Lead Systems Engineer/Architect

We are seeking a hands-on Lead Systems Engineer / Architect to own the end-to-end systems architecture of the SpatialCore platform, from data ingestion and AI/ML fusion through real-time bi-directional data serving and edge deployment. You will architect the system that ties together existing built components with new infrastructure into a cohesive, scalable, and secure platform.

You will write architecture decision records, produce system design specifications, lead design reviews, and contribute directly to the most complex integration challenges. You will set the technical standards for a rapidly growing engineering team while ensuring every architectural decision supports both defense compliance requirements and commercial scalability.

Key Responsibilities:

Systems Architecture & Platform Integration

Define and own the end-to-end systems architecture for SpatialCore, encompassing data ingestion, transformation, AI/ML fusion, real-time data serving, and client-side rendering

Architect the integration of existing platform components into a unified, production-grade system

Design extensible APIs and SDKs enabling third-party connector development

Architect edge deployment patterns for disconnected, intermittent, and low-bandwidth environments common in defense and industrial settings

Define data flow architectures supporting token-based consumption metering (ingestion, transformation, query/export tiers)

Establish platform scalability patterns from hundreds to tens of thousands of connected endpoints

Technical Leadership & Standards

Produce and maintain comprehensive architecture documentation: system context diagrams, component diagrams, sequence diagrams, interface specifications, and Architecture Decision Records

Establish and enforce engineering standards for configuration control, version management, and reproducible builds

Lead technical design reviews and serve as the final technical authority on architectural decisions

Define and implement the CI/CD pipeline strategy incorporating DevSecOps practices across the full software development lifecycle

Translate high-level product requirements into detailed technical specifications and executable engineering tasks

Mentor and guide engineers across the team, establishing a culture of technical rigor, thorough documentation, and disciplined execution

Data Interoperability & Protocol Engineering

Architect the data normalization pipeline converting heterogeneous formats

Design real-time and near-real-time data fusion architectures integrating multiple sensor modalities and data sources

Define protocol-level integration patterns for the communications layer, including multicast, fault tolerance, and contested environment resilience

Architect bi-directional data serving patterns supporting both cloud-based and edge-deployed topologies

Design data provenance and settlement mechanisms for multi-party data exchange scenarios

Security, Compliance & Dual-Use Architecture

Architect systems that satisfy defense compliance frameworks (CMMC, NIST SP 800-171/800-53) while remaining commercially viable

Design Trusted Execution Environment integration for hardware-backed data security

Ensure secure coding practices and threat modeling are embedded in the development process, not bolted on

Architect role-based access control, audit logging, and data handling appropriate for sensitive but unclassified environments

Design platform architecture that cleanly separates defense and commercial deployments while maximizing code reuse

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with the CTO on technical vision, technology roadmap, and build-vs-buy decisions

Collaborate with the Growth Team to translate customer requirements and field feedback into architectural priorities

Work to evaluate and integrate emerging technologies into the platform roadmap

Support the contracts team in technical proposal writing and solution architecture for government bids

Required Qualifications Education

Bachelors degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline

Masters degree preferred, particularly in Systems Engineering, Software Architecture, or a related field

Experience

12+ years in systems engineering, software architecture, or platform engineering, with substantial experience delivering production systems at scale

5+ years in a technical leadership role - leading architecture decisions, mentoring engineers, and owning system-level design across multi-component platforms

Demonstrated experience architecting distributed systems that span edge, cloud, and hybrid deployment topologies

Proven track record integrating heterogeneous data sources and protocols into unified platforms (ETL/ELT pipelines, data normalization, format conversion)

Experience with real-time or near-real-time systems - low-latency data processing, streaming architectures, or embedded/IoT system integration

Public sector delivery experience - architecting or delivering systems for DoD, federal civilian agencies, or defense primes, with working knowledge of defense compliance frameworks

Technical Expertise

Systems design: Deep proficiency in designing scalable, fault-tolerant distributed systems using microservices, event-driven, and message-based architectures

Languages: Strong proficiency in Python and C++ required; experience with Rust, Go, highly valued

Data engineering: Experience with spatial data formats, 3D data pipelines, or geospatial data processing

Networking & protocols: Solid understanding of transport-layer protocols (UDP, TCP), multicast, and reliable messaging patterns; experience with IoT protocols (MQTT, CoAP, OPC UA, DDS) a plus

Cloud & infrastructure: Proficiency with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), and at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Security: Working knowledge of secure system design, encryption at rest/in transit, zero-trust architecture principles, and compliance frameworks (NIST 800-171, CMMC)

DevSecOps: Experience establishing CI/CD pipelines with integrated security scanning, automated testing, and configuration management

Preferred Qualifications

Background in AI/ML system integration - deploying models into production pipelines, sensor fusion, or multi-modal AI architectures

Experience with TAK ecosystem integration or tactical edge computing platforms

Familiarity with consumption-based pricing architectures (metering, usage tracking, billing integration)

Experience architecting multi-tenant SaaS platforms with per-customer isolation

Active or recent security clearance, or ability to obtain one

Relevant certifications: AWS Solutions Architect Professional, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), TOGAF, INCOSE CSEP, or similar

What We Value

Hands-on technical leaders who architect systems AND contribute to solving the hardest integration problems - not those who only draw diagrams

Systems thinkers who see the full picture from protocol layers through application logic to user-facing delivery and can make principled trade-offs across the stack

Clear communicators who produce documentation that engineers actually use and who can explain complex technical architecture to non-technical stakeholders and investors

Pragmatic engineers who ship production systems, not perfectionists who endlessly refine prototypes - we need someone who can integrate proven components into a working platform on a startup timeline

Dual-use mindset - comfort operating at the intersection of defense requirements and commercial product development, understanding that the same platform must serve both