Principal Systems Architect

About the role

The Digital Engineering and Enabling Technologies Division at Draper is seeking a Principal Digital Engineering Solution Architect to apply systems-thinking and advanced methodologies to developing solutions to complex system- and enterprise-level problems.

Responsibilities

• Work with senior leaders across Draper to analyze and capture customer and stakeholder needs, understand and evaluate relevant technology options, and apply advanced decision-making strategies to develop innovative system solutions.
• Maintain strong external presence in the Digital Engineering world as a thought leader and innovative thinker, understand external trends and map back to Draper needs and new business development.
• Conceptualize and lead the development of the appropriate solution for each project depending on the lifecycle needs, with a “Product Owner” hat.
• Bridge the knowledge gaps and across Draper. Build and promote cross-functional teams to meet customer and internal needs.
• Lead complex assignments with minimal management direction and evolving task priorities.
• Mentor technical staff and development teams to successfully work to deadlines, often while successfully managing to multiple competing priorities.

Skills/Abilities

• Highly-organized, capable of approaching problems with a system-level perspective.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Practical experience with simulation-based performance analysis.
• Practical experience with the systems engineering process.
• Knowledge of GN&C, avionics architectures, fault tolerance, cyber/security, comms/encryption, threat modeling or other technologies may be required as defined in the summary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, or related field. Masters degree or higher preferred.
• 7-10+ years experience as systems engineer or related role.
• Experience with methodologies for Trade space exploration and analysis of alternatives under uncertainty.
• Solid understanding of data-driven algorithmic disciplines such as Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Numerical optimization, Statistical and Probabilistic modeling etc. for systems with underlying physics and sparse multidimensional data.
• A passion to build quick turn-around prototypes, demonstrate proof-of-concept, and drive to productization.
• Prior experience in technical leadership, stakeholder engagement and management.
• Expertise with INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook, Department of Defense Acquisition Framework, or other government or industry Systems Engineering standards.
• Experience modeling DoD weapons, navigation, or communications systems.
• Experience with new business development, generating white papers and new proposal content.