Payload Operator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Space Vehicle Platform/Payload Systems Engineer
El Segundo, CA
Who We Are
Aurex is a mission-focused aerospace and defense company building the next frontier of deterrence. From hypersonics and missile defense to hardened networks and orbital systems, we design, test, and deliver the platforms that turn unproven ideas into battlefield-ready capability. Born in Huntsville and built for speed, Aurex brings together aerospace veterans, combat-tested operators, and forward-leaning technologists to solve problems that matter fast. We move from whiteboard to warfighter with precision, clarity, and zero tolerance for fluff.
Job Description
Aurex is seeking a Space Vehicle Platform/Payload Systems Engineer to lead systems engineering and integration efforts across spacecraft platforms and payloads supporting national security missions. This role is responsible for ensuring technical alignment between platform subsystems and mission payloads, driving integration, performance, and mission assurance across the full system lifecycle. You will operate across engineering disciplines, ensuring that payload requirements are effectively translated into system-level designs and integrated into the overall space vehicle architecture. This role requires a technically strong engineer who can navigate complexity, support disciplined engineering processes, and collaborate across government and contractor teams. In this role, you will lead systems engineering activities including requirements definition, architecture development, integration planning, and test execution for space vehicle platforms and payloads. You will support and participate in major program reviews, including SRR, SDR, SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FCA, SVR, MRR, and PCA, ensuring technical readiness and compliance with DoD acquisition processes. You will identify, analyze, and manage risks and opportunities, implementing mitigation strategies to support mission success. You will collaborate with government clients and contractor teammates to ensure alignment across technical, schedule, and mission objectives. You will support requirements verification, system validation, and integration across payloads and platform subsystems, ensuring delivery of mission-ready capability.
Requirements

• 7+ years of experience with space vehicle systems engineering, planning, integration, and testing
• 7+ years of experience with risk and opportunity management
• 3+ years of experience supporting reviews of space systems, including SRR, SDR, SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FCA, SVR, MRR, or PCA, and the DoD acquisition system
• Ability to be highly motivated, with a dynamic work ethic and commitment to the DoD mission
• Ability to communicate effectively and establish collaborative relationships with government clients and contractor teammates
• Active Secret clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or Computer Science

Desired

• 10+ years of experience with space vehicle systems engineering, planning, integration, and testing
• Experience with tools such as Confluence or Jira
• Experience designing, building, and testing communications antennas, transmitters, or receivers for payloads
• Knowledge of DoD systems engineering, test, and production policies and practices
• Ability to perform multiple systems engineering and program management functions in support of design reviews and requirements verification
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Experience with mission assurance and Strategic or Tactical MILCOM payload development
• Active TS/SCI clearance

How You Will Be Rewarded
The salary range for this role is $180,000 - $200,000 per year. We offer a comprehensive total rewards approach to compensation, providing incentives and benefits that extend far beyond the base salary. Compensation is determined by the candidate's work experience, education, training, and relevant skills. We offer a competitive benefits package designed to support our employees' health, well-being, and professional growth.
Location
El Segundo, CA
Aurex is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It prohibits discrimination, retaliation, or any type of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, citizenship, immigration status, or any other legally protected status in employment, including in hiring, firing, and recruiting decisions. All applicants must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States for positions at Aurex. There may be limited circumstances in which a law, regulation, executive order, or government contract would require certain citizenship; only in those limited circumstances would Aurex require certain citizenship status to comply with the relevant law, regulation, executive order, or government contract applicable to that position. For all other positions, Aurex does not consider an applicant's citizenship but only requires that the applicant be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. If a position is one that falls under export control laws and regulations requiring authorization from the U.S. government to access export-controlled items, any hiring is contingent on the applicant passing the export compliance assessment, which is separate from the I-9 process, for that specific position. A background check will be required prior to any hire.
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