Lead Systems Engineering Architect - TS/SCI

About the Role

CTI, a Parsons Company, is seeking a Lead Systems Engineering Architect to serve as a senior technical leader and Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Systems Engineering & Architecture. In this role, you will act as the Product Owner Analyst (POA) for the Systems Engineering Team and provide direct technical counsel to the Chief Engineer and program business partners.

Responsibilities

• Serving as the Principal Engineering Advisor & Architect, providing senior technical leadership and SME expertise in Systems Engineering & Architecture
• Acting as the Product Owner Analyst (POA) for the Systems Engineering Team, collaborating within the SAFe framework to groom and prioritize product backlogs and user stories
• Providing direct technical counsel to the Chief Engineer and program business partners, ensuring alignment with mission objectives
• Leveraging extensive experience in DoD and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), academic research, and multi-domain architecture to shape technical strategy and prioritize best-in-breed solutions for critical mission requirements
• Overseeing system architecture, including design documentation, technical specifications, and architectural diagrams to support long-term program objectives
• Analyzing user needs to define technical paths and refining conceptual designs into detailed specifications
• Participating in PI planning and retrospectives, recommending workflow automations and process improvements
• Promoting lab best practices and network topologies in compliance with DoD guidelines, and advocating for continuous team improvement
• Representing the program at technical reviews, stakeholder engagements, and industry events

Required Clearance

• Must be a US Citizen
• Must have an ACTIVE TS/SCI Clearance

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Systems Engineering, or a related field
• 15+ years of experience in software/systems engineering or technical architecture; additional years of experience will be considered in lieu of a degree
• Expertise in Multi-Domain Defense Systems and Software Architecture
• Hands-on experience with military/intel data standards (e.g., Cursor on Target (CoT), FMV & KLV, JSON)
• Proficiency with Apache Kafka (topics, producers/consumers, SASL/SCRAM, TLS)
• Experience with TAK Ecosystem (TAK Server, WebTAK, ATAK) and intel platforms using rich data models (e.g., TRAX or OMNI-compliant databases)
• Proficiency with S3-compatible storage (MinIO, AWS S3), microservices, network protocols (TCP/IP, gRPC), and Zero Trust (ZTNA) concepts (e.g., AppGate, SDP)
• Expertise in DDIL (Disconnected, Intermittent, and Limited) environments and fault-tolerant system design

Desired Skills

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Systems Engineering, or a related field
• Experience with Kafka federation
• Advanced data modeling, including OMNI vs. lightweight SA formats (CoT)
• Experience with DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Familiarity with Cross-Domain Solutions (CDS) and moving data across security classification levels
• Experience with Palantir Foundry Ontology, OSDK (Functions, Sinks), and data ingestion