Principal Systems Architect and Lead Systems Engineer

We are seeking a highly accomplished, elite-level Principal Systems Architect and Lead Systems Engineer to pioneer the technical architecture, design, and multi-disciplinary execution of a brand-new, high-availability Satellite Control Center (Mission Operations Center) supporting NOAA's Space Weather Observations Mission Operations Services (SWO-MOS) program. This complex, multi-year contract entails building a resilient operational ground core interacting securely across WAN networks with remote NOAA/NASA antenna architectures. Based permanently in our engineering hub in Aurora, Colorado, with an expected travel requirement of up to 15% to the Annapolis, MD facility site, the successful candidate will own the 'digital thread,' acting as the master systems integrator to eliminate architectural blind spots and ensure seamless data processing, commanding loops, and federal security compliance. Location: Aurora, CO (On-site / Hybrid) Clearance Required: Ability to obtain/maintain NOAA Public Trust / Secret Travel Requirement: Up to 15% travel to Annapolis, MD Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Leadership: Formulate, develop, and govern the comprehensive, end-to-end SysML system model within Cameo Systems Modeler / MagicDraw, serving as the single source of truth for the entire SWO-MOS ground architecture. Core Systems Baseline Integration: Architect the technical interface maps and behavioral models integrating the core program baseline, specifically optimizing the OS/COMET® framework for telemetry processing and NASA's General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) for flight dynamics and orbit tracking. System-of-Systems Integration: Map and manage intricate interfaces, timing loops, and data dependencies across diverse engineering teams (Civil/Facilities, Cyber/Network, Software, C2, and Space Weather Data Processing). Requirements Architecture: Drive formal engineering requirements definition, verification, validation, and traceability tracking (DOORS/Cameo integration) to satisfy NOAA, NASA, and federal programmatic milestones. Network & Boundary Interface Design: Coordinate directly with Network Security Architects to model and validate zero-trust, high-throughput, and low-latency VPN/HSM pipeline topologies communicating over secured internet lines to remote antenna hardware. Technical Governance & Risk Management: Lead major technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and execute technical trade studies, structural analysis, and dependency mapping to mitigate late-stage integration failures. Required Qualifications & Experience Years of Experience: A minimum of 15 to 20+ years of progressive technical experience in aerospace, defense, or specialized satellite ground system architecture. Proven experience leading large-scale federal ground system modernizations is strictly required. Core Systems Stack Authority: Proven architectural experience integrating complex ground station system layers utilizing OS/COMET® command & control platforms and NASA's General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) flight dynamics configurations. MBSE Mastery: Distinguished technical authority with Cameo Systems Modeler or MagicDraw. Expert-level capability with SysML v1.x/v2 and UAF architectures is mandatory, specifically modeling command and telemetry flows. Domain Expertise: In-depth technical familiarity with satellite command and control (C2) frameworks, telemetry decommutation, flight dynamics infrastructure, or scientific high-throughput ingest pipelines. Education: Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a highly related technical discipline. Preferred Qualifications Direct experience handling SWO-MOS related space weather instrumentation datasets (e.g., magnetometers, plasma sensors, coronagraphs). Familiarity modeling compliance frameworks directly within systems architecture models (e.g., mapping NIST SP 800-53 or FISMA High controls into SysML security profiles).