Principal Technical Lead

Auria; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 165,500 - 205,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous & Growing PTO

Flex Time

401(k) Match

Education Support

Premium Healthcare

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Auria is seeking a Principal Technical Lead to support the HADES program, requiring full-time presence in Kirtland AFB, NM. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in systems engineering and leadership across complex DoD programs.

This role involves overseeing technical operations and serving as the primary advisor to program leadership. The position offers a salary range of $165,500 - $205,500 and numerous benefits, including generous paid time off and education support.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of experience leading complex DoD or Federal programs.
• Experience in systems engineering, architecture, and technical execution.
• U.S. Citizen with Active Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee technical planning, execution, and oversight of engineering activities.
• Act as the primary technical advisor to program leadership.
• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams on mission operations.

Skills

Leadership

Systems Engineering

Technical Problem Solving

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

INCOSE ASEP, CSEP, ESEP certification

Tools

Cloud-based architectures

Kubernetes

Job description

Principal Technical Lead

Auriais looking to hire a Principal Technical Leadto support HADES. This opening requires full-time presence in Kirtland AFB, NM.

The Hybrid Architecture and Development for Experimental Systems (HADES) Program provides maintenance, sustainment, development, integration, test support for ground systems supporting experimental mission capabilities at the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) Support Complex at Kirtland AFB, NM. The program supports existing capabilities and the development, integration, testing, and deployment of capabilities supporting new mission partners and emerging mission requirements within TS/SCI and Special Access Program (SAP) environments.

What you can expect to do

The Principal Technical Lead serves as the senior technical authority for the HADES Program and is responsible for the technical planning, execution, and oversight of maintenance, sustainment, development, integration, and test activities supporting experimental mission capabilities. The Chief Engineer provides technical leadership for day-to-day engineering operations, establishes technical priorities, advises program and Government leadership, manages technical risk, and ensures the successful delivery of mission requirements. The Chief Engineer also leads technical assessments, solution development, and integration planning for emerging mission requirements, new mission partners, and future task orders.

What the team requires

• U.S. Citizen withActive Top Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI and SAP access.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience leading systems engineering, architecture, integration, software development, infrastructure, or technical execution activities for complex DoD or Federal programs.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience supporting space, satellite ground systems, telemetry processing, mission management, command and control, or related space enterprise programs.
• Demonstrated experience serving as the technical authority for large, complex programs with responsibility for technical performance, architecture, systems engineering, integration, and technical risk management.
• Demonstrated experience serving as the primary technical advisor to program leadership and Government stakeholders on engineering, integration, and emerging mission requirements.
• Demonstrated experience leading concept development, technical assessments, trade studies, and solution development supporting emerging requirements, mission onboarding, and evolving operational needs.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing technical baselines, requirements traceability, interface management, configuration management processes, and technical governance activities.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams supporting software, infrastructure, cybersecurity, integration, and mission operations activities.
• Experience leading systems integration efforts involving multiple mission partners, systems, interfaces, and security domains.
• Demonstrated experience conducting technical investigations, root cause analysis, and problem resolution activities supporting complex engineering and operational environments.
• Experience supporting maintenance, sustainment, development, integration, and test activities across complex software, infrastructure, and ground system environments.
• Demonstrated experience designing, integrating, modernizing, or sustaining hybrid and cloud-based architectures supporting mission-critical systems.
• Experience in applying systems engineering methodologies, including Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), requirements management, architecture development, and technical baseline management
• Experience supporting TS/SCI and SAP programs operating across multiple security domains.
• Experience designing, integrating, or sustaining satellite ground systems, mission management systems, telemetry processing systems, or command and control systems.
• Experience planning and executing migrations from on-premises or hybrid architectures to cloud-based environments.
• INCOSE ASEP, CSEP, ESEP, or equivalent systems engineering certification.
• Excellent verbal, written, communication, and leadership skills.
• Mission-Driven Professional: Collaborative contributor motivated by the opportunity to develop cutting-edge solutions that protect and serve both the nation and the world.

What the team prefers

• Experience supporting U.S. Space Force, Space Systems Command, Combat Forces Command, Space Development Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Missile Defense Agency, or other space-focused DoD organizations.
• Experience supporting cloud-native architectures, Kubernetes platforms, containerized applications, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), DevSecOps practices, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience supporting AWS, Azure, GovCloud, or classified cloud environments.
• Experience supporting Agile development, digital engineering, and model-based acquisition approaches.
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Pay Transparency

The salary offered will be based on the selected candidate’s qualifications - skills, education & experience - and the position level. $165,500 - $205,500

Application Deadline

September 30, 2026

Benefits

• Generous & Growing PTO: Start with a substantial paid time off package that increases every year you’re with us.
• True Flexibility: Contract permitting, use Flex Time to work in a way that fits your life, not just your 8-to-5.
• 11 Paid Days Off: Enjoy 6 fixed company holidays plus 5 Floating Holidays to use whenever you choose.
• 401(k) Match —Yours to Keep Instantly: We match up to 4% of your contributions. Both your contributions and the company match are yours from day one with no vesting wait‑period.
• Industry-Leading Education Support: Level up with up to $12,000 annually for tuition and certifications. We don't just hire talent; we grow it.
• Premium Healthcare, Lower Costs: High-quality medical plans paired with a Company‑Sponsored HSA to help you save for the future.
• Fully Covered Life Insurance: Breathe easy with life insurance up to $50K provided at zero cost to you.
• Holistic Support: Access our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health, financial coaching, and more.

Auria is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action-Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.