Chief Systems Engineer Jobs
Chief Systems Engineer jobs are open across aerospace and defense, government contracting, and advanced manufacturing, with specializations in systems architecture, integration, and reliability engineering, from senior engineer to principal and director of systems engineering. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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About the Role
Position Title: Chief Systems Engineer - Satellite Communications
Work Location: Albuquerque, NM or Herndon, VA
- Clearance Requirement: Must have an active Top Secret / SCI security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.
Employment Type: Full-time
About Us: BlackVe, Inc. is a mission-first, dynamic, and innovative national security company focused on emerging space and advanced technologies and dedicated to pushing the boundaries of engineering excellence in support of our government customers.
Job Description:
The Chief Systems Engineer - Satellite Communications will serve as the end-to-end technical lead for the development and delivery of advanced satellite communications systems. This role is responsible for the technical integrity, system performance, and systems engineering execution across the space, communications payload, ground, network, terminal/user, waveform, software, and mission operations elements. The Chief Systems Engineer will establish and maintain the technical baseline from mission needs and CONOPS through requirements, architecture, design, integration, verification, deployment, and operations, while serving as a primary technical interface to customers, partners, and internal engineering teams.
Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:
- Serve as the senior technical authority for end-to-end satellite communications system development, with responsibility for integrated technical performance and the system technical baseline.
- Lead development and maturation of the mission architecture, CONOPS, system requirements, performance budgets, interfaces, and verification strategy.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams across RF and communications, payload, spacecraft, ground, network and software, cybersecurity, terminals, waveforms, integration and test, and mission operations.
- Translate mission and customer needs into an executable system architecture and requirements baseline, ensuring alignment across segments, suppliers, and external interfaces.
- Drive major technical decisions and trade studies, resolve cross-segment issues, and balance performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and technical risk.
Essential Job Functions
- Lead, manage, and hold the program systems engineering team accountable for disciplined execution, technical quality, and closure of cross-functional actions.
- Own the end-to-end technical baseline across the satellite communications mission, including space, payload, ground, network, user/terminal, and operations elements and their external interfaces.
- Lead the development of system architecture and CONOPS in accordance with program goals, customer mission needs, operational scenarios, and lifecycle constraints.
- Lead requirements decomposition, allocation, traceability, and verification planning across all technical disciplines, and ensure requirements remain complete, consistent, testable, and achievable.
- Own system interface definition and consistency, including development and maintenance of interface control documents and coordination of hardware, software, RF, network, and operational interfaces.
- Establish and enforce technical baseline, configuration control, design documentation, decision tracking, and review processes appropriate to the program lifecycle.
- Lead system-level technical analyses and design trades, including communications link performance, coverage, capacity, latency, availability, spectrum and interference, resilience, and other key system performance drivers.
- Lead and support major technical reviews and readiness events, including SRR/SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, system integration, verification, validation, and customer acceptance activities.
- Identify, quantify, and manage technical risks, assumptions, margins, technical performance measures, and risk-reduction activities in accordance with program cost and schedule objectives.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and technical leads, communicate technical status and risks to program leadership and customers, and foster a culture of engineering rigor, accountability, and collaboration.
Required Qualifications:
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in satellite communications and complex space system development.
- Must have an active Top Secret / SCI security clearance.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 12+ years of relevant aerospace, defense, or communications systems engineering experience, including significant technical leadership responsibility.
- Demonstrated experience leading system architecture, requirements development and decomposition, interface management, technical trades, integration, verification, and technical risk management for a complex system.
- Working knowledge of satellite communications fundamentals and end-to-end mission segments, including RF links and antennas, communications payloads, spacecraft, ground systems, networks/software, user terminals, waveforms, and mission operations.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience serving as a Chief Systems Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, Systems Architect, Deputy Chief Engineer, or equivalent technical leader on a satellite or communications development program.
- Experience with DoD or Intelligence Community satellite communications, MILSATCOM, protected or tactical communications, or other mission-critical communications systems.
- Deep understanding of systems engineering principles and practical experience applying them to requirements management, architecture development, interface control, technical performance management, verification, and design reviews in cost- and schedule-constrained programs.
- Experience with one or more relevant technical areas such as UHF, S-, X-, Ka-band, or optical communications; phased arrays or advanced antennas; digital communications payloads; modem/waveform development; networked ground systems; or resilient/contested communications.
- Experience with systems engineering and MBSE toolsets such as Jama, DOORS, Cameo, or similar tools, including disciplined requirements traceability and configuration management.
- Strong customer-facing technical leadership, communication, and mentoring skills, with the ability to convey complex technical issues to engineering teams, program leadership, partners, and government customers.
Location and Travel Requirements:
- This position is based in Herndon, VA or Albuquerque, NM, with occasional travel to other company locations or partner facilities as needed.
Why Join Us:
- Mission first-Always. We prioritize delivering results that directly support space and intelligence community programs and national security objectives.
- We operate as one team, grounded in trust, accountability, and open collaboration, where individuals actively support one another to achieve shared mission success.
- Work on high-impact programs across space, ISR, and advanced technology domains supporting DoD and IC customers.
