Chief Advanced Concept Engineer

Position Title: Chief Advanced Concept Engineer - Software Defined Processing
Requisition ID: 1832
Position Location: Remote
Position Reports To: Engineering Vice President
Supervises Others: No

At Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems (SES) division, we believe in the power of using strong engineering principles to drive innovation and solve complex problems. We foster a culture of rigorous engineering and continuous improvement, leveraging the full knowledge of our organization through collaborative product development processes that include design and peer reviews. We combine our expertise in space electronics with right-sized development processes to create innovative, high-performance space-based electronic systems that meet our customers' evolving needs.

We are a mission partner supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil space customers. We develop complex, radiation effects mitigated, designs that balance competing requirements in modern space programs, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to achieve more in space.

Position Summary

Trident Systems is seeking a highly motivated Advanced Concept Engineer with a strong entrepreneurial mindset to drive technical innovation, customer engagement, and early phase solution development for next generation software defined processors, where the mission meets the edge, as well as satellite battery systems. This role is ideal for an engineer who excels in identifying emerging market opportunities, developing differentiating technical concepts, and shaping early capture strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead early phase concept development spanning spacecraft software-defined mission, sensor and bus processing, red and black network routing, data storage options, and overall reconfigurable digital architectures.
• Engage customers to uncover unmet mission needs and transform them into new business opportunities.
• Identify gaps in current markets and champion internally generated concepts that accelerate new product introduction including shaping internal product and technology development roadmaps.
• Develop architectures, feasibility studies, technical white papers, and proposals supporting capture efforts.
• A relentless focus on minimizing Size, Weight, and Power, while maximizing Capability and Cost-efficiency
• Partner with Business Development to craft innovative, competitive technical differentiators.
• Serve as a technology evangelist within customer meetings, industry events, and internal strategy sessions.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration to transition concepts into executable, profitable programs.
• Maintain awareness of industry competitors, emerging technologies, and market trends, including ability to scout commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tech (like automotive or industrial chips) and conceptualize how to up-screen or adapt them for space missions.
• Ability to support travel or off-site work, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of related experience (or 13+ years with a graduate degree)
• 9+ years in advanced concept engineering, system design, or technology innovation for space systems.
• Experience delivering radiation mitigated and fault tolerant software-defined or reconfigurable processing architectures.
• Experience with thermal and vacuum management with awareness of outgassing and zero-gravity thermal dissipation impact solution performance and longevity
• Demonstrated ability to independently initiate and drive technical ideas from concept to customer acceptance.
• Strong communication skills, including technical storytelling, opportunity framing, and roadmap development.
• Experience establishing technical baselines for capture opportunities and/or leading proposal technical volumes.
• Ability to travel up to 25% or more.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Background in rad-hard processors, FPGA architectures, GPUs, or SDRs
• Background in cyber security including secure boot, cryptography, and hardened OS
• Knowledge of current space transport layer networking/routing protocols such as SIPE, HAIPE, DTN and Nebula.
• Expertise in data storage and compression trade spaces including NAND Flash, MRAM, and ReRAM for multi-year data integrity solutioning.
• DoD/IC Space mission experience with TS/SCI clearance eligible.

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $121,000 - $285,000

Please Note: Actual compensation offered will be determined based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, internal equity, business considerations, and geographic location where applicable.

Benefits 

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits including but not limited to:

• Health benefits
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Basic life with AD&D
  • Short term disability
  • Long term disability
  • Ancillary (Voluntary life with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet)
  • Spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCFSA)
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• 401(k) (including company match)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Leaves (Parental, maternity, and military)
• Annual discretionary bonus (for eligible roles)

Trident Systems reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position. 

Trident Solutions is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [email protected].

Pay Transparency: The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)