Senior System Engineer

Job Title: Senior Systems Engineer

ROLE OVERVIEW

This role demands strong technical depth, systems thinking, and the ability to coordinate across multiple engineering disciplines while driving the program's overall technical direction.

This role combines office-based engineering with laboratory, workshop, integration, and field-test activities. Candidates should be comfortable transitioning between analytical work, hardware development, and outdoor flight operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Systems Architecture & Requirements Management
• Define and maintain the overall architecture of the reusable re-entry vehicle.
• Translate mission objectives into clear system and subsystem requirements.
• Develop and maintain the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for demonstration and orbital missions.
• Lead architecture trade studies across aerodynamics, recovery systems, avionics, propulsion, structures, and mission operations.
• Define subsystem interfaces and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Ensure scalability of the vehicle architecture from technology demonstrators to future operational orbital vehicles.
• Develop, allocate, and maintain system requirements throughout the program lifecycle.
• Own requirement traceability and configuration management.
• Maintain vehicle-level engineering budgets including:
• Mass Budget
• Power Budget
• Data Budget
• Thermal Budget
• Performance Margins
• Identify technical risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Maintain engineering documentation and configuration baselines.
• Mission Design & Vehicle Integration
• Support mission planning for atmospheric, high-altitude, and orbital demonstrations.
• Define mission profiles, operational timelines, and system-level performance requirements.
• Coordinate subsystem integration across:
• Guidance, Navigation & Control
• Avionics
• Flight Software
• Structures
• Aerodynamics
• Propulsion
• Recovery Systems
• Ensure compatibility between hardware, software, and operational procedures.
• Verification & Validation
• Develop system-level verification and validation strategies.
• Define qualification and acceptance criteria for engineering and flight hardware.
• Develop Verification & Validation (V&V) matrices.
• Support Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) activities.
• Ensure subsystem verification satisfies overall mission objectives.
• Flight Test Operations
• Participate in mission planning and flight readiness activities.
• Support vehicle integration, checkout procedures, and launch operations.
• Monitor system performance during demonstrations.
• Conduct post-flight data analysis and identify system-level improvements.
• Support iterative development based on flight test results.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Work closely with GNC, avionics, propulsion, structures, software, and testing teams.
• Lead multidisciplinary technical discussions and architecture reviews.
• Mentor junior engineers and interns.
• Support engineering recruitment and technical interviews.
• Establish systems engineering processes, documentation standards, and design review practices.

REQUIREMENTS

• B.Tech/M.Tech/PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related disciplines.
• 5+ years of experience in re-entry vehicles, spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other complex aerospace systems.
• Strong understanding of:
• Systems Engineering Principles
• Requirements Management
• Vehicle Architecture
• Interface Management
• Mission Design
• Verification & Validation
• Technical Trade Studies
• Engineering Risk Management
• Experience developing system requirements and subsystem specifications.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary engineering interfaces.
• Familiarity with complete engineering product development lifecycles.
• Strong analytical thinking and structured problem-solving ability.
• Excellent technical communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to coordinate multiple engineering teams simultaneously.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Experience With
• Spacecraft or launch vehicle systems engineering
• Re-entry vehicles or Entry, Descent & Landing (EDL) systems
• Autonomous aerospace systems
• High-altitude platforms
• Mission analysis and trajectory design
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
• SysML or similar modelling tools
• Requirements management tools (DOORS or equivalent)
• MATLAB/Simulink
• Python
• STK or GMAT
• Configuration management practices
• Aerospace standards (NASA, ESA, ECSS, ISRO)
• Familiarity With
• Flight hardware development
• Recovery systems
• Thermal Protection Systems
• Spacecraft avionics
• Flight software development
• Design review processes (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR)
• Prior experience with Indian or international aerospace programs (ISRO, DRDO, private space tech firms, startups) will be considered an added advantage.