Space Systems Architect: Scalable, Secure Software Ecosystem

The Aerospace Corporation; United States; On-site; USD 121,000 - 181,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

401(k) Plan

Education assistance programs

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Software System Architect to lead the design, integration, and delivery of complex software systems for national security space programs. You’ll work with cross-functional teams and multiple vendors to build modular, scalable, and secure architectures that meet performance and reliability targets.

On-site roles are in El Segundo, CA or Chantilly, VA, with opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, and collaboration with government customers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in CS, Systems Engineering, or related STEM field.
• 8+ years of software architecture, design, and systems integration.
• Experience with vendors delivering large-scale, multi-component systems.
• Strong knowledge of cloud-native architectures and containerization (Kubernetes, Docker).
• Experience with distributed systems, microservices, and event-driven architectures.
• Hands-on DevOps, CI/CD, automated testing, and infrastructure as code.
• Excellent communication and leadership across cross-functional teams and vendors.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance; US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Architect and oversee the delivery of highly scalable, fault-tolerant, and secure systems.
• Define and enforce architectural standards, ensuring performance, security, and scalability.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and external vendors on roadmaps and timelines.
• Lead technical reviews and design discussions with vendors to ensure integration aligns with objectives.
• Establish middleware and modular design frameworks to support a modular software ecosystem.
• Develop and maintain architectural blueprints and documentation for all systems.
• Ensure compliance with space-domain standards and certifications (ECSS/CCSDS).
• Mentor development teams and vendors on architectural best practices.
• Collaborate on system testing, validation, and verification for performance.
• Act as escalation point for complex technical challenges with vendors.

Skills

Cloud-native architectures

Kubernetes

Docker

Distributed systems

Microservices

DevOps practices

Leadership

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or related STEM field

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Software System Architect to lead the design, integration, and delivery of complex software systems for national security space programs. You’ll work with cross-functional teams and multiple vendors to build modular, scalable, and secure architectures that meet performance and reliability targets.

On-site roles are in El Segundo, CA or Chantilly, VA, with opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, and collaboration with government customers.