Payload Systems Integration Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Payload Systems Integration Lead

U.S. Citizenship Required

Position Overview

Onyx Aerospace is seeking a Payload Systems Integration Lead to support the development, integration, verification, and delivery of an advanced space communications payload supporting a major NASA program.

This position will serve as Onyx’s primary on-site technical representative at a key subcontractor facility, providing day-to-day visibility and leadership across payload engineering, hardware development, manufacturing, integration, test, schedule, technical risk, and delivery.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role combining RF/communications systems, systems engineering, hardware development, integration and test, and program execution. The successful candidate will maintain visibility into technical performance, schedule, risks, and deliverables; identify emerging issues; and work across engineering and program organizations to drive them to resolution. The successful candidate should bring meaningful technical depth in RF, communications, payload, or related spacecraft systems, together with the ability to work effectively across the broader payload development environment.

The strongest candidate will combine technical depth in RF, communications, payload electronics, and spacecraft systems with broad systems-integration experience. Candidates do not need to be experts in every payload discipline, but should be comfortable moving between engineering discussions, hardware integration and test activities, schedule and risk assessments, and technical status briefings. This position is particularly well suited to an experienced engineer ready to take broader technical ownership of a space communications payload through integration, qualification, and delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Onyx’s primary on-site technical and program representative supporting communications payload development, manufacturing, integration, test, and delivery.
• Coordinate technical and program activities among Onyx, subcontractor engineering teams, suppliers, program leadership, the prime contractor, and customer organizations.
• Monitor payload hardware development from design and procurement through fabrication, assembly, integration, qualification, acceptance, and delivery.
• Monitor technical performance against payload and system requirements and identify emerging technical issues or performance shortfalls.
• Coordinate RF, electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, quality, and test activities required for successful payload integration.
• Participate in technical interchange meetings, design reviews, test readiness reviews, qualification and acceptance reviews, and other formal program reviews.
• Identify technical, schedule, manufacturing, quality, supplier, and integration risks and work with responsible organizations to establish and execute mitigation plans.
• Maintain visibility into technical issues, action items, nonconformances, engineering changes, corrective actions, and closure status.
• Support troubleshooting, anomaly resolution, root-cause investigations, and corrective-action activities during hardware integration and test.
• Provide regular technical and program status assessments to Onyx program leadership, including identification of issues requiring management attention or escalation.
• Ensure subcontractor activities remain aligned with Onyx commitments, program requirements, schedule objectives, and customer expectations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in aerospace, defense, spacecraft, satellite communications, RF systems, or complex hardware development.
• Technical experience with RF, communications, electrical, spacecraft, or related engineering systems.
• Experience supporting hardware development, integration, verification, qualification, or test.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary engineering teams and resolving cross-system technical issues.
• Ability to understand requirements, specifications, engineering drawings, interface documentation, analyses, test plans, and test data.
• Experience tracking technical issues, risks, schedules, actions, and deliverables.
• Strong technical communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently as Onyx’s on-site representative and exercise sound technical judgment.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to satisfy applicable customer, export-control, facility-access, and security requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Spacecraft, satellite communications, or space payload development experience.
• Ka-band or other microwave communications system experience.
• Background combining RF/communications engineering and systems engineering.
• Experience with RF payload hardware, antennas, amplifiers, LNAs/SSPAs, filters, frequency converters, or associated payload electronics.
• Experience serving as a technical lead, systems lead, IPT lead, CAM, or technical program manager.
• Experience overseeing aerospace subcontractors or hardware suppliers.
• NASA, DoD, commercial space, or major aerospace prime contractor experience.
• Experience with requirements V&V, configuration management, and engineering change control.
• Experience with qualification, acceptance, EMI/EMC, thermal-vacuum, vibration, environmental, or RF performance testing.
• Familiarity with AS9100 or similar high-reliability aerospace quality environments.

Additional Information

Onyx Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is subject to applicable customer, program, export-control, security, and facility-access requirements.

Specific assignments and technical responsibilities will be based on the selected candidate's experience, technical expertise, and customer program requirements.

This position may support programs contingent upon customer funding or contract award. Candidates must be able to satisfy applicable export control requirements, background investigations, and customer security requirements.