Staff Systems Engineer

Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA | Newport News, VA | Naperville, IL | Remote

About xLight

xLight is building the world's most powerful laser to revolutionize semiconductor lithography, metrology, and other critical applications. Our approach is to harness the power of free-electron lasers by building on accelerator technology currently used at scientific facilities around the world. In extending this technology, we are developing industrial-grade light sources, engineered for continuous operation to meet the sophisticated demands of next-generation patterning, metrology, and inspection applications. Join us in this new revolution!

At xLight, we hire exceptional talent and exceptional means more than a strong résumé. How we achieve results is just as important as the results themselves, which is why attitude and character matter as much as technical skill. We believe great talent is widely distributed and not confined to a particular school or background. We seek individuals who demonstrate ownership, a spirit of collaboration, technical curiosity, and a genuine willingness to learn and grow - guided by our core values of Respect, Integrity, Creativity, and Engineering Excellence. We don't just hire for what someone can do today; we hire for who they are and who they are becoming.

What We Need — and Why It Matters

We are seeking an exceptionally skilled Staff Systems Engineer with 15+ years of hands-on experience to lead complex, multi-disciplinary system development efforts. As a systems engineer with advanced mastery in core engineering competencies, you will be responsible for architecting end-to-end solutions, managing requirements throughout the full system lifecycle, and establishing technical standards that elevate organizational capability. This is a strategic leadership role where you will mentor technical teams, drive innovation in systems engineering practices, and serve as a trusted technical authority for our most challenging programs.

What You'll Do

• System Architecture and Breakdown Structure Control – Capture and maintain the system breakdown structure (SBS) and functional allocation as defined with the Chief Engineer and discipline leads; keep architecture documentation current as the design evolves; ensure requirements, interfaces, and baselines are consistently organized against the controlled breakdown; and ensure designs remain consistent with the agreed decomposition.
• Requirements Engineering and Management – Lead rigorous requirement elicitation, analysis, decomposition, and allocation processes. Develop comprehensive requirements specifications, establish traceability matrices, manage requirement evolution throughout system lifecycle, and ensure stakeholder needs are systematically captured and validated.
• Interface Management – Own interface identification, definition, and control across internal and external boundaries, including facility, utilities, and customer tool interfaces. Maintain a complete interface register so that every interface is identified and no boundary is left unowned; establish and maintain interface control documents (ICDs); adjudicate interface changes; and track each interface to closure — defined, agreed by both parties, and verified — driving open and incomplete interfaces to resolution.
• System-Level Attributes Integration – Ensure cross-cutting system characteristics — availability, reliability and safety — are robustly represented throughout the system model, requirements flow-down, and interface definitions. Integrate analyses performed by specialty engineers into a coherent system-level picture, and surface gaps and conflicts for resolution by the responsible owners.
• Configuration Management – Establish and control technical baselines for the system and its interfaces; manage change control processes so that design, build, and test always proceed against a known configuration; and link configuration changes to their requirements and interface impacts.
• Verification and Validation Planning – Define verification methods and acceptance criteria; maintain the system-level verification and validation plan and verification status; and support integration, test, and commissioning activities led by L2 managers and the commissioning organization.
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking – Lead root cause analysis of complex technical challenges, synthesize solutions drawing from multiple engineering disciplines, anticipate system interactions and emergent properties, and develop innovative approaches to novel technical problems.
• Establish and maintain technical standards, policies, and best practices in systems engineering across the organization. Contribute to continuous improvement of systems engineering processes and mentor teams in the application of disciplined engineering approaches.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related engineering discipline from an ABET-accredited program, with minimum 15 years of hands-on systems engineering experience
• OR Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering or related field with minimum 12 years of progressive systems engineering experience
• Demonstrated expertise across all ten core systems engineering competencies: requirements engineering, MBSE, systems analysis, architecture design, problem solving, lifecycle management, stakeholder communication, V&V, technical analysis, and integration
• Hands-on experience developing requirements and specifications using industry standards (IEEE 830, EIA 632, DoD-STD-2167, or equivalent)
• Proficiency in model-based systems engineering tools (DOORS, JIRA, Visio, or equivalent) and familiarity with SysML for system modeling
• Proven ability to lead interdisciplinary teams, manage complex technical programs, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholder groups
• Deep understanding of system lifecycle processes including architecture development, design synthesis, implementation, integration, verification, and validation
• Demonstrated experience managing complex system integrations and system-level testing programs

And If You Bring This — Even Better

• Systems Engineering experience on projects that designed, built, assembled, and tested large-scale, complex scientific and engineering machines like particle accelerators, high-power lasers, tokamaks, space telescopes, rockets, satellites, launch vehicles, or similar.
• Familiarity with agile and DevOps methodologies applied to complex system development
• Background in safety-critical systems, cybersecurity architecture, or digital engineering
• Experience with program risk management, cost modeling, and schedule optimization
• Knowledge of advanced modeling techniques including discrete event simulation, agent-based modeling, or digital twins
• Professional credentials preferred: Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) or equivalent INCOSE certification
• Advanced analytical and technical skills including mathematical modeling, simulation tools (MATLAB, Simulink), and statistical analysis

What You Can Expect from Us

• 100% Company-funded health insurance for employee
• Company funded Life Insurance and disability insurance
• 401k contribution. 100% up to 3% of compensation, plus 50% match between 3% and 5%. Immediately vested.
• Flexible Paid Time-Off, Sick leave and Company Holidays
• Company Paid Two-weeks Winter Break
• Flexible Hybrid Work Model

Pay transparency

The pay range for this position reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries at commencement of employment and is expected to be between USD 135,000/year-190,000/year. However, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including location, role, job-related knowledge, skills, relevant education and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including equity, and a full range of benefits. Details of all benefits will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.