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Capella Space · 2 months ago

Staff Advanced Concepts Systems Engineer

Louisville, CO

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$154K/yr - $194K/yr

10+ years exp

Capella Space, an IonQ company, specializes in delivering secure, actionable Earth intelligence through advanced space systems. They are seeking a Staff Advanced Concepts Systems Engineer to lead the development of mission concepts and architectures, integrating emerging technologies into credible system designs while coordinating internal studies and engaging with external stakeholders.

AerospaceGeospatialImage RecognitionInformation Services

Growth Opportunities

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Lead the creation of mission concepts, reference architectures, and CONOPS for future space missions

Integrate emerging technologies into coherent and credible system designs

Evaluate technical and programmatic feasibility through trade studies, modeling, simulation, and system analysis

Lead internal advanced concept studies, prototypes, and demonstrations

Partner with radar, systems, and payload leads—as well as PIs—to identify where emerging technologies become mission-enabling

Coordinate with the Technology Transition Lead to flag promising concepts for handoff to engineering

Collaborate with the Technical Director to develop presentation materials, budget justifications, and investment proposals for internal and external stakeholders

Perform technology forecasting and gap analysis aligned with company strategy and long-term technology roadmaps

Identify cross-cutting opportunities where multiple emerging technologies converge to enable new mission architectures

Track competitor and government R&D investments (e.g., DARPA, NASA STMD, AFRL) to inform positioning and strategic planning

Serve as a technical interface with DARPA, NASA STMD, AFRL, and other government or commercial customers on early-stage concept studies

Support proposal development including concept papers, white papers, and BAA responses

Represent the company at technical workshops, conferences, and industry consortia, showcasing innovative mission concepts

Present future mission concepts to customers and stakeholders, clearly articulating feasibility, value, and alignment with objectives

Lead a small, high-performing team of principal investigators and engineers developing mission concept studies

Mentor junior engineers in trade study execution, modeling and simulation, and proposal development

Foster a culture of experimentation, technical excellence, and disciplined risk-taking, ensuring a balance between innovation and rigor

Delivery of credible, well-documented mission studies with traceable assumptions and system models

Achievement of 6.1/6.2 contract wins and alignment of internal IRAD toward validated concepts

Successful transition of concepts into funded pathfinder or prototype programs

Recognition by customers and partners as a thought leader in mission architecture and payload integration

Sustained pipeline of mission concepts feeding both internal R&D and mainline engineering activities

Qualification

Aerospace EngineeringSystems EngineeringSpace Mission DesignModel-Based Systems EngineeringTrade Study SkillsAnalytical SkillsLeadershipTechnical Communication

Required

S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or related field (Ph.D. preferred)

10+ years of experience in space mission design, architecture, or systems integration, including work on early-stage concept development

Proven ability to translate emerging technologies into executable mission architectures and CONOPS

Experience interfacing with government R&D agencies (DARPA, AFRL, NASA, etc.) and contributing to competitive proposal efforts

Strong modeling, analytical, and trade study skills; familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools preferred

Demonstrated leadership of multi-disciplinary teams and ability to guide conceptual efforts toward tangible outcomes

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Capella Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable