Staff Advanced Concepts Systems Engineer

Mission Concept Development

• 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.

Internal Coordination

• 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.

Strategic Analysis

• 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.

Customer, Stakeholder & External Engagement

• 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.

Leadership & Mentorship

• 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.

This role creates positive change by developing mission concepts that translate emerging technologies into executable space missions, strengthening global stability and security through trusted Earth intelligence systems that amplify decision-making for allied partners.

• 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.

The annual salary range for this role as it is posted is $153,636 - $194,004. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity.

• We provide extensive medical coverage, including strong vision and dental plans, flexible spending accounts, and additional supplemental health options.
• Paid Flexible Time Off Policy
• 401(k) Plan with Company Match to help you invest in your long-term retirement goals
• Parental Leave program
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• Commuter & Parking Benefits
• Mental Health Resources
• Monthly Phone Stipend
• Furry friends? We've got you covered with dog-friendly work environment & them with pet insurance options

Capella Space builds trusted space systems that deliver secure, rapid, and actionable Earth intelligence to amplify decision-making for allied partners, providing precise, high-resolution radar imagery in any condition through a vertically integrated approach that spans spacecraft design, advanced radar payloads, manufacturing, automated tasking, and low-latency delivery of mission-ready data.