Systems Engineer / Space Communications

Responsibilities

Peraton is seeking a junior level Systems Engineer to join our team at the White Sands Complex (WSC) in Las Cruces, NM.  The successful candidate will be responsible for systems engineering activities associated with the development of NASA communications ground systems in support of new human spaceflight programs and initiatives and NASA science missions.

Peraton is the prime contractor for NASA at the White Sands Complex (WSC) near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Operating here are two functionally identical satellite ground terminals: The White Sands Ground Terminal, and the Second TDRS Ground Terminal. These ground terminals ensure uninterrupted communications between various ground stations, NASA’s orbiting fleet of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), customer spacecraft (satellites), and the computer systems that support such spacecraft. WSC serves as an interface for distributing satellite data to control centers and scientists who then use the daily influx of data to expand our ever-growing knowledge of the Earth and the universe.

This position will be responsible for the following:

• Support of the Space Relay mission, Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation, and the NASA customer
• Requirements development, tracking, and analysis
• Developing systems engineering related documents for space communication and navigation system including – Concept of Operations (CONOPS), system requirements, system specifications, system architecture, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), verification and validation plans, system user’s guide etc.
• Providing systems engineering technical support across the SENSE organization, technical working groups, peer reviews, technical interchange meetings, and periodic status coordination meetings.
• Development, coordination and presentation of systems engineering Key Decision Point (KDP) Presentations (e.g., PDCR, SRR, CDR, SAR, ORR, etc.) for upper-level NASA and Peraton management
• Assessment of hardware, network, and/or software system designs and development of customized solutions to customer/user problems
• Perform technical trade studies and recommend solutions based on technical merit, costs and schedule to NASA customer related to implementation, sustainment or replacement of space communication and navigation assets
• System analysis with emphasis on operational sustainability, risk, safety and security
• Use of engineering methodologies and techniques to perform technical trades.
• Proactively identifies technical problems during all project life phases.
• Performs failure analysis, risk analysis and recommends changes to the state of health of applicable systems
• Lead or support Request for Information/Request for Proposals (RFI/RFP) processes and solicit, engage and coordinate vendor technical responses
• Applying NASA standards, processes, procedures, and tools throughout the engineering and development life cycle.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, computer science, mathematics, or related technical field.
• 2 years of experience in the analysis, design, and development of communications systems.
• Prior experience in systems engineering or with systems engineering practices. 
• Knowledge of system engineering lifecycle processes. 
• Prior experience leading and performing trade studies associated with ground systems and components.
• Prior work experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Ground Systems and Antenna components
  • Systems Sustainment
  • Network Engineering
• Experience with supporting the process of technically evaluating vendors associated with communications systems.
• Experience presenting to vendors, peers, upper-level management and other customers in written and verbal formats (e.g., PDCR, SRR, CDR, SAR, ORR, etc.) 
• Proficient with MS Office Suite (i.e. Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Word, etc.).
• Security clearance - this position requires the candidate to be able to obtain a DoD Secret security clearance and to maintain the clearance thereafter.
• Must be a US Citizen and show proof of citizenship.  
• Must be able to maintain ability to access government worksite.

Desired Qualifications

• Active security clearance
• Master's degree in: Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or Mathematics.
• Familiarity with NASA System Engineering processes.
• Prior experience coordinating and directing the work of peers.
• Prior experience working with:
  • NASA project(s).
  • Procurement, integration, ver