Principal Technical Lead - HADES

Auria Space; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 166,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO & flexible time off

Holiday leave & floating holidays

Tuition & certification support

401(k) with match

Health and life insurance

Job summary

Auria Space is seeking a Principal Technical Lead to oversee the HADES program at Kirtland AFB, NM. You will serve as the senior technical authority, guiding maintenance, development, integration, and testing of ground systems for experimental mission capabilities.

The role emphasizes leading technical assessments, risk management, and stakeholder engagement across multiple security domains, including TS/SCI and SAP environments. On-site work is required with a strong DoD focus.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen with Active Top Secret clearance and SCI/SAP access eligibility.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in Engineering, CS, Physics, Mathematics, Systems Eng., or related field.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in systems engineering, architecture, or DoD/federal programs.
• Minimum 10 years in space ground systems, telemetry, mission management, or C2 domains.
• Experience as technical authority for large, complex programs and technical governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical planning, execution, and oversight of maintenance, sustainment, development, and test activities.
• Lead day-to-day engineering operations, set technical priorities, and manage risk.
• Advise leadership and stakeholders on engineering, integration, and mission requirements.
• Lead assessments, trade studies, and solution development for evolving requirements.

Skills

Technical leadership

Systems engineering

Architecture development

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

Cloud architectures

Security domains

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS/Physics/Math/Systems Engineering

Tools

MBSE

Job description

Auria is looking to hire a Principal Technical Lead to 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 with Active 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

THE AURIA TEAM:

Auria is a provider of solutions and software in support of complex Space, National Security, and Cyber missions of federal, international, and commercial customers. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO our success is built on the excellence of diverse teams advancing innovative systems and operational software to strengthen our customers' missions. With a distinguished track record and a spirit of relentless pursuit, and R&D, we set the pace for progress and execute every mission with the utmost precision.

Why You'll Love Working at Auria

We believe our team does their best work when they are well-supported, financially secure, and have the freedom to balance life outside of the office.

Time for What Matters

• 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.

Invested in Your Future

• 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.

Health & Peace of Mind

• 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.

...and that's just the beginning!

The position location and work schedule are based on current business needs. Auria reserves the right to modify the work location or work arrangement, including transitioning between remote, hybrid, or on-site work, as business needs, customer requirements, or operational circumstances change. Employment with Auria is at will, meaning that either the employee or Auria may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice, subject to applicable law.

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.