Lead Systems Engineer, Defense Programs

Position Title: Lead Systems Engineer, Defense Programs Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Lead Systems Engineer, Defense Programs opportunity. Job Responsibilities: Capture & Business Development: Lead capture engineering on defense pursuits, from early customer discovery through proposal submission Identify and develop the technical discriminators that separate Longshot from conventional and non-conventional competitors Shape technical solutions that align to customer requirements, acquisition strategy, and evaluation criteria Partner with business development and program management on pursuit strategy, bid decisions, and teaming Debrief the internal team on what the customer actually said, and what it means for the roadmap Systems Engineering: Conduct trade studies across cost, performance, risk, schedule, and supportability to defend solution choices Perform requirements analysis, functional decomposition, and architecture development for defense applications of our launch platform Define and document system interfaces, requirements traceability, and verification and validation plans Proposal & Program Documentation: Author and review technical white papers and responses to RFIs, BAAs, and RFPs Build and lead SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR packages, including the analysis and traceability behind them Draft statements of work, work breakdown structures, milestone definitions, and integrated master schedule inputs Develop CDRL deliverables and ensure compliance with applicable Data Item Descriptions Customer-Facing Communication: Track and report technical performance measures, risks, and opportunities Prepare and deliver technical briefings to program offices, service leadership, and senior government stakeholders Build capability briefings and quad charts that hold up to technical scrutiny  Job Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field 5+ years of experience in systems engineering within aerospace and defense programs. Direct experience with DoW/DoD customers and programs (hypersonics, long-range strike, missile defense, or space access), including capture engineering and developing technical solutions for defense acquisition Excellent technical writing and communication skills, including preparing and delivering briefings to DoW/DoD customers, program offices, and senior leadership Strong understanding of DoD acquisition lifecycle (MDD, MSA, TMRR, EMD, P&D) and systems engineering processes (requirements, architecture, V&V) Experience with requirements management and traceability tools (DOORS, Jama, or equivalent) Ability to work fully onsite at our Alameda, CA facility, with up to 25% travel to test sites, government partner sites, bases, conferences, and tradeshows.  Preferred Job Qualifications: Proven track record of writing technical white papers, proposals, PDR/CDR packages, and other program deliverables Job Details: Job Type: Full-time, Direct-Hire Salary Range: $160K-$200K Location: Alameda, CA (Onsite). ITAR obligations are associated with this role, U.S. citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a) (1), (3) is required. About Protingent: Protingent is a niche provider of top Engineering and IT talent to Software, Electronics, Medical Device, Telecom, and Aerospace companies nationwide. Protingent exists to make a positive impact and contribution to the lives of others as well as our community by providing relevant, rewarding, and exciting work opportunities for our candidates.