Lead Systems Engineer and Architect - TS/SCI

Parsons; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 158,000 - 284,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Paid time off

401(k)

Life insurance

Flexible work schedules

Holidays

Job summary

Parsons is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer and Architect to join our Federal Solutions team in Tampa. You will act as a senior technical advisor to the Chief Engineer and program partners, bridging mission requirements with MBSE and technical execution.

You will oversee system architecture, MBSE processes, and modeling/ simulation in defense contexts, while engaging with U.S. government customers and collaborating in an Agile/SAFe environment to translate mission needs into technical user

Qualifications

• 15+ years of software/systems engineering or technical architecture experience.
• 5+ years in a principal, lead, or advisory role.
• Experience supporting DoD or multi-domain defense environments with analysts.
• Knowledge of MBSE, system modeling, and simulation environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance to Chief Engineer and stakeholders on technology adoption and mission alignment.
• Oversee design documentation, specifications, and MBSE frameworks for long‑term objectives.
• Collaborate with analysts to model, simulate, and analyze defense capabilities.
• Engage in technical meetings with U.S. government customers at senior levels.
• Partner with government Product Owners in an Agile/SAFe framework to translate mission needs into user stories.
• Analyze user needs to define technical paths and refine conceptual designs into detailed specs.

Skills

DoD/Defense experience

MBSE

Microservices

Cloud storage (AWS S3)

Zero Trust concepts

Kafka / real-time data streaming

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Computer Systems Engineering

Tools

TAK Server

WebTAK

ATAK

Palantir Foundry

Job description

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what's possible.

Job Description:

Parsons is looking for anexceptionallytalented Lead Systems Engineer and Architect to join our team! In this role, you will act as a key technical advisor to the Chief Engineer and/or program business partners, while bridging the gap between high-level mission requirements, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), and technical execution.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Technical Advisory: Provide expert guidance to the Chief Engineer, executive stakeholders, and business partners on technology adoption, mission alignment, and simulation environments

• System Architecture & MBSE: Oversee design documentation, technical specifications, and architectural frameworks; ensure alignment between long-term program objectives and MBSE processes

• Modeling & Simulation Oversight: Collaborate with analysts to research, model, and analyze defense capabilities and systems within advanced simulation environments

• Customer Engagement: Engage in technical interchange meetings with U.S. government customers, providing senior-level technical expertise in modeling, simulation, and multi-domain architectures

• Product Ownership Collaboration: Partner with government Product Owners within an Agile/SAFe framework to help groom, prioritize, and translate mission needs into technical user stories

• Requirements Engineering: Analyze complex user needs to define clear technical paths and guide the refinement of conceptual designs into detailed system specifications

Required Clearance:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must possess an active TS/SCI Clearance

What Required Skills You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Systems Engineering, or a related technical field and 15+ years of experience in software/systems engineering or technical architecture
• 5+ years specifically in a principal, lead, or advisory role
• Strong background supporting DoD, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or multi-domain defense environments, with experience collaborating with analysts in the research, modeling, experimentation, and analysis of defense capabilities
• Strong grasp of modern network protocols, microservices architecture, cloud storage (e.g., AWS, S3-compatible), and Zero Trust security concepts
• Experience working with real-time data streaming, event-driven architectures (e.g., Kafka), and modern data formats (e.g., JSON)

What Desired Skills You'll Bring:

• Familiarity with simulation tools (such as AFSIM) to evaluate mission capabilities
• Experience deploying applications in DoD/Secure environments, including Cross-Domain Solutions (CDS).
• Familiarity with the TAK Ecosystem (TAK Server, WebTAK, ATAK) or Palantir Foundry

Security Clearance Requirement:

An active Top Secret SCI security clearance is required for this position. This position is part of our Federal Solutions team. The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what's next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.

Salary Range: $157,500.00 - $283,500.00

We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as

• medical
• dental
• vision
• paid time off
• 401(k)
• life insurance
• flexible work schedules
• holidays

Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.

We truly invest and care about our employee's wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest-