Solutions Architect - Maritime Defense

Applied Intuition; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Intuition, Inc. is seeking a Solutions Architect to bridge customers and engineering teams. You will design bespoke architectures for DoD pursuits and translate complex software capabilities into mission-relevant narratives for government engineers and evaluation teams.

You will lead technical engagements, collaborate with Growth and Engineering/Product teams, and convert customer requirements into actionable feedback for product development.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in CS, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years in technical pre-sales, systems engineering, or software architecture.
• Deep understanding of DoD technical environments, incl. classification levels and accreditation processes.
• Technical breadth across software architecture, data infrastructure, AI/ML, and edge computing.
• Proven ability to translate engineering concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience with systems integration and networking in military environments.
• Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design bespoke solution architectures and CONOPS for specific DoD pursuits.
• Translate complex software capabilities into mission-relevant narratives for government engineers and evaluation teams.
• Act as the technical engine for the BD team, supporting white papers and RFI/RFP volumes.
• Lead technical customer engagements, including architecture reviews and product demonstrations.
• Liaise between Growth and Engineering/Product teams to align capture strategies with roadmaps.
• Conduct competitive technical analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses vs incumbents.
• Convert customer requirements into actionable technical feedback for product development.

Skills

Technical pre-sales

Systems engineering

Software architecture

DoD environments knowledge

Security clearance

Stakeholder communication

Education

BS or MS in Computer Science / Systems Engineering

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker

Job description

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments.

About the role

The Solutions Architect serves as the technical bridge between our customers and engineering teams. Sitting within the Growth team and reporting to a Chief Engineer, you will be the primary technical voice for our business development operations, and continue to guide systems design and implementation across build and delivery. Your mission: make the team technically impressive, ensuring every customer conversation, white paper, and proposal is grounded in a credible, differentiated technical narrative that maps Applied Intuition’s capabilities to the customer’s mission.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Design bespoke solution architectures, integration concepts, and Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for specific DoD pursuits.
• Translate complex software capabilities into mission-relevant narratives for government engineers, SETAs, and technical evaluation teams.
• Act as the technical engine for the BD team, providing the substance for white papers, capability briefs, and RFI/RFP technical volumes.
• Lead technical customer engagements, including deep-dive architecture reviews and product demonstrations.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Growth and Engineering/Product teams to ensure capture strategies align with our roadmap.
• Conduct competitive technical analysis to identify architectural strengths and weaknesses versus industry incumbents.
• Convert customer requirements and operational constraints into actionable technical feedback for our product development cycles.

We’re looking for someone who has:

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in technical pre-sales, systems engineering, or software architecture.
• Deep understanding of DoD technical environments, including classification levels (NIPR/SIPR/JWICS) and accreditation processes (ATO/IATT).
• Technical breadth across software architecture, data infrastructure, AI/ML, and edge computing.
• Proven ability to translate complex engineering concepts for non-technical Program Managers and senior stakeholders.
• Experience with systems integration and networking within operational military environments.
• Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Travel Requirements

• Must be willing to travel as projects requires; average travel varies, but can be up to once a month for up to 1 week (~25%)

Security Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must hold or be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

For more information about U.S. security clearances: click here.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with U.S. Navy platforms, systems, missions, and organizations
• Experience with modeling and simulation (M&S) frameworks or autonomous vehicle stacks.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps pipelines and containerization (Kubernetes, Docker) in secure environments.
• Previous experience supporting a high-growth defense tech startup or a major defense prime.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in Washington, D.C. is: $200,000 - 250,000.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.