- Ownership-driven culture is founded in teamwork where every employee is an owner, with equity participation and a direct stake in our success.
- Competitive compensation and benefits package, including flexible time off; 401(k) with company contribution
- Constant opportunities for program and professional impact.
ITAR / EAR Requirements:
This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(A)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorization from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.
How to Apply:
Please submit your resume and brief cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest . If there are any issues with applying or inquiries, please email to hiring@blackve.us.
Role Summary
Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including the selected candidate’s qualifications, relevant experience, education, certifications, security clearance, work location, internal equity, business needs, and prevailing market conditions. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and applicable market considerations.
In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in discretionary bonus programs and receive a comprehensive benefits package, where applicable.
For positions requiring access to classified information or government contracts, candidates with directly applicable experience and an active U.S. Government security clearance may be considered for compensation at higher levels within the posted salary range, consistent with business needs and applicable law.
About the Role
Position Title: Chief Systems Engineer - Satellite Communications
Work Location: Albuquerque, NM or Herndon, VA
- Clearance Requirement: Must have an active Top Secret / SCI security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.
Employment Type: Full-time
About Us: BlackVe, Inc. is a mission-first, dynamic, and innovative national security company focused on emerging space and advanced technologies and dedicated to pushing the boundaries of engineering excellence in support of our government customers.
Job Description:
The Chief Systems Engineer - Satellite Communications will serve as the end-to-end technical lead for the development and delivery of advanced satellite communications systems. This role is responsible for the technical integrity, system performance, and systems engineering execution across the space, communications payload, ground, network, terminal/user, waveform, software, and mission operations elements. The Chief Systems Engineer will establish and maintain the technical baseline from mission needs and CONOPS through requirements, architecture, design, integration, verification, deployment, and operations, while serving as a primary technical interface to customers, partners, and internal engineering teams.
Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:
- Serve as the senior technical authority for end-to-end satellite communications system development, with responsibility for integrated technical performance and the system technical baseline.
- Lead development and maturation of the mission architecture, CONOPS, system requirements, performance budgets, interfaces, and verification strategy.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams across RF and communications, payload, spacecraft, ground, network and software, cybersecurity, terminals, waveforms, integration and test, and mission operations.
- Translate mission and customer needs into an executable system architecture and requirements baseline, ensuring alignment across segments, suppliers, and external interfaces.
- Drive major technical decisions and trade studies, resolve cross-segment issues, and balance performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and technical risk.
Essential Job Functions
- Lead, manage, and hold the program systems engineering team accountable for disciplined execution, technical quality, and closure of cross-functional actions.
- Own the end-to-end technical baseline across the satellite communications mission, including space, payload, ground, network, user/terminal, and operations elements and their external interfaces.
- Lead the development of system architecture and CONOPS in accordance with program goals, customer mission needs, operational scenarios, and lifecycle constraints.
- Lead requirements decomposition, allocation, traceability, and verification planning across all technical disciplines, and ensure requirements remain complete, consistent, testable, and achievable.
- Own system interface definition and consistency, including development and maintenance of interface control documents and coordination of hardware, software, RF, network, and operational interfaces.
- Establish and enforce technical baseline, configuration control, design documentation, decision tracking, and review processes appropriate to the program lifecycle.
- Lead system-level technical analyses and design trades, including communications link performance, coverage, capacity, latency, availability, spectrum and interference, resilience, and other key system performance drivers.
- Lead and support major technical reviews and readiness events, including SRR/SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, system integration, verification, validation, and customer acceptance activities.
- Identify, quantify, and manage technical risks, assumptions, margins, technical performance measures, and risk-reduction activities in accordance with program cost and schedule objectives.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and technical leads, communicate technical status and risks to program leadership and customers, and foster a culture of engineering rigor, accountability, and collaboration.
Required Qualifications:
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in satellite communications and complex space system development.
- Must have an active Top Secret / SCI security clearance.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 12+ years of relevant aerospace, defense, or communications systems engineering experience, including significant technical leadership responsibility.
- Demonstrated experience leading system architecture, requirements development and decomposition, interface management, technical trades, integration, verification, and technical risk management for a complex system.
- Working knowledge of satellite communications fundamentals and end-to-end mission segments, including RF links and antennas, communications payloads, spacecraft, ground systems, networks/software, user terminals, waveforms, and mission operations.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience serving as a Chief Systems Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, Systems Architect, Deputy Chief Engineer, or equivalent technical leader on a satellite or communications development program.
- Experience with DoD or Intelligence Community satellite communications, MILSATCOM, protected or tactical communications, or other mission-critical communications systems.
- Deep understanding of systems engineering principles and practical experience applying them to requirements management, architecture development, interface control, technical performance management, verification, and design reviews in cost- and schedule-constrained programs.
- Experience with one or more relevant technical areas such as UHF, S-, X-, Ka-band, or optical communications; phased arrays or advanced antennas; digital communications payloads; modem/waveform development; networked ground systems; or resilient/contested communications.
- Experience with systems engineering and MBSE toolsets such as Jama, DOORS, Cameo, or similar tools, including disciplined requirements traceability and configuration management.
