Lead Systems Engineer/Architect

brightline; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Innovative work environment

Collaboration with top technical leaders

Job summary

brightline is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer/Architect based in Ashburn, Virginia, to oversee the systems architecture for the SpatialCore platform. This role involves end-to-end design from data ingestion to real-time data serving.

The ideal candidate will have over 12 years of experience in systems engineering, strong leadership skills, and a background in integrating complex systems for defense compliance. The position promotes innovation and collaboration across technical teams.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in systems engineering or software architecture with production systems.
• 5+ years in a leadership role managing system-level designs across platforms.
• Proven experience with real-time systems and integrating heterogeneous data sources.

Responsibilities

• Define the systems architecture for SpatialCore platform.
• Lead design reviews and set technical standards.
• Mentor engineers and ensure compliance with standards.

Skills

Systems design

Python

C++

Data engineering

Networking & protocols

Cloud infrastructure

Security principles

DevSecOps

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

AWS

Job description

We are seeking a hands‑on Lead Systems Engineer / Architect to own the end‑to‑end systems architecture of the SpatialCore platform, from data ingestion and AI/ML fusion through real‑time bi‑directional data serving and edge deployment. You will architect the system that ties together existing built components with new infrastructure into a cohesive, scalable, and secure platform.

You will write architecture decision records, produce system design specifications, lead design reviews and contribute directly to the most complex integration challenges. You will set the technical standards for a rapidly growing engineering team while ensuring every architectural decision supports both defense compliance requirements and commercial scalability.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Architecture & Platform Integration

• Define and own the end‑to‑end systems architecture for SpatialCore, encompassing data ingestion, transformation, AI/ML fusion, real‑time data serving, and client‑side rendering.
• Architect the integration of existing platform components into a unified, production‑grade system.
• Design extensible APIs and SDKs enabling third‑party connector development.
• Architect edge deployment patterns for disconnected, intermittent, and low‑bandwidth environments common in defense and industrial settings.
• Define data flow architectures supporting token‑based consumption metering (ingestion, transformation, query/export tiers).
• Establish platform scalability patterns from hundreds to tens of thousands of connected endpoints.

Technical Leadership & Standards

• Produce and maintain comprehensive architecture documentation: system context diagrams, component diagrams, sequence diagrams, interface specifications, and Architecture Decision Records.
• Establish and enforce engineering standards for configuration control, version management, and reproducible builds.
• Lead technical design reviews and serve as the final technical authority on architectural decisions.
• Define and implement the CI/CD pipeline strategy incorporating DevSecOps practices across the full software development lifecycle.
• Translate high‑level product requirements into detailed technical specifications and executable engineering tasks.
• Mentor and guide engineers across the team, establishing a culture of technical rigor, thorough documentation, and disciplined execution.

Data Interoperability & Protocol Engineering

• Architect the data normalization pipeline converting heterogeneous formats.
• Design real‑time and near‑real‑time data fusion architectures integrating multiple sensor modalities and data sources.
• Define protocol‑level integration patterns for the communications layer, including multicast, fault tolerance, and contested environment resilience.
• Architect bi‑directional data serving patterns supporting both cloud‑based and edge‑deployed topologies.
• Design data provenance and settlement mechanisms for multi‑party data exchange scenarios.

Security, Compliance & Dual‑Use Architecture

• Architect systems that satisfy defense compliance frameworks (CMMC, NIST SP 800‑171/800‑53) while remaining commercially viable.
• Design Trusted Execution Environment integration for hardware‑backed data security.
• Ensure secure coding practices and threat modeling are embedded in the development process, not bolted on.
• Architect role‑based access control, audit logging, and data handling appropriate for sensitive but unclassified environments.
• Design platform architecture that cleanly separates defense and commercial deployments while maximizing code reuse.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the CTO on technical vision, technology roadmap, and build‑vs‑buy decisions.
• Collaborate with the Growth Team to translate customer requirements and field feedback into architectural priorities.
• Work to evaluate and integrate emerging technologies into the platform roadmap.
• Support the contracts team in technical proposal writing and solution architecture for government bids.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Master's degree preferred, particularly in Systems Engineering, Software Architecture, or a related field.

Experience

• 12+ years in systems engineering, software architecture, or platform engineering, with substantial experience delivering production systems at scale.
• 5+ years in a technical leadership role — leading architecture decisions, mentoring engineers, and owning system‑level design across multi‑component platforms.
• Demonstrated experience architecting distributed systems that span edge, cloud, and hybrid deployment topologies.
• Proven track record integrating heterogeneous data sources and protocols into unified platforms (ETL/ELT pipelines, data normalization, format conversion).
• Experience with real‑time or near‑real‑time systems — low‑latency data processing, streaming architectures, or embedded/IoT system integration.
• Public sector delivery experience — architecting or delivering systems for DoD, federal civilian agencies, or defense primes, with working knowledge of defense compliance frameworks.

Technical Expertise

• Systems design: deep proficiency in designing scalable, fault‑tolerant distributed systems using microservices, event‑driven, and message‑based architectures.
• Languages: strong proficiency in Python and C++ required; experience with Rust, Go, highly valued.
• Data engineering: experience with spatial data formats, 3D data pipelines, or geospatial data processing.
• Networking & protocols: solid understanding of transport‑layer protocols (UDP, TCP), multicast, and reliable messaging patterns; experience with IoT protocols (MQTT, CoAP, OPC UA, DDS) a plus.
• Cloud & infrastructure: proficiency with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), infrastructure‑as‑code (Terraform), and at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Security: working knowledge of secure system design, encryption at rest/in transit, zero‑trust architecture principles, and compliance frameworks (NIST 800‑171, CMMC).
• DevSecOps: experience establishing CI/CD pipelines with integrated security scanning, automated testing, and configuration management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in AI/ML system integration — deploying models into production pipelines, sensor fusion, or multi‑modal AI architectures.
• Experience with TAK ecosystem integration or tactical edge computing platforms.
• Familiarity with consumption‑based pricing architectures (metering, usage tracking, billing integration).
• Experience architecting multi‑tenant SaaS platforms with per‑customer isolation.
• Active or recent security clearance, or ability to obtain one.
• Relevant certifications: AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), TOGAF, INCOSE CSEP, or similar.

What We Value

• Hands‑on technical leaders who architect systems and contribute to solving the hardest integration problems — not those who only draw diagrams.
• Systems thinkers who see the full picture from protocol layers through application logic to user‑facing delivery and can make principled trade‑offs across the stack.
• Clear communicators who produce documentation that engineers actually use and who can explain complex technical architecture to non‑technical stakeholders and investors.
• Pragmatic engineers who ship production systems, not perfectionists who endlessly refine prototypes — we need someone who can integrate proven components into a working platform on a startup timeline.
• Dual‑use mindset — comfort operating at the intersection of defense requirements and commercial product development, understanding that the same platform must serve both.