Ground Architecture Systems Engineer
About The Position
SAIC is seeking a Ground Architecture Systems Engineer to provide high-impact SETA support to a SAIC Prime mission-critical program at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in Chantilly, Virginia. The role tracks deliveries, performance requirements, and integration activities across three major system acquisitions and five system program offices, providing technical and acquisition insight to keep complex efforts aligned with enterprise-level architectural direction. The engineer defines and develops ground system architectures for advanced mission capabilities, analyzes requirements, and provides architectural recommendations to government stakeholders. The role also supports acquisition planning and execution, coordinates engineering and acquisition activities across program offices, contributes to Agile and digital engineering efforts, and communicates program status and architectural impacts to government leaders and partners. The position is onsite and requires an active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Polygraph. SAIC lists a target salary range of $160,001–$200,000, subject to experience and other factors.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree and at least 9 years of experience, master's degree and at least 7 years of experience, or PhD/JD and at least 4 years of experience; relevant experience may be substituted for a degree.
- Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Polygraph.
- At least 3 years of experience with systems engineering processes and demonstrable expertise developing ground architectures for mission-critical systems.
- Experience supporting or leveraging a GEOINT or SIGINT intelligence discipline.
- Practical understanding of Agile practices in system acquisition environments.
- Demonstrated expertise in government acquisition strategies, documentation development, and full lifecycle program management.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills, including the ability to brief government stakeholders at all levels.
Responsibilities
- Define, develop, and implement ground system architectures that enable advanced mission capabilities.
- Analyze system requirements, shape technical solutions, and provide clear architectural recommendations to government stakeholders.
- Assess mission needs, transition paths, and future-state architectural options to guide enterprise evolution.
- Partner with government technical and contracting teams to develop acquisition strategies and documentation.
- Develop and review acquisition artifacts, including SOWs, Justifications for Approval, and Government Cost Estimates.
- Support prototype acquisition planning, solicitations, evaluations, and awards, including through IDIQ task orders.
- Coordinate with System Program Office Thread Leads and program managers to align acquisition and engineering activities.
- Participate in Agile teams and provide technical direction on engineering tools, processes, and digital solutions.
- Provide feedback on GED Agile, Digital Engineering, and DevSecOps policies to improve governance suitability and consistency of adoption.
- Inform internal and external partners about upcoming ground deliveries, architectural changes, and impacts to existing capabilities.
- Communicate technical acquisition plans, program status, and key decisions to senior government leaders and executives.
- Apply expertise in an intelligence discipline such as SIGINT or GEOINT to shape and evaluate program requirements.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
