Sr. Staff Systems Architect – System-of-Systems

Description

The role is a senior staff systems architect position on the Neptune Phoenix program, a defense effort that delivers next-generation technical collection capabilities to the customer.

The program sustains an existing prototype portfolio while moving development, production and operational support forward for the next generation of collection systems. The team builds ground and platform-based collection systems using Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), open architectures and open standards.

You will be the lead architect for software-intensive, cloud-enabled hardware systems and will set the end-to-end technical architecture across on-premises, tactical and secure AWS cloud environments.

You will shape the system-of-systems architecture, keep diverse hardware capabilities interoperable, and align technical solutions with changing mission needs, performance targets and cyber-resilience requirements.

Travel is required for 10% of the time.

Relocation assistance may be available.

Clearance is required before start.

Responsibilities

• Derive and break down the system-of-systems architecture from high-level Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and Operations Concepts (OPSCON), then pass architectural guidance to several integrated teams so they stay aligned with the overall architecture.
• Drive common architecture patterns, interfaces and reusable design solutions across multiple projects and product lines.
• Build and maintain architecture artifacts such as system block diagrams, interface definitions, data flows and common design solutions using MBSE methods and tools.
• Turn a customer's set of separate capabilities into one integrated system of systems that meets current and future mission goals for capability, availability, reliability, performance and security.
• Work with the Chief Engineer, program management and engineering leads to define technical roadmaps, architecture trade spaces and modernization strategies that weigh mission effectiveness, cost, schedule and risk. Present architecture options, trade studies and technical decision packages to the customer.
• Guide implementation across software, custom mission hardware, cloud infrastructure, networking and cybersecurity, keeping the architecture sound and consistent with open architecture and open standards principles.
• Work with Systems Engineering, Integration and Test, Software, Hardware, Cybersecurity and Specialty Engineering teams so design decisions, interfaces and implementations stay aligned with the baseline architecture.
• Lead Agile and SAFe-aligned practice within architecture and engineering teams, making sure architecture epics, features and enablers are well defined and support iterative delivery.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering or another STEM field with 14 years of related experience, or a Master's degree in a STEM field with 12 years of related experience, or a PhD in a STEM field with 10 years of related experience.
• Active U.S. Government Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Significant engineering experience at a defense contractor supporting Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) and/or Operations and Sustainment phases.
• Substantial full lifecycle DOD experience designing and implementing complex systems or system-of-systems solutions, plus systems engineering integration and test (SEIT) and leading teams across software, custom mission hardware, cloud, networking and cybersecurity.
• Proven technical leadership: you set architectural direction, influence technical decisions and drive complex issues to closure through root cause analysis (RCA) across multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to present organizational capabilities to customers, end users and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience leading Agile development efforts.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Preferred: notable expertise developing complex system architectures in any of these areas: EO/IR sensor systems, RF sensor systems, AWS GovCloud networks, sensor data fusion, exploitation algorithms, or data processing and visualization solutions.
• Preferred: experience integrating solutions across multiple classified and unclassified government networks.
• Preferred: experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), including SysML, UAF and MBSE tools such as Cameo Enterprise Architect and IBM Rhapsody, building system models, traceability matrices and verification cross-reference artifacts.
• Preferred: experience implementing or working within the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), including PI planning, architecture runway definition and coordination with Release Trains.
• Preferred: experience with the Risk Management Framework (RMF), tailoring architecture and technical solutions to meet NIST security controls for Authority to Operate (ATO).

Conditions

Base salary range is $175,300.00 to $262,900.00. This is a general guideline; actual offers depend on the scope of the role and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

The application window is estimated at 20 days from the posting date, and may be shortened or extended based on business needs and candidate availability.

Equal opportunity applies to all candidates.

Benefits

• Depending on the position, you may be eligible for overtime, shift differential and a discretionary bonus on top of base pay. Annual bonuses reward individual contributions and let you share in company results.
• Vice President and Director roles may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.
• Benefits include health insurance, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, paid company holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and personal business.