Sr. Systems Engineer – Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV)

Position Description:  

This opportunity will provide technical leadership and systems engineering and integration support to the Systems Planning and Technical Leadership Branch/(EV71) in support of the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Lead Systems Engineer (LSE).

The successful candidate will coordinate and interface with multiple MAV Program customers/partners, engineering disciplines, and system elements to plan, track, and lead the execution and development of systems engineering activities and products to ensure that stakeholder needs are met. They will work closely with the LSE, the CE, the Project Manager, and other support personnel within the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Mars Sample Return (MSR) Program, and international partners to plan, manage and develop the necessary artifacts to support design review activities. They will lead and participate in reviews, meetings, working groups, task teams, technical performance meetings, teleconferences, and trade studies. 

Specific support to be provided and performed includes, but is not limited to:

•  Assist the MAV LSE with developing and executing the Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) tasks for the MAV spaceflight system.
  
  • Plan, track, and lead the execution of SE&I efforts to ensure tasks and deliverables are successfully completed in accordance with schedule milestones.
  • Provide programmatic oversight and technical integration for the development of key systems engineering products such as a concept of operations, requirement specifications, functional analyses, decomposition products, verification and validation planning, risk management mitigation plans, flight test objectives and planning, and model criticality assessment and planning to the Project and/or SMD MSR Program leadership.
  • Support the tracking, communication, and resolution of MAV systems engineering risks through the established risk management processes.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and guidance to the MAV SE&I team to assure that technically accurate, high-quality products are developed in accordance with identified tasks.
• Serve as an Acting LSE to assure consistent leadership of the SE&I team as well as ensure the successful accomplishment of all SE&I activities during the absence of the LSE.
• Produce or assist the LSE in generating status reporting associated with technical metrics, issues, and schedules.
• Assist the LSE with technical integration and planning efforts associated with program/project milestones and key decision points.
• Provide cross-organizational communication and guidance which may include collaborating with other NASA Centers and Agencies as well as negotiating the roll-up and integration of engineering requirements, resources, and schedule plans. This includes the assessment of documents provided by the international partner for compatibility with NASA objectives.
• Identify, describe, and communicate potential risks related to products, processes, and interactions associated the MAV SE&I efforts and provide recommendations to resolve issues/roadblocks inhibiting team members success.
• Exercise engineering knowledge, insight, and judgment in identifying and resolving technical issues, performance deficiencies, design faults on systems, equipment, and/or hardware.
• Participate in document and milestone reviews to include major milestones, review evaluation planning, and internal products.
• Lead/participate in task teams, working groups, Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs), conferences, and training, which may involve travel to NASA Centers and contractor facilities.
• Employ proven syste