Senior Distributed Systems Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA

Senior Systems Engineer 

Location: Gravitics - Seattle WA, Colorado, (with future travel/support to other company locations as required) 
Department: Engineering 
Reports To: Head of Engineering 

About Gravitics  

At Gravitics, we're not exploring space - we're building it. We're creating the infrastructure for a thriving space economy, enabling humanity to flourish beyond Earth. Our vision is bold, but we're not just dreamers; we're doers. We design and manufacture large-scale orbital structures that enable commercial operations while meeting the requirements of defense and government missions.  

Our systems are built to scale and built to last-bridging commercial innovation with mission-critical performance. If you're ready to lay the foundations for a new era in space, embrace a culture of relentless learning and innovation, and contribute to a future where humanity's reach extends farther, Gravitics is the place for you. Let's build the future together.   

About the Role 

We are seeking a highly capable Systems Engineer to support technical execution of the commercial spacecraft program from architecture development through qualification, integration, test, launch, and mission operations. This role sits at the center of the program and works directly with Chief Engineers, subsystem leads, Program Management, Manufacturing, Integration & Test, Mission Assurance, and suppliers to ensure the spacecraft functions as an integrated system - not just a collection of subsystems. The ideal candidate is technically broad, execution-focused, comfortable in ambiguity, and able to balance engineering rigor with program realities including schedule, manufacturability, integration flow, and risk. This position will support development of human-rated spacecraft systems and therefore requires strong systems thinking, configuration discipline, verification planning, and cross-functional leadership. 

Responsibilities 

• Support development and management of spacecraft system architecture, requirements, interfaces, and verification approaches for the program 
• Translate mission and program objectives into clear subsystem and vehicle-level technical requirements 
• Develop and maintain system specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), CONOPS, verification matrices, and technical baselines 
• Drive technical integration across: 
  • Structures and mechanisms 
  • Pressure systems 
  • Propulsion systems 
  • Avionics and software 
  • Thermal systems 
  • ECLSS / crew environment considerations 
  • Docking and payload interfaces 
  • Ground systems and GSE 
• Support program technical reviews including: 
  • SRR 
  • PDR 
  • CDR 
  • TRR 
  • FRR 
• Coordinate system-level trades balancing: 
  • Performance 
  • Mass 
  • Safety 
  • Reliability 
  • Manufacturability 
  • Testability 
  • Schedule and cost impacts 
• Work closely with Manufacturing and Integration & Test teams to ensure designs are producible, inspectable, and verifiable 
• Support development of system verification and validation plans including qualification, acceptance, protoflight, and integrated vehicle testing 
• Participate in anomaly resolution, failure investigations, and risk reduction activities 
• Support hazard analysis, FMEA/FDIR activities, and human-rating related assessments 
• Ensure configuration control and technical baseline integrity throughout the program lifecycle 
• Interface with customers, suppliers, and partner organizations as required 
• Help drive closure of technical issues rather than simply tracking them

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline 
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace systems engineering or integrated vehicle development 
• Experience working on spacecraft, launch vehicle, aviation, defense, or other complex multidisciplinary systems 
• Strong understanding of systems engineering processes including: 
• Requirements development 
• Interface management 
• Verification and validation 
• Configuration management 
• Technical risk management 
• Experience supporting technical reviews and hardware development programs 
• Ability to operate across multiple engineering disciplines and communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders 
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced development environment with evolving priorities 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with human-rated spacecraft or crewed systems 
• Experience supporting pressure vessels, propulsion systems, docking systems, or orbital vehicle integration 
• Familiarity with NASA standards and spaceflight development processes 
• Experience with MBSE tools, requirements management tools, or digital engineering environments 
• Hands-on integration, test, manufacturing, or operations experience 
• Experience supporting qualification and environmental test campaigns 
• Familiarity with spaceflight safety and mission assurance processes 

What Success Looks Like 

• Technical issues are identified early and driven to closure 
• Vehicle interfaces are clearly defined and controlled 
• Subsystems integrate cleanly into a functioning spacecraft 
• Verification activities are planned before hardware arrives at test 
• Engineering decisions consider program execution realities, not just ideal technical solutions 
• The program moves forward with increasing technical maturity and reduced integration risk