Mission Architect - Space Systems

EchoStar; Germantown (MD); On-site; USD 168,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) with match

ESPP

Career opportunities

Flexible time away

Job summary

EchoStar's Hughes Network Systems division in the United States is seeking a Director-level Mission Architect to support the Defense and Government Solutions Division. You will oversee space and ground-enabled mission architectures for DoW/IC programs and partner with cross-functional teams to deliver mission-critical connectivity.

The role emphasizes front-end business development, winning proposals, and architecting end-to-end solutions while navigating complex government requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or related field.
• 15+ years of relevant work and/or military experience.
• Active U.S. government TS/SCI security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead front-end customer engagement, proposals, and technical studies.
• Architect end-to-end mission solutions for DoW/IC programs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for program execution.
• Oversee space/ground-enabled mission architectures across portfolios.

Skills

Space/ground connectivity

SATCOM

Software-defined networking

Business development

Proposal development

CONOPs generation

Security clearance TS/SCI

Government programs

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or related field

Job description

Company Summary

EchoStar builds solutions that help families and communities stay connected. We’ll launch your career and empower you to change lives.

Our brands include Boost Mobile, DISH TV, Gen Mobile, Hughes and Sling TV. We serve millions of customers with offerings ranging from satellite to streaming services and global to personal networking solutions.

Department Summary

EchoStar has an exciting opportunity in our Hughes Network Systems division for a Director level Mission Architect supporting our Defense and Government Solutions Division (DGSD). This role will oversee space/ground-enabled mission architectures across its portfolio of programs serving the U.S. Department of War (DoW), Intelligence (IC), and mission partners. This role draws on Hughes’ 50-year legacy in satellite communications to connect commercial innovation with mission-critical defense capabilities of national security significance.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Candidates must be willing to participate in at least one in-person interview.

This role serves as a subject matter expert in space and ground-enabled connectivity across all operational domains to solve complex government customer connectivity challenges. The primary focus centers on driving front-end business development and architecting technically feasible, end-to-end mission solutions within the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community sectors. Additionally, active program support and organic growth strategies will be executed in collaboration with cross-functional engineering, executive, and customer teams.

What Success Looks Like (Objectives):

• Lead customer engagement, proposal creation, and technical studies to win new hardware, software, and service business across military and intelligence markets


• Architect advanced system CONOPs, mission requirements, and multi-domain connectivity solutions that align with government operational needs


• Drive multi-disciplinary team alignment across R&D, engineering, and partner organizations to ensure market relevance and seamless execution


• Evaluate emerging technologies, market trends, and competitive products to maintain market differentiation


• Leverage AI tools and data analytics to accelerate system architecture evaluations, synthesize market research, and optimize business development efforts


• Define near-term and long-term strategic growth initiatives alongside senior leadership while capturing adjacent organic growth opportunities on active programs

Skills, Experience and Requirements

Core Skills and Competencies (What you’ll bring):

• Deep domain expertise in space/ground-enabled connectivity, SATCOM, software-defined networking, and multi-domain operational mission frameworks


• Proven capability to establish and maintain senior-level stakeholder relationships across government agencies, defense contractors, and technology partners


• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills to navigate complex, ambiguous technical challenges and translate large datasets into actionable recommendations


• High-level executive communication, technical presentation, and mentoring capabilities to guide cross-functional teams and align interdisciplinary stakeholders


• AI literacy and application capabilities to evaluate emerging tech trends, automate analytical workflows, and enhance strategic decision-making processes


• Critical experience driving revenue growth through global technology partnerships and cross-matrixed leadership within defense telecommunications

Additional Qualifications:

• Existing network of senior leaders within USSF, NRO, DISA, COCOMs, and other armed services or intelligence agencies


• Experience delivering polished executive-level presentations and mentoring team members to elevate overall team performance

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, or a related field


• Minimum Experience: 15+ years of relevant work and/or military experience


• Required Technical Skills: Must have at least 15 years of experience with:
  
  
  
  • Active U.S. government security clearance at TS or TS/SCI level
  
  
  • Satellite and terrestrial communication systems integration across space, air, sea, land, and cyber domains
  
  
  • Front-end business development, proposal development, and CONOPs generation within U.S. DoW/IC markets
  
  
  
  

Visa sponsorship not available for this role

Salary Ranges

Compensation: $168,245.00/Year - $240,350.00/Year

Benefits

We offer versatile health perks, including flexible spending accounts, HSA, a 401(k) Plan with company match, ESPP, career opportunities, and a flexible time away plan; all benefits can be viewed here: EchoStar Benefits.

The base pay range shown is a guideline. Individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, and competencies; compensation is based on the role's location and is subject to change based on work location.

Candidates need to successfully complete a pre-employment screen, which may include a drug test and DMV check. Our company is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where every individual has the opportunity to succeed. We are dedicated to providing individuals with criminal or arrest records a fair chance of employment in accordance with local, state, and federal laws.

The posting will be active for a minimum of 3 days. The active posting will continue to extend by 3 days until the position is filled.

We pride ourselves on developing and promoting talent as an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. EchoStar will accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs of employees if such accommodations are not undue hardships and are otherwise within the bounds of applicable law. All qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with local, state, and federal law. You may redact any information that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of school/graduation from your application documents before submission and throughout our application process. EchoStar will provide reasonable accommodation to otherwise qualified job applicants and employees with known physical or mental disabilities, unless doing so poses an undue hardship on the Company, poses a direct threat of substantial harm to others, or is otherwise not required by law. EchoStar has a more detailed Accommodation Policy that applies to employees. EchoStar endeavors to make echostar.com and jobs.echostar.com accessible to users. Please contact [e-mail] if you would like to discuss the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process. This contact information is for accommodation requests only; do not use this contact information to inquire about the status of applications.

Click the links to access the following statements: EEO Policy Statement, Pay Transparency, EEOC Know Your Rights (English/Spanish)