Job Details

Senior Systems Engineering / Deputy Project Systems Engineer

Position Number: 9762351
Location: Boulder, United States
Position Type: Engineering - Other Engineering

Senior Systems Engineering / Deputy Project Systems Engineer

Requisition Number: 74203
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 27-Aug-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

Serve as a Deputy Project Systems Engineer on a fast-paced delivery of Mars science payloads.

Hiring of this position is pending award of an upcoming opportunity to deliver multiple science payloads to a Mars spacecraft to be launched in 2028. The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is seeking a talented and driven systems engineer to play a key role in the delivery of interplanetary payloads to enable ground-breaking Mars science.

As the Deputy Project Systems Engineer, you will work closely with the Lead Project Systems Engineer and payload teams to implement high-heritage LASP payload systems in a rapid concurrent engineering program on a partner institution's spacecraft. This is a rare opportunity to support the rapid deployment of science payloads from architecture formulation to space flight.

Successful candidates are thrive in technically challenging environments, make sound engineering decisions with incomplete information, and know how to balance mission performance, cost, schedule, and risk to enable exceptional science.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

LASP combines the agility of a university laboratory with the technical capability of a premier space mission organization. Engineers work directly alongside scientists, students, and mission operators, allowing technical decisions to move quickly while maintaining scientific excellence.

As part of the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), LASP began in 1948 and is a world-recognized space science research institute that implements the full life cycle of science missions from the definition of the science questions through the development of space flight hardware and the subsequent mission operations. We are the only research institute in the world to have sent science instruments to all eight planets, Pluto, and beyond the solar system.

LASP combines all aspects of space exploration through our expertise in science, engineering, mission operations, and scientific data analysis. As part of CU, LASP also works to educate and train the next generation of space scientists, engineers and mission operators by integrating undergraduate and graduate students into working teams. Our students take their unique experiences with them into government or industry or remain in academia to continue the cycle of exploration.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

As the Deputy Project Systems engineer, you will work with the Lead Project Systems Engineer to carve out a role in the technical leadership and support of LASP payloads as well as management of the external interface between the LASP payloads and partner spacecraft. In the rapid concurrent engineering environment of this program, this role will heavily involve the management and tracking of design/interface/modeling assumptions and ensuring that engineering decisions made across payload subsystems remain aligned and consistent with the mission's scientific objectives.

Technical responsibilities may include:

System Definition

Lead the identification and documentation of technical requirements
Identify key system capabilities and performance requirements
Create diagrams to show system structure and functional relationships
Write and maintain technical documentation (deliverable and internal)
Contribute to the system implementation approach and operational concept

Interface Management

Assist the development of system architectures and interface definitions
Identify key interface relationships and work with disciplinary specialists to define them
Coordinate the development of interface control documents and supporting information
Develops architectural guidelines for current and future system development

Change Management

Track proposed changes to a system to ensure that impacts are fully evaluated
Evaluate the impacts of changes to interfacing systems and ensure that all impacted interfaces and designs are comprehensively assessed

Technical Resource Management

Coordinate the allocation of mass, power, physical volume, and data volume to systems and subsystems
Trend and predict the usage of technical resources to identify allocation exceedances and support contingency planning when exceedances occur

Project Processes

Lead the development of configuration management processes that comply with contractual and internal requirements
Ensure that configuration management processes are followed in the storage, review, and approval of internal and deliverable project documents
Lead risk management efforts in coordination with the project management office. Validate proposed risks and contribute to the development of mitigation plans.
Coordinate anomaly management efforts. Ensure that these efforts meet contractual and organizational requirements. Work with senior systems engineering personnel and project management to develop and implement anomaly resolution plans

Trade Studies

Coordinate the evaluation of alternative technical solutions including cost, risk, supportability and effectiveness analyses for total systems

Specialist Discipline Integration

Lead the coordination and communication effort between a project and specialist supporting disciplines such as reliability analysis, contamination analysis and radiation analysis
Ensure that specialist analyses meet technical, contractual and programmatic requirements

Communication

Ensure clear information exchange between members of a multi-disciplinary team
Communicate with end users and customers to exchange technical and programmatic information
Lead the planning effort for technical and programmatic meetings with stakeholders in external organizations

Technical Review

Coordinate the production of presentation materials for technical milestone and programmatic review.
Present detailed technical material to review boards and other external evaluation efforts

Subcontract Oversight

In coordination with the Project Manager, support communication and problem resolution with external providers of hardware and software

Technical Management

Support the integrated planning effort for product development including staffing, budgets and schedules
Provide guidance and coordination for multi-disciplinary teams of scientists and engineers to realize mission objectives

What Success Looks Like

Enable outstanding technical collaboration across LASP and partner organizations.
Successful management of uncertainty in a rapid concurrent engineering environment to enable the on-time delivery of scientific payloads
Enable informed, consistent engineering decisions across multiple payload teams that appropriately balance performance, risk, and cost with the prioritized schedule.

Other duties as assigned

What You Should Know

Due to ITAR requirements, only US citizens and permanent residents may apply.
On-site presence required
Some travel may be expected to support reviews and vendor site visits.

What We Can Offer

Annual Salary: $120,416.44 - $189,585.27.
Position is eligible for Relocation

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

Demonstrated engineering experience in space mission developments.
At least 5 years of progressively responsible aerospace systems engineering experience.
BS or higher degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field from an accredited institution.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to multi-task and handle competing priorities

What You Will Need

Experience working on Class D or schedule-driven flight projects
Experience with requirements definition and configuration management
Experience defining and managing technical interfaces with external spacecraft providers.
Understanding of scientific data systems and space science missions.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

Resume or CV.
Cover Letter.

(Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.

Please apply by 8/27/2026 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Senior-Systems-Engineering-Deputy-Project-Systems-Engineer/74203