Telecom OPT Jobs in Virginia

Company Overview

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world. For over 20 years, Iridium’s unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed. Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions. Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world. Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves. We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

What We’re Looking For:

Iridium is seeking a motivated Systems Engineer I to join our Systems Engineering team supporting a Space Development Agency (SDA) project. In this role, you’ll apply systems engineering principles to help analyze, design, and integrate ground and satellite systems, while learning from experienced team members and gradually increasing your technical responsibilities. If you're ready to grow your engineering career in a collaborative environment focused on cutting-edge aerospace technology, this is the opportunity for you.

What You’ll Do:

• Assist in applying system engineering processes to the development of satellite ground system components
• Support system analysis and requirements gathering for Space & Ground segments
• Collaborate with team members to define system interfaces and operational workflows
• Contribute to the creation of documentation, including technical diagrams, procedures, and system configurations
• Help maintain records related to integration activities, test results, and verification data
• Participate in test execution and troubleshooting under the direction of senior engineers
• Work with cross-functional teams to support integration and system readiness activities
• Gain exposure to major reviews such as Systems Requirements Review (SRR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR), and Test Readiness Review (TRR)
• Learn and apply modeling and simulation techniques to support design and analysis work

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related field
• General experience in or a basic knowledge of systems engineering or related technical work, preferably in aerospace or telecom
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate key messages and ideas clearly and effectively
• Can cultivate meaningful relationships with your manager and members of your team, while being open and responsive to constructive feedback as they guide and mentor you
• The ability to think outside the box to help solve problems, with the humility to ask for help when needed
• Adaptability to a dynamic environment and the readiness to take on any new tasks that are handed to you
• A motivation to achieve outcomes and results
• Capable of handling multiple tasks at once and completing them on time with mostly no errors
• An eagerness to develop professionally, continuously learn, and share knowledge with others

Things That Would be Great if You Brought to the Table:

• Exposure to networking protocols or communications systems
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools such as JIRA, Confluence, or R4J
• Academic or personal experience working in Linux environments
• Introductory-level programming experience in Python, Java, C++, or similar languages
• Interest in learning about satellite ground systems, integration, and operations

We’ll also need you to:

• Be able to travel up to 10%
• Be a U.S. Citizen

Work Environment:

This position primarily works in an office setting and is largely sedentary with the majority of the position working with a computer. The role typically requires the use of basic office equipment such as a phone, video, computer, keyboard, mouse, and printer.

We believe in-person connection drives innovation, strengthens mentorship, and builds culture, while flexibility enables employees to do their best work. Under Iridium’s Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work at least three days per week (approximately 60%) in an Iridium office to support collaboration, relationship-building, and professional growth.

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work for this role and is not a comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employees may be assigned additional responsibilities as needed.

Iridium is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.