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Payload Integration Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Satellite Payload Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

SAR Payload Development - experience supporting the design, development, integration, verification ... ing services, and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely ...

As a Satellite Payload Engineer, you will support technical efforts requiring deep expertise in ... ensure seamless integration across space and ground segments. You will also drive ...

NRO Payload Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

... Payload Subject Matter Expert to support the NRO GEOINT Directorate. This is a Systems Engineering ... SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the ...

Principal RF Payload Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

ORA_ON_SITE Description The RF Payload Engineer will support advanced space systems with a focus on RF payload development, integration, and production testing. This role contributes to the ...

Payload Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

As the Payload Systems Engineer , you will play a critical role in the development, acquisition ... SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the ...

Principal RF Payload Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

Description The RF Payload Engineer will support advanced space systems with a focus on RF payload development, integration, and production testing. This role contributes to the development ...

Principal RF Payload Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160 - $200/hr

Position Summary The RF Payload Engineer will support advanced space systems with a focus on RF payload development, integration, and production testing. This role contributes to the development ...

Payload Systems Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$160K - $200K/yr

As the Payload Systems Engineer , you will play a critical role in the development, acquisition ... We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that ...

Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Chantilly, VA ยท On-site

$149K - $170K/yr

The Opto-Mechanical Engineer provides technical expertise and systems engineering support for the ... Support integration planning activities for telescope assemblies, optical payloads, and spacecraft ...

Senior Engineer, Spacecraft Subsystems, Payload

Mclean, VA ยท On-site

$105K - $145K/yr

Senior Engineer, Spacecraft Subsystems, Payload The job responsibilities outlined in this document ... Develop, enhance or debug integrated payload and RF monitoring applications and tools required for ...

Showing results 41-60

Payload Integration Engineer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$50.4K

$140.8K

$196.5K

How much do payload integration engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for payload integration engineer in Washington, DC is $140,753.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,800.00 and $158,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a payload integration engineer?

Payload Integration Engineers are professionals responsible for ensuring that spacecraft payloads, such as satellites or scientific instruments, are properly designed, tested, and integrated with the launch vehicle. They coordinate between payload providers, launch vehicle teams, and mission planners to ensure compatibility and safe installation. Their work includes overseeing mechanical, electrical, and thermal interfaces, performing integration tests, and troubleshooting any issues that arise during the process. These engineers play a crucial role in successful space missions by ensuring payloads are delivered to orbit safely and efficiently.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a payload integration engineer?

To thrive as a Payload Integration Engineer, you need a solid background in aerospace or mechanical engineering, experience with systems integration, and a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and industry standards such as NASA or ESA requirements, as well as certifications like EIT or PE, are often required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective collaboration and communication skills set top candidates apart. These competencies ensure that complex payloads are integrated safely and efficiently, meeting mission requirements and minimizing risks.

What are some common challenges payload integration engineers face when coordinating with multiple teams during a satellite launch campaign?

Payload Integration Engineers frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams, including spacecraft engineering, mission operations, and launch providers. A common challenge is ensuring all payload requirements are met while aligning schedules and technical specifications across these groups. Effective communication and strong organizational skills are essential to anticipate and resolve integration issues, manage last-minute changes, and ensure safety and mission objectives are upheld. Successfully overcoming these challenges not only ensures a smooth launch but also fosters valuable experience in multidisciplinary teamwork.

What are popular job titles related to Payload Integration Engineer jobs in Washington, DC?

For Payload Integration Engineer jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Payload Integration Engineer jobs in Washington, DC look for?

The top searched job categories for Payload Integration Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:

Senior Cybersecurity Integration Engineer

Basecamp Consulting & Solutions LLC

Reston, VA โ€ข On-site

$125K - $135K/yr

Full-time

Posted yesterday

New


Job description

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Senior Cybersecurity Integration Engineer secures and integrates the Customer's enterprise API gateway, drives it through the Risk Management Framework to a signed Authority to Operate (ATO), and keeps it authorized. The role pairs hands-on security engineering at the API boundary with ownership of the System Security Plan and the continuous monitoring that sustains it. Requires an active Moderate Background Investigation (MBI) at start.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Design and enforce API security policy — authentication, authorization, token validation, rate limiting, payload validation, threat protection
  • Manage TLS, mutual TLS, and certificate and key lifecycle across all environments and trust relationships
  • Onboard applications, vendors, and SaaS services, coordinating firewall, proxy, DNS, and load balancer changes with owning teams
  • Integrate the gateway with enterprise identity and federation services
  • Harden gateway and hosts to STIG/SCAP and feed security telemetry to the enterprise SIEM
  • Promote configuration through the Customer's environments under Government change control
  • Author and maintain the SSP and control narratives against NIST 800-53 Rev 5, covering boundary, inventory, inheritance, and tailoring
  • Run the RMF package to ATO: evidence, assessor walkthroughs, finding resolution
  • Sustain ConMon: recurring scans, false positive validation, remediation and retest, POA&M closure, deviation requests, monthly reporting
  • Perform security impact analysis on changes and troubleshoot across gateway, network, identity, and application layers
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Active MBI, current and transferable as of your start date
  • U.S. citizenship, as required for Customer contractor staff
  • Eight years of hands-on cybersecurity or integration engineering on enterprise API gateway, IAM, or boundary security platforms in production, including three years in a Federal FISMA environment
  • Production ownership of an enterprise API gateway or comparable platform: policy authoring, upgrades, certificate lifecycle, environment promotion, and production support
  • Depth in API and web security protocols: OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, JWT validation, SAML 2.0 federation, mutual TLS, PKI, and the OWASP API Security Top 10
  • Experience integrating services across network and security boundaries, coordinating changes with separate firewall, proxy, and identity teams
  • Authorship of a System Security Plan for a Federal system, writing control narratives from actual configuration and documenting inherited, hybrid, and tailored controls
  • Experience carrying a system or major component through RMF to a signed ATO, then sustaining it under continuous monitoring
  • Command of FISMA and NIST 800-37, 800-53 Rev 5, 800-53A, and 800-137
  • End-to-end vulnerability management: scanning, validating false positives, remediating, retesting, and documenting closure
  • Linux administration on RHEL or CentOS, shell scripting, and SIEM log integration such as Splunk
  • Technical writing strong enough that control narratives hold up under assessor review
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or Information Systems, or equivalent hands-on experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • An active professional security certification such as CISSP, CISA, CISM, CAP or CGRC, GIAC, or Security+
  • Time as an ISSO or ISSM, or directly supporting one, on a FISMA-reportable system
  • Hands-on authoring inside a GRC or RMF tool of record such as eMASS, Xacta, or CSAM
  • An active vendor certification on the program's gateway platform, or willingness to earn it within 90 days; training provided
  • Prior support to a Federal financial or tax administration program
  • Experience with configuration-as-code, separated control and data planes, and API-driven gateway administration
  • Depth in a federation platform such as Ping Federate, Ping Access, or CA SiteMinder