Senior Spacecraft AI&T Systems Engineer
Schmidt Entities
Tucson, AZ
Onsite
2026-07-01
Estimated salary · Tucson
~ $158,600 - $256,900
iampro estimate — the employer published no figure
Job description
About the Role
We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Spacecraft Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) Systems Engineer to lead the integration, verification, and test campaign for a next-generation space observatory. In this role, you will collaborate with world-class scientists—including Nobel Prize laureates—as well as engineers and global partners to develop cutting-edge space observatories that enable groundbreaking astrophysical discoveries.
You will oversee the instrument, telescope, and spacecraft bus integration activities across partners, while directly owning and executing the spacecraft-level integration of the payload with the bus. You will define and execute the AI&T plan, integration flows, verification strategy, and test campaigns—ensuring the integrated observatory meets all functional, environmental, and performance requirements.
As a key technical leader, you will work across the telescope, instrument, and bus teams and their subsystems (optics, avionics, software, mechanical, thermal, GN&C, power, etc.), as well as mission operations, to ensure smooth integration and end-to-end functionality.
This role requires strong cross-functional communication, excellent technical judgment, and the ability to execute complex integration activities in fast-paced environments.
Key Responsibilities for this role include the following: