Senior Cryptographic Architect — Space & Secure Communications

Umbra; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 190,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Time Off

Medical, Dental, Vision benefits

401k with company contribution

Stock Options

Free Parking

Free Lunch Daily

Job summary

Umbra, an American space technology company, seeks a Cryptographic Systems Engineer to own architecture, integration, and lifecycle management of Type 1 cryptographic capabilities across space and ground systems.

You will lead secure communications architectures from concept through NSA certification and accreditation, coordinating with mission systems, government customers, and NSA, ensuring high standards for performance and compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of engineering experience with cryptographic systems, COMSEC, or secure communications.
• Direct experience with NSA Type-1 cryptographic equipment, integration, and certification processes.
• Working knowledge of key management, key loading, and COMSEC handling requirements.
• Experience taking a hardware or system design through certification and accreditation to operational use.
• Strong systems-level thinking with the ability to reason from first principles across hardware, software, and RF boundaries.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance. Applicants must be U.S. citizens to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end architecture and design of Type-1 cryptographic integrations across the spacecraft, payload, and ground segment.
• Lead crypto designs from concept and trade studies through implementation, integration, certification, and on-orbit operations.
• Define COMSEC architecture for command, telemetry, and mission data protection, including encryption, key management, and key loading approaches.
• Serve as Umbra's primary technical interface to NSA, certification authorities, and government customers on cryptographic certification and accreditation.
• Drive the certification and accreditation effort, developing the artifacts, test evidence, and documentation required to achieve and maintain approval to operate.
• Partner with flight software, avionics, RF, ground, and security teams to integrate cryptographic functions into the broader system architecture.
• Support COMSEC handling, key management planning, and operational procedures for on-orbit fleet operations.
• Identify and mitigate cryptographic and supply-chain risks across design and production.
• Establish reusable cryptographic standards, interfaces, and processes that scale across Umbra's satellite production line.

Skills

Cryptographic Systems

COMSEC

Secure Communications

NSA Type-1

Certification & Accreditation

Security Clearance

Key Management

System Architecture

RF/Space Systems

Education

Bachelors in Electrical/Computer Engineering/CS

Tools

NSA Type-1 Equipment

Job description

Umbra, an American space technology company, seeks a Cryptographic Systems Engineer to own architecture, integration, and lifecycle management of Type 1 cryptographic capabilities across space and ground systems.

You will lead secure communications architectures from concept through NSA certification and accreditation, coordinating with mission systems, government customers, and NSA, ensuring high standards for performance and compliance.