Principal Systems Engineer (Requirements, Verification, Validation, and Certification Lead)

At Sierra Space, we envision a future where humanity lives and works in space, on moons, and on distant planets. Sierra Space builds and delivers the future of space transportation, destinations and infrastructure, offering "space-as-a-service" in support of the new space economy.
Sierra Space, based in Louisville, Colorado with operations in Madison, Wisconsin, Durham, North Carolina, and Kennedy Space Center, Florida, designs and manufactures advanced spacecraft, satellites, propulsion and environmental systems, spacecraft subsystems and components for the U.S. government (including NASA), commercial customers and international organizations. Learn more about Sierra Space
Become part of our team developing the first independent commercial space station. This space station is based on our expandable LIFE™ habitat, serviced by Dream Chaser® spaceplane, and will provide the facilities and services for commercial research, manufacturing and tourism. Do you pride yourself in being a creative, problem-solving engineer with a passion for developing revolutionary technical systems in a collaborative and customer-centric environment? Come join our team!
As the Requirements, Verification, Validation, and Certification (RVVC) Lead, you will be responsible for the entire collection of requirements, verification and validation planning, and certification planning for the Space Destinations product line. You will manage a team of engineers to establish the technical baselines for complicated systems and subsystems. You will be responsible for tracking status and execution against an aggressive program schedule. Depending on the strengths of the candidate and specific needs of the program, this may involve jumping in to support specific development activities, making decisions on process and configuration or change management, and briefing leadership or executives.
Primary Responsibilities

• Lead a team to establish complete and consistent design documentation
• Manage and drive cross-functional discussions and a program-wide baseline for requirements management, verification, validation and certification
• Create plan, track progress against plan and report execution
• Communicate across program status, needs, updates, and design baselines
• Ensure the system requirements and plans align with the design and quality standards
• Create processes for review and approval and ensure their adoption
• Prepare and conduct technical reviews related to system requirements, verification, and certification
• Create memos and documentation summarizing status, plan, and inputs needed for forward work
• Manage and track JIRA tasks for your efforts
• Lead team efforts as needed to meet deadlines

Must-haves:

• Bachelor's of Science degree in an Engineering related discipline and typically 14 (fourteen) or more years of relevant experience; higher education may be considered in lieu of experience.
• Relevant work experience may substitute for required education.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities.
• Demonstrated expertise of engineering principles and practices
• Expertise with Requirements management
• Experience with verification planning and philosophies
• Experience with JIRA, IMS, or other task management software
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary design and development teams.
• Experience working a program throughout a program lifecycle.
• Integration and test knowledge throughout the lifecycle (concept development, requirements definition, design, development, testing, and operations)
• Must be able to work in a highly collaborative, fast paced environment with emphasizes in rapid prototyping and fielding of capabilities.

Preferred:

• Experience with human spaceflight
• Experience with certification efforts
• Experience with configuration control processes
• Experience with requirements development and allocation
• Experience with verification planning and test or operations experience
• Advanced Experience with requirements management and Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) tools, such as DOORS, Rhapsody, NoMagic, MATLAB
• The ability to obtain and maintain a Security Clearance may be required. Learn more about the background check process for Security Clearances

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
To conform to U.S. Government international trade regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.
With 30+ years of proven spaceflight heritage, Sierra Space has provided more than 4,000 space systems, subsystems and components to customers worldwide, and participated in more than 500 missions to space, including to Mars. The company has technology in production and in development to enable space habitats for short- and long-duration space travel, a fleet of Dream Chaser spaceplanes, and the first free-flying commercial space station. Please visit www.sierraspace.com to learn more about Sierra Space, its business areas, capabilities, programs, products and services.
Physical/Mental/Emotional Requirements:

• Frequently walk, sit, stand, climb stairs and steps
• Frequently repeat same hand, arm, and finger motion many times to include finger and hand dexterity
• Rarely lifting or carrying up to 20 lbs.

Working Conditions:

• Rarely exposed to outdoor elements (high/low temperatures, sun, rain/snow, etc.)
• Rarely exposed to fumes or hazardous chemicals/materials
• Rarely exposed to loud noises

Estimated Starting Salary Range: $159,430.15 - $219,216.46
Sierra Space offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.
Sierra Space offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 8%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.
At Sierra Space, our mission is to dream, innovate, inspire and empower the next generation to transform humanity through technology and imagination. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome our employees to bring their whole selves to their work. Sierra Space is committed to fostering an inclusive, accepting, and diverse environment free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Contributions to Sierra Space come in many shapes and styles, and we believe diversity in our workforce fosters new and greater ways to dream, innovate, and inspire.