Modeling & Systems Architect, Missile Defense

True Anomaly•Denver, CO

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

A new space race has begun. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build innovative technology that solves the next generation of engineering, manufacturing, and operational challenges for space security and sustainability. OUR MISSION The peaceful use of space is essential for continued prosperity on Earth—from communications and finance to navigation and logistics. True Anomaly builds innovative technology at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance the capabilities of the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners. We safeguard global security by ensuring space access and sustainability for all. OUR VALUES Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together YOUR MISSION The Modeling & Systems Engineering Architect is responsible for establishing and owning the end-to-end digital twin architecture for the Missile Defense system. This includes defining the technical strategy, model hierarchy, fidelity progression, interfaces, and governance necessary to ensure that digital twins serve as authoritative representations of system performance throughout the program lifecycle. In this role, the Architect leads the development, integration, and maturation of vehicle-level and subsystem-level models across all Missile Defense elements, including the Host Vehicle, Propulsion Units, and Kill Vehicles. Subsystem performance models—encompassing propulsion, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), seekers, and other critical disciplines—are coherently integrated and rolled up into system-level digital twins capable of evaluating end-to-end mission performance and design trades. The Architect establishes and executes a regular digital twin release cadence, enabling continuous tracking of system performance maturity. These releases are used to assess requirement compliance, identify performance shortfalls, quantify technical risk, and inform engineering and program decisions. The role ensures that modeling assumptions, limitations, and uncertainties are well understood and that results are credible and decision-relevant. A core responsibility of this position is the integration of digital twin models into the program’s Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment. The Architect ensures consistency and traceability between analytical models, system architecture, requirements, and verification artifacts, and supports the delivery of MBSE products required to meet contractual obligations. Operating within a matrixed functional engineering organization, the Architect serves as the technical authority for modeling and simulation across disciplines. This includes defining modeling standards and best practices, coordinating efforts across subsystem teams, and ensuring alignment between modeling activities and overall system architecture. The Architect works closely with systems engineering, software, test, and program leadership to ensure digital twins are effectively leveraged across design, analysis, and risk reduction efforts.

Requirements

Demonstrated ownership of modeling and digital twin architectures for complex, multi-element systems , such as: Multi-stage launch vehicles, Space vehicles with multiple deployable or interceptor elements, Complex aircraft or integrated weapon systems. Single spacecraft experience alone is not sufficient .
Prior responsibility for defining modeling strategy, not just executing individual analyses.
Digital twins used for program decisions and contractual delivery often require credibility frameworks. Experience establishing model VV&A plans
Familiarity with model credibility assessment for decision support
Traceability between requirements, assumptions, and model outputs
Experience with uncertainty propagation , Monte Carlo methods, and sensitivity analysis
Ability to quantify confidence bounds on performance predictions
Experience integrating analytical models with SIL/HIL environments
Familiarity with real-time or near-real-time modeling constraints
Understanding of latency, communications, and data fusion impacts on performance
Mission-level or engagement-level modeling tools such as AFSIM and/or STK
Strong proficiency in Python and MATLAB
Experience developing or integrating high-performance models in C++
Hands-on experience with FEA and multi-physics modeling tools (e.g., structures, thermal, propulsion, coupled effects)
Experience defining model governance frameworks
DevOps practices for model configuration control , versioning, and reproducibility (e.g., MLflow or similar frameworks)
Experience modeling sensor-to-shooter , command & control, or fire control architectures
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

Systems thinker with the ability to balance model fidelity, schedule, and decision relevance
Comfortable operating as a technical authority across organizational boundaries
Able to translate analytical results into clear insights for engineering and program leadership
Experience in defense or national security programs preferred

Responsibilities

Establishing and owning the end-to-end digital twin architecture for the Missile Defense system.
Defining the technical strategy, model hierarchy, fidelity progression, interfaces, and governance necessary to ensure that digital twins serve as authoritative representations of system performance throughout the program lifecycle.
Leading the development, integration, and maturation of vehicle-level and subsystem-level models across all Missile Defense elements, including the Host Vehicle, Propulsion Units, and Kill Vehicles.
Coherently integrating and rolling up subsystem performance models—encompassing propulsion, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), seekers, and other critical disciplines—into system-level digital twins capable of evaluating end-to-end mission performance and design trades.
Establishing and executing a regular digital twin release cadence, enabling continuous tracking of system performance maturity.
Using digital twin releases to assess requirement compliance, identify performance shortfalls, quantify technical risk, and inform engineering and program decisions.
Ensuring that modeling assumptions, limitations, and uncertainties are well understood and that results are credible and decision-relevant.
Integrating digital twin models into the program’s Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment.
Ensuring consistency and traceability between analytical models, system architecture, requirements, and verification artifacts, and supports the delivery of MBSE products required to meet contractual obligations.
Serving as the technical authority for modeling and simulation across disciplines.
Defining modeling standards and best practices, coordinating efforts across subsystem teams, and ensuring alignment between modeling activities and overall system architecture.
Working closely with systems engineering, software, test, and program leadership to ensure digital twins are effectively leveraged across design, analysis, and risk reduction efforts.