• Systems Engineer III

    Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (Greenbelt, MD)


    SSAI seeks a Systems Engineer III to support an Earth Science contract at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The candidate will provide systems engineering, data processing, and operations support. This individual acts as the technical integrator and problem-solver, keeping the mission aligned, stable, and science-ready. You will ensure that the mission’s instruments, software, data systems, and operations all work together reliably to meet science and mission requirements.

    Key responsibilities include:

    + Mission Integration & Requirements Management: Translate science and mission objectives into system requirements, ensure consistency across instruments (OCI, HARP2, SPEXone), spacecraft, ground systems, and operations, and manage interfaces between teams.

    + Operations & Performance Oversight: Coordinate with the Mission Operations Center on planning, instrument activities, and calibration strategies; monitor telemetry, trends, and system health to identify and resolve issues.

    + Verification, Validation & Risk Management: Define and oversee test plans, validate system performance (including data quality and processing), manage configuration control, and assess risks to mission operations and science data continuity.

    + Lifecycle & Stakeholder Coordination: Support the full mission lifecycle—from development through on-orbit operations—while facilitating communication among scientists, engineers, software developers, and external partners to ensure mission success.

    Required Qualifications

    + Bachelor’s degree in computer science, systems engineering, physics, atmospheric science or related field and 8 years’ experience in software engineering or development. Or, the equivalent combination of education and experience.

    + Ability to work independently, lead technical efforts, and integrate across disciplines.  Strong background in systems engineering principles: requirements development and traceability, interface control, verification & validation (V&V), and configuration management.

    + Experience with spaceflight or Earth science missions, including instrument, spacecraft, and ground system integration.

    + Ability to analyze system performance, telemetry, trends, and anomalies across instruments and spacecraft subsystems.

    + Experience with system integration and test (I&T), anomaly resolution, and operational risk assessment.

    + Knowledge of validation and matchup methodologies for Earth science data products is a strong plus.

    + Ability to assess trade studies and impacts across mission elements.

     

    Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and use hands to touch, handle or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee frequently is required to talk and hear and occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

     

    EEO/AA Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities