{"id":3614556,"url":"https://alion.io/job/draper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer","title":"Distinguished Space Systems Engineer","company":{"id":58532,"name":"Draper","domain":"draper.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/draper-com","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":78,"open_postings":71,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.887,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":30,"computed_at":"2026-11-03T05:54:40Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Cambridge, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":100000,"max":275000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":275000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Cameo Systems Modeler","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"MBSE","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"STK","optional":false},{"name":"SysML","optional":false},{"name":"Threat Modeling","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-02T15:51:52Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-02","last_verified_at":"2026-11-03T18:43:11Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"Overview:\nDraper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.\nJob Description Summary:\nThe Space and Mission Critical Systems group at Draper is seeking a Space Systems Engineer with broad technical skills to work within multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop, test, and/or support systems for manned space flight and lunar activities.Tasking may include: identification of customer needs, development of use cases, requirements analysis and flow-down, system concept/architecture development (including analysis of alternatives), system and mission design, interface definition/control, system integration/verification/test planning, development of systems engineering documentation, model development, vehicle and mission-level simulation development, performance assessment, documentation of analysis results, and presentation of results to both internal and external stake-holders.\nA successful candidate will be:\nHighly motivated to support the delivery of technology solutions that are of strategic importance to the nation\nDedicated to developing the in-depth mission and technology domain expertise that enable the realization of such solutions\nA skilled collaborator, working with customers to understand needs, constraints, and expectations, as well as communicating engineering solutions and status\nCandidates are encouraged to include a cover letter that describes their interest in this position.\nJob Description:\nDuties/Responsibilities\nIndependently drive solutions to complex, multidisciplinary problems with a deep understanding of a customer's strategic priorities.\nCapable of helping customers shape their needs and develop requirements for programs that solve their most challenging technical problems.\nDemonstrated ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams (greater than 10 people). Aligns team towards program goals and builds trust within the team.\nSubject Matter Expert (SME) in Systems Engineering.\nContributes to advancing State of the Art (SOA) solutions and techniques in their field\nAble to analyze Draper strategy and work with management to build capability in key areas to help sustain business growth.\nIdentifies risks common among multiple programs/technology areas/etc. and develops and executes mitigation strategies for them.\nWorks to improve operations at the enterprise level. Identifies areas for improvement within the organization and uses positive collaboration practices to achieve change.\nActively mentors and seeks opportunities to build depth for their area of expertise. Recognizes strengths and weaknesses in others and gives thoughtful, constructive feedback.\nPerforms other duties as assigned.\nSkills/Abilities\nHighly-organized, capable of approaching problems with a system-level perspective.\nStrong oral and written communication skills.\nPractical experience with simulation-based performance analysis.\nPractical experience with the systems engineering process.\nRoles may require proficiency with modeling and simulation, computer language coding, descriptive modeling (e.g. SysML), STPA, and/or other engineering analysis tools\nKnowledge of GN&C, avionics architectures, fault tolerance, cyber/security, comms/encryption, threat modeling or other technologies may be required as defined in the summary.\nEducation\nBachelor's degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field. Masters degree or higher preferred.\nExperience\n10-15+ years experience as systems engineer or related role.\nAdditional Job Description:\nRequired qualifications:\nTwo or more of the following:Requirements management: decompose mission level requirements down to subsystem level and trace them throughout the project lifecycle.\nSpacecraft subsystems analysis: propellant budgeting, on orbit fuel needs, RF link budgets, mission life estimations, and day-in-the-life assessments.\nMBSE (MagicDraw / Cameo) or CONOPs development: capturing functional flows and system behavior.\nICD Management: Draft, review, and manage ICDs and maintain clear interface baselines across disciplines.\nAnalysis tools and script development: Create and maintain these items (Python, MATLAB, STK, STOL, or similar) to automate calculations and visualizations.\nAuthor / contribute to and review program data products, design reference missions (DRMs), and mission level models.\n\nStrong interpersonal and communication skills:Develop and deliver technical presentations for program milestones, readiness reviews, and senior-level briefings\nDemonstrated experience fostering a culture of inclusion in the workplace\n\nCurrent Active Top Secret Clearance is Required; SCI Eligibility is highly desirable.\nConnect With Draper for Future Opportunities! If you don't find the right posting in our Career Opportunities, you may submit your resume for future consideration.\nJob Location - City:\nCambridgeJob Location - State:\nMassachusettsJob Location - Postal Code:\n02139-3563The US base salary range for this full-time position is\n$100,000.00 - $275,000.00Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role.Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and does not include bonuses or benefits.\nOur work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.\nDraper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper 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, please contact .","description_format":"text","description_chars":7296,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["C4ISR","Avionics & Flight Control","Research Institutes"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-02T15:51:52Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":30,"reasons":["conf:3","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-03T05:54:40Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":275000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/draper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/draper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-04T00:29:53Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":693,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-05T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58532},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58532"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fdraper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fdraper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fdraper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/draper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fdraper-distinguished-space-systems-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3614556}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"draper.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3614556},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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