Solutions Architect Engineer – New Business Proposals

York Space Systems; Greenwood Village (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

York Space Systems in Greenwood Village, CO, seeks a mission-driven Solutions Architect Engineer to craft technically compliant, competitive space system solutions for USSF, NASA, IC, and commercial customers. You will bridge engineering, capture, and proposal management to translate requirements into winning technical narratives and architecture diagrams.

Based on a on-site role in Colorado, you will lead architecture artifacts, engage in reviews (Pink/Red/Gold), and collaborate across

Qualifications

• Experience supporting government RFI/RFP responses and technical volumes.
• Ability to translate requirements into compliant technical solutions and architectures.
• Experience with OTAs, FAR/DFARS-based solicitations.
• Strong written and oral communication skills for executive briefings.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end technical solutions for space mission proposals.
• Create system block diagrams, CONOPS, trade studies, and technical narratives.
• Collaborate with Capture, Proposal, Systems Architecture, Program Management.
• Support pre-RFP shaping, pink/red/gold team reviews.
• Ensure cost-realistic, schedule-compliant solutions.
• Maintain awareness of USSF/SSC, NASA, IC standards.

Skills

End-to-end solutioning

Proposal development

Technical storytelling

Independent workstyle

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

B.S. Systems Engineering

B.S. Aerospace Engineering

B.S. Electrical Engineering

Tools

MBSE (Cameo)

SysML

Digital engineering tools

Job description

York is seeking a mission-driven Solutions Architect Engineer to support new business proposal development within our business portfolio. This role is central to shaping technically compliant, competitively differentiated solutions for high-priority pursuits across Commercial customers, the U.S. Space Force (USSF), Space Systems Command (SSC), the Intelligence Community (IC), NASA, and the Department of War (DoW).

The Solutions Architect Engineer will work at the intersection of engineering, capture, and proposal management, translating customer requirements and space mission needs into winning technical solutions, architecture diagrams, and compliant proposal content. This individual will partner closely with Capture Managers, Proposal Managers, Systems Architects, and Program Management to develop technically sound, cost-effective, and executable satellite system solutions from pre-RFP shaping through proposal submission.

This position reports directly to the Director of Systems Architecture and plays a key role in maturing our technical solutioning process across a rapidly expanding new business pipeline.

This role will be fully on-site in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the development of end-to-end technical solutions for space mission proposals in response to RFIs, draft RFPs, RFPs, BAAs, IDIQ, TOs/DOs, OTAs, and Sources Sought notices from USSF, USSF-SSC, IC, NASA, Commercial, and DoW customers.
• Translate customer mission requirements and government reference architectures into compliant, differentiated technical solutions and system architectures.
• Develop and own architecture artifacts, including system block diagrams, concept of operations (CONOPS), trade studies, and technical narratives suitable for inclusion in formal proposal volumes.
• Partner with Capture Managers during pre-RFP phases to shape solutions, support black hat/pink team reviews, and inform win themes and discriminators.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Program Management, Production, Security, and Finance teams to ensure technical solutions are feasible, cost-realistic, and schedule-compliant.
• Support Basis of Estimate (BOE) development in coordination with engineering leads and cost/pricing teams.
• Ensure proposal technical content complies with customer requirements and evaluation criteria.
• Maintain awareness of evolving USSF/SSC acquisition strategies, IC technical standards, NASA mission directorates, and DoW modernization priorities to inform proactive solution development.
• Participate in black hats and color team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold) to refine and strengthen technical solution content.
• Support proposal schedule adherence, working within compressed proposal timelines typical of GovCon pursuits.
• Contribute to the maturation of reusable architecture frameworks, templates, and technical solution libraries to improve proposal efficiency across future pursuits.

This role will not have direct reports.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience supporting new business capture and proposal development in a government contractor environment, including RFI/RFP response, technical volume authorship, and orals preparation.
• 5+ years of direct experience in the space sector (e.g., satellite manufacturing, space payloads, launch systems, or ground segment integration).
• Proven hands-on experience architecting end-to-end satellite mission solutions, including bus platforms, payloads, RF/optical communications, or ground segments.
• Familiarity with USSF/SSC acquisition processes, IC technical requirements, NASA mission lifecycle standards, and/or DoW acquisition frameworks.
• Experience developing technical content compliant with OTAs, FAR/DFARS-based solicitations, including Section L/M compliance and evaluation criteria.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear proposal narrative and executive-level briefings.

• Strong motivation to conceptualize and design new ideas from near-scratch, developing architectures that are feasible, defensible, and ready for handoff to engineering for refinement.
• Demonstrated ability to work proactively, independently, and with minimal direction in fast-paced capture/proposal environments with short lifecycles.

• Ability to work effectively under proposal deadlines in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

• U.S. Citizenship.

• Ability and willingness to obtain security clearance.
• Willingness to work full-time in office in Greenwood Village, CO.

Preferred for the Role

• Prior experience as a Solutions Architect, Chief Engineer, or Technical Lead on new business proposals.
• Familiarity with Shipley or similar structured proposal development methodologies.
• Hands-on experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering tools/methods (e.g., Cameo Systems Modeler, SysML, digital twin/digital thread approaches).
• Experience supporting Independent Research & Development (IRAD) efforts that inform new business pursuits.
• Exposure to Agile/DevSecOps practices, cloud architectures, or cybersecurity considerations as applied to space mission systems.
• Active TS/SCI clearance.