Principal Solution Architect, National Solutions Growth

Leidos • Gaithersburg, MD

21d • Onsite

About The Position

Leidos’s Intelligence Sector is hiring a Principal Solution Architect and Innovation Lead to work in its Gaithersburg, Maryland, or Chantilly, Virginia, offices. The role provides technical leadership in shaping end-to-end space and geospatial intelligence systems and solving complex government mission challenges. The architect will develop future-state systems, guide technical strategy and acquisition decisions, lead proposal solutions, and help programs address complex technical issues.

The position involves designing mission-critical architectures that incorporate emerging technologies such as generative AI, computer vision, and edge computing, across workflows from sensor collection through exploitation. The architect will work directly with senior government customers and stakeholders, translating mission needs into technical requirements and roadmaps, and will lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams.

This position requires a relevant degree and extensive experience, recent hands-on leadership with modern cloud-native architectures and data or AI systems, federal capture and proposal leadership, and full life-cycle systems engineering experience. An active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph is required. The stated pay range is $154,050 to $278,475.

Requirements

• Recent experience within the last five or more years demonstrating hands-on leadership in modern architectures.
• Experience architecting cloud-native solutions on AWS or Azure, including serverless systems, containers or Kubernetes, and microservices.
• Experience integrating data fabrics, AI/ML pipelines, or automated processing of overhead sensor data.
• Demonstrated track record leading technical responses for federal acquisitions, including the ability to deconstruct RFP Sections L and M and architect a compliant technical solution.
• Proven leadership in technical planning, system design, and full life-cycle systems engineering, including requirements analysis, functional analysis, integration, verification, and validation.
• BS in Computer Science or a related field with 15 or more years of relevant experience; alternatively, an MS with 13 or more years, or a PhD with 10 or more years.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance with a polygraph.

Nice To Haves

• Experience resolving highly complex, multidimensional problems involving variables that affect multiple aspects of a program.
• Deep understanding of the Intelligence Community, especially space-based architectures, ground processing, GEOINT, TCPED missions, and classified-environment constraints.
• Exceptional writing, communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to engage and influence senior executives and customers.
• Hands-on experience supporting satellite ground systems, mission management, or geospatial intelligence programs.
• Success leading solutioning for capture and proposal efforts for major government contracts.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), Agile, and DevSecOps.
• Familiarity with cloud architectures, AI/ML, data analytics, and cybersecurity.
• Hands-on experience developing innovative solutions in a modern programming language such as Java or C++, preferably in both program and R&D settings.

Responsibilities

• Champion and architect innovative, next-generation system solutions.
• Lead technical planning and Analysis of Alternatives for high-consequence acquisition decisions, evaluating cost, risk, and supportability over the total system life cycle.
• Lead technical responses for high-priority federal proposal efforts, including RFPs and RFIs, and develop solutions aligned with customer needs.
• Diagnose complex technical issues on challenged programs and provide recovery planning and hands-on leadership.
• Design end-to-end solutions integrating technologies such as generative AI, computer vision, and edge computing into mission-critical workflows.
• Engage with senior government customers, program managers, and stakeholders to understand mission challenges and translate needs into technical requirements and roadmaps.
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams, fostering innovation, ownership, and technical excellence.
• Coach technical staff to improve their performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal