Senior Cryptographic Systems Engineer

About The Team

Mission Solutions - The Platforms
Mission Solutions builds on Umbra's expertise in remote sensing and spacecraft operations to engineer platforms purpose-built for U.S. and allied defense and intelligence missions. Whether it's a custom payload, a full-stack spacecraft, or the infrastructure behind an entire constellation, our team delivers secure, resilient systems tailored to exacting requirements and built on timelines that match the urgency of the mission.

About The Job

As Umbra's Cryptographic Systems Engineer, you will own the architecture, integration, and lifecycle management of Type 1 cryptographic capabilities across our space and ground systems. You will lead the development of secure communications architectures from concept development and trade studies through implementation, integration, verification, NSA certification and accreditation, launch, and on-orbit operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end architecture and design of Type-1 cryptographic integrations across the spacecraft, payload, and ground segment.
• Lead crypto designs from concept and trade studies through implementation, integration, certification, and on-orbit operations.
• Define COMSEC architecture for command, telemetry, and mission data protection, including encryption, key management, and key loading approaches.
• Serve as Umbras primary technical interface to NSA, certification authorities, and government customers on cryptographic certification and accreditation.
• Drive the certification and accreditation effort, developing the artifacts, test evidence, and documentation required to achieve and maintain approval to operate.
• Partner with flight software, avionics, RF, ground, and security teams to integrate cryptographic functions into the broader system architecture.
• Support COMSEC handling, key management planning, and operational procedures for on-orbit fleet operations.
• Identify and mitigate cryptographic and supply-chain risks across design and production.
• Establish reusable cryptographic standards, interfaces, and processes that scale across Umbras satellite production line.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of engineering experience with cryptographic systems, COMSEC, or secure communications.
• Direct experience with NSA Type-1 cryptographic equipment, integration, and certification processes.
• Working knowledge of key management, key loading, and COMSEC handling requirements.
• Experience taking a hardware or system design through certification and accreditation to operational use.
• Strong systems-level thinking with the ability to reason from first principles across hardware, software, and RF boundaries.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.