Chief Architect

EXPANSIA; Dayton (OH); Remote; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

EXPANSIA is seeking a Chief Architect to lead technical vision across Air Force programs, guiding systems engineering, software delivery, and cloud platforms. The role focuses on architecture governance, modernization, and secure, reusable digital infrastructure across mission systems and enterprise services.

You will balance cost, schedule, cybersecurity, and interoperability while aligning teams, communicating complex decisions to leadership and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Experience leading architecture for Air Force programs.
• Strong background in systems engineering and architecture governance.
• Proven ability to translate operator needs into executable system architectures.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the technical vision, reference architecture, architectural principles, and modernization roadmap for assigned Air Force programs
• Translate operational mission needs, capability objectives, and program priorities into coherent system-of-systems architectures and executable technical strategies
• Lead architecture development across mission systems, enterprise services, software applications, cloud environments, networks, cybersecurity, data, interfaces, and digital engineering toolchains
• Apply disciplined systems engineering throughout the lifecycle, including requirements development, functional analysis, architecture definition, interface management, integration, verification, validation, deployment, and sustainment
• Establish and govern technical baselines, architecture decision records, engineering standards, interface specifications, and reusable design patterns
• Promote model-based systems engineering and authoritative sources of truth that connect requirements, architecture, design, analysis, test evidence, and configuration data
• Guide the adoption and integration of digital engineering capabilities, including collaborative models, digital threads, digital twins, simulation environments, and automated engineering workflows

Skills

Systems engineering

Architecture vision

Cloud platforms

Model-based systems engineering

Digital engineering

Job description

Start Date: Immediate JHNA, CTSi, and EXPANSIA have come together to form a Defense Technology platform named Aether Aerospace focused on delivering high-impact technologies, technology-enabled services and advanced manufacturing solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense and related national security customers. Backed by Falfurrias Management Partners, the platform brings together deep domain expertise across Army, Navy, and Air Force and Space Force programs, digital engineering, systems integration, and specialized manufacturing capabilities. The combined organization operates as a multi-entity aerospace and defense technology and tech-enabled services and manufacturing enterprise positioned for scalable growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation

OVERVIEW

Full-time/Permanent Employee Location: Remote, preferred Boston, MA or Dayton, OH As Chief Architect, you will provide technical leadership across complex U.S. Air Force programs, guiding the integration of systems engineering, software delivery, cloud platforms, and digital engineering capabilities. You will establish the architectural vision, principles, standards, and technical roadmaps needed to connect mission needs with executable program solutions. Working across Government, contractor, and mission-partner organizations, you will shape architectures that support capability development from concept and requirements through design, integration, test, deployment, sustainment, and modernization. You will promote disciplined systems engineering, model-based approaches, modular open systems, secure software factories, and reusable digital infrastructure while balancing mission effectiveness, affordability, schedule, cybersecurity, interoperability, and technical risk. You will serve as a senior technical authority, align diverse engineering teams, resolve cross-domain architectural issues, and communicate complex technical decisions to program leadership, customers, and stakeholders.

RESPONSIBILTIES

• Define and maintain the technical vision, reference architecture, architectural principles, and modernization roadmap for assigned Air Force programs
• Translate operational mission needs, capability objectives, and program priorities into coherent system-of-systems architectures and executable technical strategies
• Lead architecture development across mission systems, enterprise services, software applications, cloud environments, networks, cybersecurity, data, interfaces, and digital engineering toolchains
• Apply disciplined systems engineering throughout the lifecycle, including requirements development, functional analysis, architecture definition, interface management, integration, verification, validation, deployment, and sustainment
• Establish and govern technical baselines, architecture decision records, engineering standards, interface specifications, and reusable design patterns
• Promote model-based systems engineering and authoritative sources of truth that connect requirements, architecture, design, analysis, test evidence, and configuration data
• Guide the adoption and integration of digital engineering capabilities, including collaborative models, digital threads, digital twins, simulation environments, and automated engineering workflows <