Systems Engineer III

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Full Time Mukilteo, WA, US

Salary Range: $110,000.00 To $140,000.00 Annually

Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies’ core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.

This role is part of our Hypersonics and Strategic Missile Defense business, which designs, develops, and delivers highly dependable missile systems for hypersonic and strategic missile defense missions. We provide integrated, mission-ready hardware that brings together multiple technologies into unified systems engineered to perform in demanding operational environments. Our tip-to-tail capabilities include payload protection and deployment systems, propulsion systems, aerodynamic interstage systems, separation systems, missile subsystems, shroud systems, launch systems, and payload integration solutions.

In this role, you provide program‑level technical oversight that drives product maturation and ensures system performance throughout development. You coordinate system‑wide engineering activities, lead system architecture and requirement decomposition efforts, and verify compliance through structured documentation and test planning. Your work helps deliver robust, balanced designs by integrating analysis, design, and testing to achieve full system readiness.

Responsibilities

Contributes technical oversight at the program level to ensure end products meet all applicable requirements.

Ensures balanced emphasis on system design, analysis, and testing to produce robust solutions.

Drives system‑level architectural decisions by modeling system behavior and supporting requirement decomposition.

Verifies and documents system compliance to requirements.

Leads development of test plans that validate system performance.

Supports creation of engineering reports and presentations.

Supports development of interface control drawings and interface description documents.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering or aerospace engineering, or equivalent.

Typically 4–7 years of aerospace and/or defense experience.

Experience developing mechanical systems and structures, electronics, electrical cabling, system integration, and qualification testing.

Proficiency in aerospace engineering fundamentals, including structural analysis, finite element analysis (FEA), physics‑based modeling, dynamics and kinematics, advanced high‑strength materials, design, and testing.

Demonstrated technical leadership with the ability to plan and execute multidisciplinary projects.

A current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience providing systems engineering support during the proposal phase, including compliance matrix reviews, performance specification evaluations, and rough‑order‑of‑magnitude (ROM) labor estimating.

Experience with DOORS Next Generation (DNG) and Jazz Team Server (JTS) Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM).

Experience performing Concept of Operations (ConOps) to define mission environments and system use cases.

Experience decomposing system‑level requirements into subsystem and component‑level requirements for military, space, or aerospace applications.

Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) using block definition diagrams (BDD) and internal block diagrams (IBD) to define system interfaces.

Experience conducting system architecture trade studies across performance, cost, weight, and compliance factors.

Experience leading program risk management activities.

Experience using Verification Compliance Review Matrix (VCRM) processes.

Experience collaborating across multidisciplinary teams such as software and hardware engineering.

Experience with system safety analyses including failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) and fault‑tree analysis.

Knowledge of regulatory and certification processes, including NASA, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), or U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) standards for aerospace, space, or defense systems.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Company‑paid life and AD&D insurance

Short‑and‑long‑term disability coverage

Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

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