Senior Systems Architect

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 130,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

Life/ADD & Short/Long Term Disability

401(k) Savings Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Paid Time-Off

Holidays

Education Reimbursement

Job summary

Kratos Space Federal in Colorado Springs, CO is seeking an experienced leader to guide satellite ground systems engineering on a critical government program. You will lead key aspects of the effort under the Chief Engineer and work closely with system developers, operations, and support personnel.

The role requires 7+ years in defense/aerospace, satellite operations, C2 ground systems, and strong communication skills; you will mentor junior engineers and coordinate with government customers.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Defense/Aerospace with space systems knowledge.
• Satellite operations experience including SOC functions.
• Experience with satellite payloads and multiple payload types.
• Systems engineering for large-scale space systems (C2/Ground/Payload).
• Experience with requirements analysis and traceability.
• Full lifecycle engineering: concept to validation.
• Translate operational needs into software requirements; familiarity with C2 software.

Responsibilities

• Lead satellite ground systems engineering on a critical government program.
• Coordinate with developers, integration, test, and ops teams.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive cross-functional discussions.

Skills

Satellite operations

Defense/Aerospace

Systems engineering

Leadership

Requirements analysis

Model-based engineering

Communication skills

Security clearance

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Git

Bitbucket

Job description

Job Description

Readiness Delivered. Kratos provides leading-edge capabilities for communication with satellites, spacecraft, missiles and airborne platforms. From factory test to flight, from ground data networking to RF Links – commercial, intelligence, and defense users trust Kratos to solve their most difficult RF problems. For a more complete overview of our capabilities see http://www.kratosdefense.com/. At Kratos, we encourage an entrepreneurial spirit balanced with fiscal and operational discipline. We work hard, we solve hard problems, and we look out for and take care of our customers, each other and our families. Protecting and enabling our nation and global customers through innovative aerospace solutions is what motivates us. We continually build trusted relationships with our peers, our partners and customers, and we take ownership for our actions—always striving to do the right thing.

Kratos Space Federal is seeking an experienced, motivated candidate, in Colorado Springs, CO, who will help lead Satellite Ground Systems Engineering activities on a critical government program. Specifically, the candidate will be leading critical aspects of the program under the guidance of the program’s Chief Engineer. As a leader on the program, the desired candidate should display a sense of ownership, urgency, and drive to accomplish results. Excellent communications and interpersonal relationship skills are required as the candidate will be working closely with system developers, integration, test, ops, and support personnel.

Experience And Skills

• 7+ years total experience in Defense/Aerospace industry with strong knowledge of space systems
• Satellite operations experience including on-shift crew operations, engineering support to operations, or Satellite Operations Center (SOC) functions performing or supporting satellite command and control
• Experience with satellite mission payloads and mission user needs, with familiarity across multiple payload types such as protected communications, sensor systems, and/or imagery systems
• Experience in systems engineering for large-scale, enterprise space systems, touching on at least two of the following areas: C2 Ground System, SV Bus Development, Payload Development, Mission Data Processing and User Ground Systems
• Experience with requirements analysis, decomposition, and traceability including the ability to guide model-based approaches and work effectively with systems modeling engineers
• Experience supporting the full engineering lifecycle including conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, verification, and validation activities
• Ability to architect and design system-of-systems solutions, connecting space segment, ground segment, and user segment perspectives while working across multiple disciplines (developers, test, operations, support personnel)
• Experience translating operational user needs into software application requirements and specifications, including user interface design, operator workflows, and CONOPS definition for ground system applications. Familiarity with satellite C2 software platforms (e.g., Epoch, similar ground system tools) is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated leadership skills including sense of ownership, urgency, and drive to accomplish results in cross-functional team environments. Ability to actively engage and contribute to real-time technical and architecture discussions, demonstrating syntonical reasoning across complex space, ground, and user systems. Proven ability to mentor and develop junior engineers.
• Experience supporting program management activities including cost/schedule tracking, risk management, and stakeholder coordination
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to develop and deliver effective customer presentations (design reviews, technical reports, status briefings) at multiple levels of technical detail
• Ability to obtain/maintain SECRET or higher clearance

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Experience working closely with government customers with understanding of their organizational cultures, operational constraints, and mission priorities. Ability to build trusted relationships and effectively communicate with stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Experience participating in government systems acquisition and procurement processes, with understanding of how requirements, budgets, schedules, and stakeholder needs are balanced to deliver operational systems
• Familiarity with modern distributed compute architectures including cloud platforms (commercial and government), on‑premises infrastructure, and containerized application environments. Understanding of containerization technologies, microservices architectures, and API-driven system integration. Knowledge of government cloud security requirements and accreditation processes for handling sensitive and classified data at various impact levels.
• Experience with collaborative engineering tools and workflows including issue tracking systems (e.g., JIRA), documentation platforms (e.g., Confluence), and version control systems (e.g., Git, BitBucket) for requirements management, technical documentation, and cross-team coordination. Familiarity with Agile development methodologies, DevSecOps processes, and toolchains to effectively interface with software development teams.
• Understanding of satellite RF communications principles including link budgets, ground station performance, and communication system trades affecting mission operations

Competitive salary based on experience and education Salary Range: $130,000-$165,000

This posting will close within 90 days from the Posting Date.

Job Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance Coverage
• Life/ADD & Short/Long Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Savings Plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Paid Time-Off (PTO)
• Holidays
• Education Reimbursement

Kratos Defense is an Equal Opportunity Affiantive Action Employer. EOE, Minorities, Females, Vet, Disabled, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or any other protected class. All qualified job seekers are encouraged to apply. Kratos Defense is committed to America's veterans by providing opportunities for them to continue contributing after service to our nation. We also work to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.

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