Business Development Engineer - Mission Systems

About us

At Viasat, the work you do helps people stay connected in ways that matter, from everyday moments to critical missions across air, land, sea, and space.

We’re a place for people who are curious, bold, and motivated by meaningful work. Here, you'll have the opportunity to make an impact, explore new possibilities, and grow your career in ways that align with your interests and goals. When you're ready to take on something new, you'll find leaders who support your development and help you turn your ambition into action.

What you'll do

We are seeking a mid‑ to senior‑level engineer to assist with technical capture and growth initiatives for new and existing programs! This role sits at the intersection of engineering, strategy, and customer engagement , and is responsible for shaping technical solutions that align customer needs with company capabilities and long‑term business objectives.

The ideal candidate is technically credible across multiple engineering domains, skilled at presenting complex ideas clearly, and motivated by shaping winning solutions—from early white paper concepts through full proposal submission and customer briefings.

The successful candidate will be capable of:

High‑quality, compelling technical documents and submissions that clearly articulate differentiated technical solutions.

Strong alignment between customer needs, proposed solutions, and company strategy.

Effective collaboration between engineering, program management, and business development teams.

Increased win probability through detailed technical acquisition and client interaction.

Trusted reputation as a technically credible, customer‑focused problem solver.

The day-to-day

Technical Capture & Solution Shaping

Lead or support technical capture efforts for new business opportunities from concept through proposal.

Develop technical solution concepts and architectures that respond directly to customer needs, constraints, and evaluation criteria.

Translate customer problems into compelling, executable technical approaches aligned with company strengths.

Identify technical discriminators and areas of innovation that increase win probability.

White Papers & Proposals

Author and co‑author detailed technical documents, proposals, and supporting artifacts (e.g., technical volumes, concept papers, slide decks).

Work closely with Program Managers, Capture Managers, and Engineering Leads to ensure proposals are cohesive, accurate, and compliant.

Ensure technical content is clear, persuasive, and aligned with capture strategy, budget, timeline, and risk assumptions.

Support proposal reviews and ensure feedback is incorporated effectively.

Customer Engagement & Briefings

Prepare and deliver technical briefings and presentations to customers, partners, and internal team members.

Engage customers to clarify requirements, technical priorities, and evaluation drivers.

Serve as a technical representative during customer meetings, industry days, and technical exchanges.

Business Development & Opportunity Identification

Support identification and qualification of potential business prospects, including early customer engagement and technical assessments.

Help assess opportunity fit within the company’s technical capabilities, capacity, and strategic priorities .

Track emerging customer needs, technology trends, and competitive landscapes to inform capture strategy.

Partnerships & Internal Collaboration

Assist in shaping technical partnerships and teaming approaches with internal teams and external partners.

Coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to validate feasibility and maturity of proposed solutions.

Ensure proposed technical approaches are executable within expected cost, schedule, and risk constraints.

Strategy Alignment

Ensure capture activities and proposal content are aligned with business strategy, roadmap, and growth objectives .

Provide technical feedback to gate reviews, bid/no‑bid decisions, and capture planning discussions.

What you'll need

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Software, Systems, or related field); advanced degree preferred.

5-10+ years of engineering experience with increasing exposure to technical capture, proposals, or customer‑facing roles .

Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate technical concepts and system‑level solutions .

Experience writing or significantly contributing to technical white papers and proposals .

Strong verbal and written communication skills, including executive‑level and customer‑facing presentations.

Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams in fast‑paced environments.

Must be able to obtain a United States Top Secret/ SCI Clearance

US citizenship required

Ability to travel up to 50% domestically

Must be able to work out of Carlsbad, CA or Tempe, AZ office 3 days a week

What will help you on the job

Prior experience in business development, capture management, or proposal engineering .

Familiarity with government or commercial procurement processes (e.g., RFPs, RFIs, white paper solicitations).

Experience working with customers in technically complex domains (e.g., sensing systems, embedded systems, software‑hardware integration).

Ability to balance technical depth with business considerations and strategic goals.

Currently possesses TS//SCI clearance

#LI-VSAT

Salary range

$120,500.00 - $190,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $149,500.00- $224,500.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits. EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here .

Technical Capture & Solution Shaping

Lead or support technical capture efforts for new business opportunities from concept through proposal.

Develop technical solution concepts and architectures that respond directly to customer needs, constraints, and evaluation criteria.

Translate customer problems into compelling, executable technical approaches aligned with company strengths.

Identify technical discriminators and areas of innovation that increase win probability.

White Papers & Proposals

Author and co‑author detailed technical documents, proposals, and supporting artifacts (e.g., technical volumes, concept papers, slide decks).

Work closely with Program Managers, Capture Managers, and Engineering Leads to ensure proposals are cohesive, accurate, and compliant.

Ensure technical content is clear, persuasive, and aligned with capture strategy, budget, timeline, and risk assumptions.

Support proposal reviews and ensure feedback is incorporated effectively.

Customer Engagement & Briefings

Prepare and deliver technical briefings and presentations to customers, partners, and internal team members.

Engage customers to clarify requirements, technical priorities, and evaluation drivers.

Serve as a technical representative during customer meetings, industry days, and technical exchanges.

Business Development & Opportunity Identification

Support identification and qualification of potential business prospects, including early customer engagement and technical assessments.

Help assess opportunity fit within the company’s technical capabilities, capacity, and strategic priorities .

Track emerging customer needs, technology trends, and competitive landscapes to inform capture strategy.

Partnerships & Internal Collaboration

Assist in shaping technical partnerships and teaming approaches with internal teams and external partners.

Coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to validate feasibility and maturity of proposed solutions.

Ensure proposed technical approaches are executable within expected cost, schedule, and risk constraints.

Strategy Alignment

Ensure capture activities and proposal content are aligned with business strategy, roadmap, and growth objectives .

Provide technical feedback to gate reviews, bid/no‑bid decisions, and capture planning discussions.

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Software, Systems, or related field); advanced degree preferred.

5-10+ years of engineering experience with increasing exposure to technical capture, proposals, or customer‑facing roles .

Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate technical concepts and system‑level solutions .

Experience writing or significantly contributing to technical white papers and proposals .

Strong verbal and written communication skills, including executive‑level and customer‑facing presentations.

Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams in fast‑paced environments.

Must be able to obtain a United States Top Secret/ SCI Clearance

US citizenship required

Ability to travel up to 50% domestically

Must be able to work out of Carlsbad, CA or Tempe, AZ office 3 days a week