- Strong customer-facing technical leadership, communication, and mentoring skills, with the ability to convey complex technical issues to engineering teams, program leadership, partners, and government customers.
Location and Travel Requirements:
- This position is based in Herndon, VA or Albuquerque, NM, with occasional travel to other company locations or partner facilities as needed.
Why Join Us:
- Mission first-Always. We prioritize delivering results that directly support space and intelligence community programs and national security objectives.
- We operate as one team, grounded in trust, accountability, and open collaboration, where individuals actively support one another to achieve shared mission success.
- Work on high-impact programs across space, ISR, and advanced technology domains supporting DoD and IC customers.
- Ownership-driven culture is founded in teamwork where every employee is an owner, with equity participation and a direct stake in our success.
- Competitive compensation and benefits package, including flexible time off; 401(k) with company contribution
- Constant opportunities for program and professional impact.
ITAR / EAR Requirements:
This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(A)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorization from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.
How to Apply:
Please submit your resume and brief cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest . If there are any issues with applying or inquiries, please email to hiring@blackve.us.
Role Summary
Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including the selected candidate’s qualifications, relevant experience, education, certifications, security clearance, work location, internal equity, business needs, and prevailing market conditions. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and applicable market considerations.
In addition to base salary, eligible employees may participate in discretionary bonus programs and receive a comprehensive benefits package, where applicable.
For positions requiring access to classified information or government contracts, candidates with directly applicable experience and an active U.S. Government security clearance may be considered for compensation at higher levels within the posted salary range, consistent with business needs and applicable law.
See All 42 Chief Systems Engineer Jobs
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Find Chief Systems Engineer JobsChief Systems Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Automotive
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in chief systems engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related technical discipline
- Ten or more years of progressive systems engineering experience including lead or chief engineer responsibilities
- Demonstrated proficiency with model-based systems engineering tools such as Cameo or DOORS
- Active or eligible security clearance, often Secret or Top Secret, for defense and government programs
- Experience applying systems engineering standards such as ISO 15288 or MIL-STD-499
- Strong background in requirements management, interface control, and verification and validation planning
Tips for Your Chief Systems Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to program phases
Chief systems engineers are hired at different program stages, from concept through sustainment. Clearly label whether your experience is in requirements definition, design authority, or fielded system support, since hiring managers screen for the phase that matches their current program need.
Highlight cross-functional integration leadership
Employers want evidence you've driven technical coherence across subsystem teams, not just managed a team within one discipline. Describe specific cases where you resolved interface conflicts or led trade studies that realigned the program architecture.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists chief systems engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Match your clearance status to listings
Many chief systems engineer postings in defense and government contracting specify a required clearance level. Stating your current clearance status and eligibility prominently near the top of your resume removes the most common early screening barrier in this sector.
Prepare a system-level case study for interviews
Interviewers for this role routinely ask you to walk through a complex system you owned end-to-end. Prepare a concise narrative covering the system's scope, the hardest technical decision you made, and the measurable outcome, ready to deliver in under ten minutes.
Negotiate scope before discussing compensation
Total compensation for chief systems engineers often varies based on program classification, travel requirements, and whether the role carries technical authority or is advisory. Clarify the decision-making scope and program funding status before anchoring any compensation discussion.
Chief Systems Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most chief systems engineers?
The companies hiring the most chief systems engineers right now include MITRE, BAE Systems USA, and Northrop Grumman, with the largest share of openings in California, Virginia, and Illinois, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense primes, federal contractors, and advanced manufacturing firms consistently represent the largest share of active postings for this role.
How many chief systems engineer jobs are remote?
About 18% of chief systems engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting that much of the work involves classified programs or hands-on hardware that requires on-site presence. Sub-disciplines focused on requirements analysis, architecture documentation, and model-based systems engineering tend to offer the most flexibility for hybrid or remote arrangements.
How do you become a chief systems engineer?
Start with a technical bachelor's degree in systems, electrical, or aerospace engineering, then build progressively broader engineering experience across requirements, design, integration, and verification. Move into lead or principal engineer roles where you own a full system baseline. Develop skills in model-based systems engineering and earn relevant certifications such as INCOSE's Certified Systems Engineering Professional to strengthen your candidacy for the chief engineer title.
Can you get a chief systems engineer job with limited experience?
Direct entry at the chief level is rare because the role carries technical authority over an entire system baseline, which employers expect to be earned through years of subsystem and lead engineer experience. Candidates with strong integration backgrounds on a single complex system, combined with demonstrated leadership in trade studies and interface management, can sometimes move into the role earlier than a strict years-of-service count suggests.
What does the chief systems engineer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen focused on clearance status and program background, followed by a technical panel where you walk through a system you've owned and answer questions on your approach to requirements decomposition, interface control, and verification planning. A final round often includes a discussion with the program manager or engineering director focused on how you handle cross-functional technical authority and program risk.
Where can I find and apply to chief systems engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to chief systems engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your program background, clearance status, and technical discipline, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 42 Chief Systems Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Chief Systems Engineer Jobs