# Director of Mission Engineering

**Company:** [Turion Space](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/turion-space)
**Location:** Irvine, CA
**Role:** Engineering Management
**Salary:** $150k – $280k/yr
**Experience:** 10+ years
**Skills:** Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Modeling And Simulation, Design Reference Missions, Drms, System Trade Studies, Solution Architecting, Space Mission Design, Concepts Of Operations, Conops, End-To-End System Performance Analysis, Technical Leadership
**Posted:** 2026-06-23

> Lead mission engineering at Turion Space, building the team and processes for mission analysis, modeling and simulation, DRMs, and system trades that shape space architectures and customer solutions. Requires MS and 10+ years in mission/systems engineering with leadership experience.

## Job Description

## Job Responsibilities
- Lead the mission engineering function at Turion Space, building a high-performing team and establishing the processes and tools needed to deliver rigorous mission analysis.
- Support engagements with customers and stakeholders to understand, analyze, and translate mission needs into actionable engineering requirements.
- Lead modeling and simulation efforts to characterize and understand the mission space.
- Lead efforts to define Turion's commercial space offerings.
- Implement mission-specific Design Reference Missions (DRMs) within simulation environments to frame and evaluate system performance.
- Support material and non-material solution architecting in response to mission needs and capability gaps.
- Lead system trade studies to inform architecture, design, and investment decisions.
- Demonstrate and quantify Turion's system performance in the context of the DRMs.
- Partner closely with engineering functional teams to align technical solutions with mission objectives.
- Collaborate with business development to translate customer mission needs into compelling, technically grounded solutions.
- Build, mentor, and lead the mission engineering function and its team.
- Communicate mission engineering findings and recommendations to engineering leadership, executives, and customers.

## Basic Qualifications
- M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of professional experience in mission engineering, systems engineering, or modeling and simulation, including experience in a technical leadership role.
- Demonstrated experience developing and implementing Design Reference Missions (DRMs) and mission-level modeling and simulation.
- Experience leading system trade studies and supporting solution architecting (material and non-material).
- Strong understanding of space mission design, concepts of operations (CONOPS), and end-to-end system performance analysis.
- Demonstrated ability to work across engineering disciplines and with non-engineering stakeholders to drive toward mission objectives.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen (dual citizenship not accepted).
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

## Preferred Qualifications
- M.S. or Ph.D. in an aerospace, astronautical, systems engineering, or related technical discipline.
- Experience supporting business development, capture, or proposal efforts in the aerospace or defense industry.
- Familiarity with defense capability development processes and non-material solution analysis (e.g., DOTMLPF, JCIDS, capability-based assessments).
- Experience with space domain awareness (SDA), space situational awareness (SSA), or related mission areas.
- Experience building and leading high-performing engineering teams.

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