Senior Systems Engineer – TS / SCI

The Office of Space Commerce (OSC) is leading implementation of Space Policy Directive-3 (SPD-3) by transitioning civil and commercial space traffic coordination (STC) responsibilities from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Department of Commerce. Central to this effort is the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), scheduled for production release in January 2026, which will provide spaceflight safety services to global owner / operators.

The Senior Systems Engineer will act as a technical and operational bridge between OSC and DoD's space domain awareness (SDA) enterprise, particularly Space Delta 2, the 18th and 19th Space Defense Squadrons, and the S.P.A.C.E. Office at Vandenberg Space Force Base. This individual will help capture operational lessons from the DoD, integrate them into TraCSS design and operations, and support OSC's role as the U.S. civil authority for spaceflight safety.

The role requires deep SDA / STC expertise, orbital analysis experience, and leadership in multi-agency technical environments, ensuring TraCSS exceeds the services previously provided by DoD's Space-Track.org by delivering more frequent, higher-fidelity, and on-demand conjunction assessments.

Primary Duties :

• Lead requirements definition, operational concept development, and transition planning for TraCSS.
• Support agile development, testing, and operational readiness of TraCSS in alignment with OSC's roadmap.
• Serve as OSC's embedded representative with Space Delta 2 / S.P.A.C.E. Office.
• Translate operational best practices from DoD SDA into actionable requirements for TraCSS.
• Oversee transition of manual data transfer protocols to automated machine-to-machine (M2M) exchanges using NDPP and Databahn.
• Document and analyze the mission roles of 18SDS, 19SDS, and Space Delta 2, identifying functions essential for safe and sustainable operations.
• Ensure TraCSS requirements cover conjunction assessment, launch collision avoidance, re-entry prediction, and integration of commercial data.
• Contribute to orbital analysis, re-entry prediction, breakup event resolution, and recovery of lost objects, in collaboration with DoD and commercial partners.
• Support incorporation of commercial sensor networks and cloud-based data architectures into TraCSS operations.
• Provide technical mentorship to OSC and contractor staff, shaping an operational culture modeled on best practices from Space Force and industry.
• Develop checklists, SOPs, and training aids to accelerate workforce readiness for TraCSS operations.

Required Education / Experience / Skills :

Highly Desired :

Applicants selected will be subject to a government background investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements.

Compensation

At GST, we celebrate your contributions. We will provide you with opportunities and choices and support your total well-being. Our offerings include health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, work-life programs, and dependent care for full-time employees working 30-plus hours per week. Our recognition awards program acknowledges employees for exceptional performance.

Salary at GST is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual's combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements. The projected compensation range for this position is $165,000 to $200,000.00 (annualized USD). The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of the GST total compensation package for employees.

Identity Statement

As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

Work Definitions : If this position is listed as remote or hybrid, you'll periodically work from a company or client site facility.

Please note, effective 5 / 7 / 2025, that as part of the onboarding process for this position, individuals undergoing identity verification for new PIV card issuance, must present a REAL ID compliant form of identification or an equivalent acceptable form.

GST is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class.

GST provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act.