OPIR-Systems Engineer – IV (Focus: Ground System Thread Architect)

Arcfield•Chantilly, VA

About The Position

Arcfield was purpose-built to protect the nation and its allies through innovations in digital transformation, space mission engineering and launch assurance, miniaturized sensors and satellites, advanced modeling and simulation, cybersecurity, and conventional and hypersonic missile support. Headquartered in Chantilly, VA with 16 global offices, Arcfield employs more than 1,500 engineers, analysts, IT specialists, and other professionals with more than 60 years of collective proven experience supporting missions in cyber and space defense, space exploration, hypersonic and nuclear deterrence and warfighter readiness. Visit arcfield.com for more details. Are you looking to join a company that’s mission-focused and innovation-driven? Arcfield provides systems engineering, integration, and digital transformation across space, air, land, sea, and cyber domains. Come join our team on a new contract supporting a joint customer Program Office responsible for acquiring the future GEOINT Ground Architecture that will provide the user community with capabilities in a modular, open architecture that provides global, persistent, real-time surveillance and activity-based intelligence information. The Thread Architect serves as a key strategic and technical advisor within a thread-based organizational structure, reporting directly to the government thread lead. This position operates at a high level, coordinating and aligning solution epics with organizational goals, timelines, and the overarching 2035 vision. The Thread Architect ensures cross-thread and cross-component integration, while strategically managing and prioritizing workloads to meet mission objectives. This position is ideal for candidates who are technically adept, strategically minded, and passionate about aligning operational efforts with a long-term vision. The Thread Architect will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the organization.

Requirements

Must possess and be able to maintain a TS/SCI Clearance with Poly
BS 8-10, MS 6-8, PhD 3-5
Collaborative leader who thrives in a cross-functional environment with a proven ability to coordinate across multiple teams and stakeholders to achieve organizational goals
Working knowledge of SAFe agile methodology, agile planning and management concepts, and Atlassian tools (Jira and Confluence) or similar tools for tracking and managing solution epics or workstreams
Demonstrated expertise in aligning technical work with long-term strategic visions, and familiarity with thread-based organizational structures and solution epics
Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including requirements gathering, risk management, and process optimization
Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to adapt to evolving priorities and challenges and to anticipate and address risks, conflicts, and inefficiencies
Accomplished written and oral communicator, with the ability to develop various products in multiple formats, and lead and capture technical discussions and outcomes
Ability to organize, prioritize, schedule, and accomplish a wide variety of tasks with attention to detail
Demonstrated analysis and critical thinking skills

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of intelligence community (IC) or Department of Defense (DoD) operations, processes, and systems
Proven experience managing teams in complex, multi-threaded environments
Experience coordinating between government and contractor teams
Familiarity with GEOINT systems
Familiarity with ground systems

Responsibilities

Strategic Alignment and Coordination: Collaborate with government thread leads to align solution epics with the organization’s 2035 vision and objectives.
Assess new and ongoing work to ensure alignment with strategic goals, identifying potential misalignments and escalating concerns as needed.
Timeline Management: Organize and place bundles of work (solution epics) across project timelines, ensuring smooth coordination between threads and components.
Monitor progress and resolve conflicts to maintain alignment with organizational priorities and deadlines.
Cross-Thread Integration: Facilitate coordination across multiple threads to ensure seamless integration of efforts and resources.
Collaborate with solution epic owners and program managers to address interdependencies and ensure end-to-end delivery.
Architectural Oversight: Leverage architectural expertise to guide the organization toward innovative and sustainable solutions.
Support the development and refinement of architectural frameworks in line with strategic visions and emerging technologies.
Stakeholder Communication: Provide high-level summaries and recommendations to thread lead on strategic decisions and trade-offs.
Vision Advocacy: Advocate for long-term goals by ensuring that all efforts align with the organization’s 2035 vision and mission.
Identify opportunities for innovation and recommend adjustments to strategies or roadmaps when necessary.