CSfC Principal SME & Lead Systems Architect

Parsons•Centreville, VA

About The Position

Serves as the principal subject matter expert and lead systems architect for Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) pathway assessments and secure systems engineering efforts. Provides technical leadership and strategic guidance on capability-package alignment, layered-encryption independence, component-selection strategy, system architecture, and preparation for government engagement. Leads the decomposition of mission and security requirements into scalable, defensible architectures. Defines system boundaries, analyzes operational and technical dependencies, develops system and operational graphics, and allocates components across the solution architecture. Acts as the primary technical authority for CSfC-related architecture decisions, customer briefings, technical reviews, and government-facing engagements in pursuit of CSfC certification and RMF-based accreditation. The role is part of Parsons' Federal Solutions team, which delivers resources and services to U.S. government customers.

Requirements

10+ years of related professional experience.
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related discipline; additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Extensive knowledge of CSfC concepts, capability packages, and secure commercial solution architectures.
Deep understanding of layered encryption, cryptographic independence, network security, and secure systems engineering.
Demonstrated experience leading requirements decomposition and architecture analysis for complex systems.
Ability to define system boundaries and communicate technical architectures through clear written and graphical products.
Experience evaluating commercial products and allocating components within secure, mission-focused architectures.
Experience supporting government customers, technical reviews, authorization activities, or compliance-related engagements.
Strong executive-level briefing, technical writing, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills.
Ability to operate as a senior technical advisor while also leading detailed architecture and systems-engineering activities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Department of Defense, federal, intelligence-community, or other classified-environment mission systems.
Familiarity with government cybersecurity policies, security control frameworks, certification and authorization processes and authorities (e.g., NIAP, FIPS, CSfC, RMF).
Experience with systems engineering methodologies and architecture frameworks.
Professional certifications in systems engineering, cybersecurity, cloud security, or enterprise architecture.
Experience developing architecture products using modeling, diagramming, or technical visualization tools.

Responsibilities

Serve as the principal technical authority for CSfC pathway assessments and secure solution architecture.
Advise program, engineering, cybersecurity, and customer stakeholders on capability-package alignment, layered-encryption independence, component-selection strategy, architecture alternatives and tradeoffs, security boundaries and system dependencies, and government-engagement preparation.
Lead decomposition of mission, operational, functional, system, and cybersecurity requirements.
Translate requirements into compliant, supportable, and operationally viable CSfC architectures.
Define system and enclave boundaries, trust relationships, interfaces, data flows, and component responsibilities.
Conduct architecture analyses to identify technical risks, integration challenges, capability gaps, and compliance considerations.
Lead allocation of commercial components and security functions within the overall system architecture.
Develop operational views, system graphics, architecture diagrams, data-flow diagrams, interface views, and component-allocation models.
Evaluate architectural independence between encryption layers and identify potential common-cause dependencies.
Develop and maintain architecture narratives, technical baselines, decision briefs, and supporting design documentation.
Prepare technical teams and stakeholders for government reviews, briefings, assessments, and engagement activities.
Serve as lead technical representative during customer meetings, architecture reviews, design discussions, and government engagements.
Coordinate with systems engineers, cybersecurity professionals, product teams, compliance personnel, and program leadership to maintain architectural consistency.
Provide senior-level recommendations regarding technical feasibility, implementation risk, operational impact, cost, schedule, and long-term maintainability.
Mentor and guide technical staff in CSfC architecture, requirements analysis, systems engineering, and technical communication practices.