Systems Design Engineer

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we're on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We're looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

Position Summary

The Systems Design Engineer plays a key role in developing innovative, mission-driven solutions that address the evolving needs of U.S. Air Force customers. In this role, you will work closely with customers, business development teams, program leadership, and engineering organizations to understand operational requirements and translate them into integrated technical solutions that leverage Viasat's broad portfolio of communications, networking, cyber, space, ISR, and mission systems capabilities.

As a member of the solutions engineering team, you will support the design, analysis, and development of end-to-end system architectures, helping shape technical strategies for new opportunities and critical mission programs. You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to evaluate requirements, assess technical tradeoffs, develop solution concepts, and ensure proposed architectures align with customer objectives and operational needs.

The ideal candidate is a systems thinker with strong technical expertise, a passion for solving complex challenges, and the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. This role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge defense and aerospace technologies while contributing to solutions that support some of the Air Force's most important missions.

The day-to-day

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Air Force Solutions Leadership

Lead the Air Force Solutions Engineering organization supporting all five Viasat business areas.

Establish and drive enterprise-wide technical strategy aligned to Air Force operational concepts, modernization priorities, and emerging mission needs.

Develop integrated mission architectures that combine capabilities across communications, networking, cyber, ISR, space, platform integration, mission computing, and digital engineering.

Serve as the senior technical integrator for Air Force mission solutions across the Viasat portfolio.

Solutions Architecture & Technical Strategy

Lead development of mission-level solution architectures for strategic opportunities, priority captures, and long-range growth initiatives.

Translate Air Force operational concepts, CONOPS, kill chains, and mission requirements into executable technical architectures and differentiated solution approaches.

Ensure solutions align with open systems architectures, MOSA/SOSA principles, digital engineering standards, and future Air Force interoperability requirements.

Drive technical roadmaps supporting Air Force initiatives involving resilient communications, tactical networking, PNT, airborne networking, space integration, autonomy, and distributed operations.

Customer Engagement & Mission Advocacy

Serve as a senior technical interface with Air Force operational commands, acquisition organizations, laboratories, program offices, and mission partners.

Engage with senior government leaders, engineers, operators, and acquisition personnel to shape requirements and align Viasat capabilities to mission needs.

Represent Viasat in technical interchange meetings, industry forums, architecture discussions, operational working groups, and strategic planning sessions.

Provide mission-informed thought leadership regarding future Air Force operational architectures and decision-dominance concepts.

Cross-Business Integration

Coordinate technical strategy and solution alignment across all five Viasat business areas to ensure unified customer engagement and enterprise capability integration.

Identify opportunities for technology convergence, reusable architectures, and integrated mission offerings across the enterprise.

Facilitate collaboration between engineering, product management, business development, capture, and program execution teams.

Drive alignment between internal technology investments and Air Force mission priorities.

Capture & Growth Support

Support strategic captures through technical solution development, proposal strategy, architecture reviews, and customer shaping activities.

Lead technical discriminators, competitive positioning, and solution differentiation for major Air Force opportunities.

Provide technical leadership for white papers, RFIs, RFP responses, operational demonstrations, and mission experimentation activities.

Partner with business development leadership to identify and mature long-range growth opportunities.

Leadership & Organizational Development

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Air Force Solutions Architects and technical leaders across multiple mission domains.

Build organizational technical depth, mission understanding, and customer credibility within the Air Force solutions engineering team.

Establish engineering rigor, architecture governance, and best practices for solution development across the enterprise.

Foster a collaborative, mission-focused culture emphasizing innovation, technical excellence, and operational relevance.

What you'll need

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Systems Engineering, or related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in defense, aerospace, mission systems, communications, networking, or related technical domains.
• Extensive experience supporting United States Air Force operational or acquisition organizations.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex technical integration efforts across multiple organizations or business units.
• Deep understanding of Air Force mission architectures, operational concepts, and modernization priorities.
• Experience with systems engineering, mission architecture development, and technical strategy execution.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with senior government and industry leaders.
• Active Secret clearance required; Top Secret/SCI preferred.

What will help you on the job

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Business, or related field.

Operational military experience or direct support to Air Force operational missions.

Experience with:

• Open systems architecture (MOSA/SOSA)
• Tactical communications and networking
• Airborne mission systems
• SATCOM and resilient networking
• ISR and mission integration
• Space and multi-domain operations
• Digital engineering and MBSE

Experience supporting large-scale strategic captures and mission solution development.

Demonstrated success leading geographically distributed technical teams.

Salary range

$180,500.00 - $285,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $224,500.00- $336,500.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat's comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.