Senior Principal Program Engineer

Since its inception in 2004, Geost has been committed to solving mission-critical space domain and ISR challenges for DOD, IC and commercial customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space-based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. As we grow our operations in Tucson, AZ and Chantilly, VA, we remain dedicated to the collaborative and innovative culture that is the foundation of our business. Geost is an operating unit of LightRidge Solutions.

Position Summary

GEOST seeks an enthusiastic and highly capable Senior Principal Program Engineer to work with a multi-disciplinary team to design, develop, and test space-based electro-optical sensors. A qualified candidate will serve as the definitive technical authority for all aspects of engineering on all program elements (systems engineering/hardware/software/support/test) and lead a multi-disciplined engineering team managing the technical performance of the program, meeting cost and schedule requirements including subcontracted elements. This position requires a US Secret security clearance and is expected to spend at least 25% of the time in a classified work environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for the program, to include chairing program gate reviews from Systems Requirements Review (SRR) through Test Readiness Review (TRR)
• Ensure compliance with technical requirements documents, including program SOW. Manage efforts to ensure compliance to SOW without adding additional (un-definitized) scope to the program.
• Adherence to sound engineering processes in the development, production, test, and sustainment of products for our customers and compliance with company policies, procedures, and quality standards.
• Maintains cognizance over technical activities within program Mission and Product Areas and ensures horizontal integration of the best engineering practices.
• Ensures the execution of program statement of work.
• Regularly takes a leadership role in providing insight and knowledge transfer to others on internal and external technical solutions to solve complex problems.
• Oversight and customer engagement for the execution of Agile planning and execution.
• Demonstrated ability to formally present technical solutions to senior leadership.
• Be the technical liaison to the program, customer and Geost Leadership.
• Drive risk and opportunity management by identifying and owning risks associated with system performance. Owns the program Risk Register.
• Provide oversight for system architecture and design development and supporting architecture roles.
• Provides technical leadership, direction and mentoring to other technical employees in the application of systems engineering principles, tools, and techniques to achieve practical end results.
• Serves as the interface for the program with customer technical team.
• Be a change agent, including leading efforts in Digital Transformation initiatives.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) discipline and 12 years of related experience; 10 years with master's degree; 5 years with PhD
• US Citizenship with an Active DOD Secret clearance
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% as a part of the role.
• Must have familiarity with leading large technical proposals and the ability to lead the customer through reviews of technical performance.
• Strong collaboration skills with experience working across BUs, divisions, sectors within the LightRidge Solutions business as well as with industry partners and the customer community, as well as strong communication skills.
• Ability to motivate and guide teams and activities without having formal managerial authority of the staff supporting those activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DoD customers, particularly space programs within the last 10 years
• Active DOD Top Secret clearance granted with SCI eligibility, current TS/SCI or re-investigated within last 6 years at time of application
• Five or more years of experience in remote sensing applications across multiple operating domains (space, air, land, sea)
• Five or more years of experience developing Ground systems across multiple operating domains (space and tactical implementations)
• Five or more years of experience supporting development of mission-level campaign concepts of operations and Enterprise scale systems architectures.
• General knowledge of data exploitation, AI/ML techniques, and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR)
• General knowledge of mission areas to include current and emerging needs and technology capability gaps.
• Experience integrating multiple engineering specialties and stakeholders across multiple Teams and Suppliers
• Experience leading design, production, and integration of complex systems
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) experience
• Experience leading the performance of technical tasks on schedule, at cost and achieving all requirements as either a chief engineer or technical lead.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in achieving results through managing people and understanding and management of internal processes and customer/supplier relationships.
• Strong understanding and broad application of complex engineering systems (engineering standards, configuration management, material review board, process control, tooling, facilities, software, etc.)
• Ability to collaborate and achieve consensus when dealing with groups from diverse organizations and backgrounds.
• Demonstrated experience in making sound decisions in uncertain and difficult situations.

Geost reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

Benefits

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits including but not limited to:

• Health benefits
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Basic life with AD&D
  • Short term disability
  • Long term disability
  • Ancillary (Voluntary life with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet)
  • Spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCFSA)
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• 401(k) (including automatic company contribution)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Leaves (Parental, pregnancy, and military)
• Annual bonus incentive

Geost is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Geost is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact recruiting@geost.com.

Pay Transparency: The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)