · HybridFull-time$160–200K/yrSeen 3w agoSeen in employer's feed today
Most applications go out cold — see where you stand first. No sign-up to start.
You apply on the employer's site, with no Olive account needed.
Watch jobs like this. New roles like this one near El Segundo, CA, by email.
Don't just apply. Show up ready.
Olive works from this exact posting.
At a glance
Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.
Requirements
Credentials this posting asks for.
Job overview
The Systems Engineer will support the US Space Force’s Nuclear Detection System capabilities as part of a Systems Engineering & Integration team in El Segundo. The role focuses on ground software development and verification, system integration and test, requirements and architecture, and delivery of operational capabilities. The posting describes the position as hybrid and seeks a Principal-level engineer with relevant space and ground systems experience.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Title:
USNDS Systems Engineer
At KBR, we deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 85 countries and operations in over 28 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results.
Trinzic is the future independent company to be created through the planned spin-off of KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business, expected in January 2027. Our people work at the frontier of what is possible, delivering solutions in challenging environments and advancing some of the world's highest-priority national security and space missions.
Backed by decades of mission success, deep expertise, and trusted partnerships, Trinzic will launch as a global organization with more than 18,000 employees supporting customers around the world. Join us at a defining moment and help shape the future of a company built to tackle complex challenges and make a meaningful impact.
Candidates who join KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business before the spin-off will transition to Trinzic when the separation is complete and will not need to reapply for employment.
Make a difference for national security by joining a team of dedicated professionals in El Segundo, CA who assist the US Space Force in developing and deploying the satellites and ground systems for Nuclear Detection System (NDS) capabilities. These systems provide timely and critical nuclear detection data to our warfighter to ensure national security mission success.
Our Systems Engineering & Integration (SE&I) team has an immediate need for a hybrid Principal Nuclear Detection System Engineer (USNDS) in El Segundo, CA with mission experience in space/ground systems for the management, development, and deployment of NDS systems to ensure on-time delivery of capabilities. As a SE&I professional, candidates will provide System Engineering (SE) services across all SE disciplines with emphasis in integration and test toward delivering operational capabilities into an enterprise system architecture.
Job Responsibilities:
Provide Systems Engineering expertise with focus on Ground software development and verification to SSC NDS program office as a member of the SE&I team.
Support Ground System DT&E, OT&E and associated milestone deliverables reviews and design maturity assessment.
Perform requirement definition & allocations, refine enterprise operational concepts, evolve system architectures, and develop verification methodologies toward operational acceptance.
Conduct and maintain the program technical baseline including Requirements Specification, ICDs, and Systems Engineering processes.
Conduct mission analysis to define technical requirements and interfaces, provide analysis of alternatives, guide development, evaluate expected performance against requirements and mission needs.
Perform milestone readiness reviews to demonstrate the design meets milestone criteria, specifications and specified customer requirements.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders including executive officials, military officers, development contractors, and end users.
Develop briefings and assessments to a variety of audiences and must be able to convey information in a clear and articulate manner to Government leadership.
Required Skills:
Active Secret Clearance and willing to obtain a Top Secret clearance
Bachelor’s Degree and nine (9) or more years of experience. Masters Degree and (7) or more years of experience
Experience with systems development, integration & test throughout the lifecycle
Relevant DoD space and ground system development experience
Experience leading combined hardware and software integration activities
Experience with space-ground systems architectures and lifecycle support
Experience implementing agile development techniques
Strong leadership, interpersonal communications skills
Experience in collaborating with Government & contractor teams
Desired Skills:
Master’s Degree in engineering, science or related technical field
Experience in large Government systems development and acquisition
Thorough understanding of SSC space & ground systems, including Navigation, Missile Warning, and NDS systems design, integration and test
Active TS or TS/SCI Clearance
Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40
Basic Compensation: The approximate salary range for this position is $160-200k annually.
The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity.
Additional Compensation:
KBR may offer bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation to certain job titles or levels, per internal policy or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be in the form of sign on bonus, relocation benefits, short term incentives, long term incentives, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.
KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you’re excited about making a significant impact in the field of space defense and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let's shape the future together.
Belong, Connect and Grow at KBRAt KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.
KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
How this job compares
Set against the 11,823 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 6, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$160–200K/yr
- California median$143–213K/yr1,812 salary ranges
- US median$116–190K/yr8,716 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $180K, is close to the California median midpoint ($177K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineer salary ranges in California.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 2,119 open Systems Engineer jobs in California and 11,823 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in California
- Anduril255 open
- Northrop Grumman214 open
- The Boeing Company95 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 7 years of experience; Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (9,867 postings).
- Education
- 4,496 of the 11,823 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 6, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
Prepare for this role
You've read the whole posting — now see how you match it.

