Lead Systems Engineer - Defense Capture & Programs

Lead Systems Engineer - Help shape how an emerging aerospace platform

Alameda, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join an early-stage aerospace company developing a novel high-speed launch platform with applications across defense and space. The company is expanding its work with U.S. government customers and is looking for a Lead Systems Engineer to own the technical side of defense capture, customer engagement, and program execution. This is a highly visible technical role that bridges engineering and government programs. You will work directly with defense customers to understand mission needs, translate those requirements into system-level solutions, and build the technical documentation, trade studies, and review packages needed to move programs forward. You will also remain closely involved with the core engineering team so the solutions you represent externally are grounded in real hardware, testing, and system performance.

About Us

We are a venture-backed aerospace startup developing a fundamentally different approach to launching and accelerating payloads at high velocity. The team is building and testing complex hardware systems with potential applications across national security, space access, and other demanding missions. As government programs expand, the company is building the technical infrastructure needed to move from early customer interest into funded development and production programs.

Job Duties

• Lead the technical side of defense pursuits from initial customer conversations through proposal submission and program execution
• Translate mission requirements and customer priorities into system architectures and executable technical approaches
• Identify and communicate the technical differentiators that separate the platform from competing solutions
• Partner with business development and program leadership on capture strategy, bid decisions, technical positioning, and teaming
• Conduct system-level trade studies across performance, cost, schedule, technical risk, and supportability
• Perform requirements analysis, functional decomposition, architecture development, and system interface definition
• Establish requirements traceability and verification and validation plans for defense applications
• Author technical white papers and responses to RFIs, BAAs, RFPs, and other government solicitations
• Develop technical content and supporting analysis for SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and other major program reviews
• Build statements of work, work breakdown structures, technical milestones, and integrated schedule inputs
• Develop contract data deliverables and ensure technical documentation meets applicable government requirements
• Track technical performance measures, program risks, opportunities, and key engineering decisions
• Prepare and deliver technical briefings to government program offices, military stakeholders, and senior technical leadership
• Build capability presentations, technical summaries, and quad charts that can withstand detailed technical review
• Capture customer feedback and translate it into actionable inputs for engineering and product development
• Stay directly involved with the core engineering organization to maintain a detailed understanding of system capabilities, limitations, testing, and development progress
• Help establish the processes and technical foundation for a growing defense systems engineering organization

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 7+ years of systems engineering experience supporting aerospace, defense, space, missile, launch, or similarly complex hardware programs
• Direct experience working with U.S. Department of Defense customers or government acquisition organizations
• Experience supporting technical capture, proposal development, or customer-driven defense programs
• Strong understanding of systems engineering practices including requirements development, system architecture, interfaces, traceability, verification, and validation
• Familiarity with the DoD acquisition lifecycle and the progression of defense technology from early development through formal program execution
• Ability to perform and defend technical trade studies across performance, cost, schedule, and risk
• Strong technical writing skills with experience turning complex engineering concepts into clear customer-facing documentation
• Ability to confidently present technical material to program offices, government customers, senior leadership, and engineering teams
• Experience using requirements management and traceability tools such as DOORS, Jama, or similar platforms
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance
• Ability to work fully onsite in Alameda, California
• Ability to travel up to approximately 25% for customer meetings, government sites, testing, conferences, and related program activities
• Must meet applicable U.S. export control requirements or be eligible to obtain required authorization

Preferred Experience

• Active U.S. Secret security clearance
• Experience supporting programs involving hypersonics, missile defense, long-range strike, launch systems, space access, or related defense technologies
• Previous ownership of technical capture or proposal engineering efforts
• Experience authoring technical white papers, government proposals, and acquisition documentation
• Hands-on experience developing SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, or equivalent design review packages
• Familiarity with CDRLs, Data Item Descriptions, and government technical deliverables
• Experience working in an early-stage company, rapid development environment, or small technical team where engineers operate across traditional functional boundaries
• Interest in helping build a dedicated defense systems engineering function as the program portfolio grows

Why Join Us

• Own the technical side of high-priority defense pursuits and programs
• Work directly with government customers while remaining closely connected to the underlying engineering and hardware
• Influence system architecture, customer strategy, technical positioning, and future product development
• Join an early-stage aerospace company at a point where individual engineers can materially shape both the technology and the organization
• Opportunity to help build the defense systems engineering function as the company scales
• Equity compensation opportunities
• Comprehensive health and dental insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and paid sick leave

Compensation Details

$160,000 - $200,000

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