Sr. Project Engineer

Join a team where your impact reaches beyond the stars! At Terran Orbital, you’re not just part of the system – you’re a vital force propelling our mission forward. As trailblazers in satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, we shatter boundaries daily to deliver groundbreaking solutions that power our nation’s defense and commercial missions. We are a unique, fast growing, and trusted team dedicated to swiftly and efficiently designing, building, launching, and operating state of the art satellites for advanced mission constellations. If you’re driven by purpose, inspired by challenges, and ready to leave your mark on the universe, you’ll find a home and endless opportunities for growth here. Together, let’s redefine what is possible in orbit and beyond!

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Sr. Project Engineer – Command & Data Handling to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the Sr. IPT Lead - CDH the Sr. Project Engineer will be responsible for driving cross-functional communication and coordination for the design and production of complex command and data handling modules. The Sr. Project Engineer will work closely with core engineering teams to identify risks, maintain development alignment, and ensure timely escalation to engineering leadership and upper management.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Serve as the primary coordination point across engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program management, ensuring seamless communication and execution of deliverables.

Develop detailed task breakdowns, duration, dependencies and resource needs for engineering work packages.

Lead planning and execution of module development programs, ensuring alignment with technical requirements, budget constraints, and schedule commitments.

Proactively identify issues, drive structured problem‑solving efforts, and facilitate effective root‑cause investigations.

Prepare and present clear, concise development status reports, risk assessments, and escalation briefings to senior leadership.

Prepare and present technical reviews at PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR and customer reviews.

Generate weekly status reports, burn-down charts and progress dashboards for Programs and Engineering leadership.

Partner with program managers to manage cross‑program dependencies, developing and tracking robust mitigation plans.

Organize and facilitate technical reviews, design checkpoints, and key decision forums to maintain engineering rigor and forward progress.

Required Qualifications and Skills

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline such as Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or Aerospace Engineering.

5+ years of project or program management experience in a hardware development environment.

Experience in project or program management in a hardware development and production environment, supporting both engineering design activities and manufacturing execution.

Strong understanding of hardware development lifecycles and manufacturing release processes including coordination of build preparation, tooling/test equipment availability, configuration-controlled releases, and transition from development into production.

Demonstrated ability to lead without formal authority, drive accountability, and manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

Experience with program management tools such as MS Project, Jira, Confluence, and the ability to produce high‑quality presentations.

Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical issues for both engineering teams and executives.

Must be a U.S. Person or lawful permanent resident in compliance with U.S. government space technology export regulations.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

Experience with satellite bus, payload, avionics or aircraft development.

Familiarity with FPGA, Microprocessors and high-reliability hardware.

Knowledgeable of EVMS, risk management and configuration control.

Familiarity with DFMEA, PFMEA, DFM/DFA, control plans, and process flows.

Exposure to APQP, PPAP, or similar structured product introduction processes.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case-by-case and may vary based on the job-related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag!

Salary Range

$130,000 — $175,000 USD

Full-time positions only:

Benefits

100% Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents

401(k) Match

Flexible Time Off (FTO)

Education Reimbursement

Competitive Paid Parental Leave

About Terran Orbital

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end-to-end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on-orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time, in addition to bending, reaching, and walking. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. This position is generally sedentary, with substantial computer usage.

Work Environment

The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.

Disclaimers

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. In addition, please note that this position may require a current United States National Security clearance or eligibility for such a clearance.

Terran Orbital is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected] .

Terran Orbital does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Terran Orbital, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Terran Orbital shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, in the event that a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Terran Orbital has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.