Space Force MUOS Communications Systems Architect

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, or a related Science, Engineering or Mathematics field, plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree, plus a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience.

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Department of Defense SECRET security clearance is preferred at time of hire. Candidates must be able to obtain a SECRET clearance within a reasonable amount of time from date of hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities for this Position

ROLE AND POSITION OBJECTIVES:

The MUOS System Architect / Senior Advanced Systems Engineer provides program-level architecture leadership for the Space Force MUOS program, a live mission-critical communications system. This role is responsible for translating customer mission objectives, operational constraints, technical risks, and long-term sustainment needs into a coherent system architecture and technical roadmap.

The position works across systems engineering, software, hardware, network management, ground transport, cyber, test, sustainment, program leadership, and customer stakeholders. This role balances near-term capability delivery with long-term flexibility, reliability, cybersecurity, supportability, verification, and mission continuity.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides architecture leadership for MUOS enhancements, sustainment, modernization, and long-term technical planning.
• Translates customer mission objectives and future vision into a coherent technical framework for execution by engineering teams.
• Leads architecture decisions and trade studies involving requirements, interfaces, performance, cyber, verification, supportability, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Owns or supports the 5- to 10-year technical roadmap, including funded work, DMSMS/obsolescence risks, capability evolution, architecture enablers, and investment candidates.
• Guides cross-functional teams through requirements analysis, requirements management, functional analysis, system design, integration, and verification planning.
• Defines and reviews system requirements and allocations to subsystems, elements, and components.
• Performs interface definition and operational thread analysis across MUOS ground system domains.
• Identifies, analyzes, and resolves system design weaknesses and architecture risks.
• Supports system accreditation, certification, cybersecurity, and test activities by ensuring architecture impacts and evidence needs are understood.
• Evaluates impacts of new capabilities, technology refresh, DMSMS, unsupported hardware/software, cyber posture, vendor support, and sustainment constraints.
• Serves as a senior technical interface with customer stakeholders on architecture, strategy, technical risk, and future capability direction.
• Develops technical engineering products using appropriate standards, processes, procedures, and tools.
• Leads technical planning, cost/risk/supportability/effectiveness analysis, and proposal inputs for major program efforts.
• Coaches technical leads and engineers, helping raise architecture judgment across the team.
• Identifies opportunities to apply AI, automation, MBSE, and improved engineering workflows for continuous improvement and innovation.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent understanding and application of systems engineering and system architecture principles.
• Ability to reason across mission objectives, requirements, interfaces, cyber, test, sustainment, cost, schedule, and stakeholder impacts.
• Strong ability to lead architecture decisions under ambiguity, clearly separating facts, assumptions, options, risks, and recommended paths forward.
• Strong knowledge of requirements management, system modeling, architecture documentation, and technical baseline stewardship.
• Experience with tools such as DOORS/DOORS NG, MagicDraw/Cameo, Visio, Draw.io, and Microsoft Office.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief customers and leadership on complex technical issues.
• Ability to build productive relationships with customers, program leadership, technical leads, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Strong presentation, negotiation, and technical leadership skills.
• Understanding of communication systems, ground systems, network management, core networking, cybersecurity, test, and sustainment considerations.
• Ability to identify architecture-level risks from DMSMS, obsolescence, unsupported software, fragile interfaces, cyber constraints, and incomplete documentation.
• Awareness of business objectives and the role of architecture in achieving cost, schedule, mission, and customer outcomes.
• Ability to apply AI and automation thoughtfully to improve engineering execution, evidence management, and decision support.

What sets you apart:

• Creative thinker with demonstrated success leading the systems development life cycle
• Collaborative team player eager to provide technical leadership and position others for success
• Thorough knowledge of technology trends and willingness to champion new ideas and process improvements
• Strong presentation and communications skills with experience in the art of negotiation and the ability to meet challenging customer requirements with win-win solutions
• Commitment to ongoing professional development for yourself and others
• Identifies opportunities to apply AI for continuous improvement and innovation

Our Commitment to You:

• An exciting career path with opportunities for continuous learning and development. 
• Research oriented work, alongside award winning teams developing practical solutions for our nation’s security
• Flexible schedules with every other Friday off work, if desired (9/80 schedule)
• Competitive benefits, including 401k matching, flex time off, paid parental leave, healthcare benefits, health & wellness programs, employee resource and social groups, and more
• See more at gdmissionsystems.com/careers/why-work-for-us/benefits

Workplace Options:This position is Onsite at our Scottsdale, AZ facility.

#LI-Hybrid

Salary Note

This estimate represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors (geographic location, etc.). Actual pay may vary. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Combined Salary Range

USD $157,487.00 - USD $174,713.00 /Yr.

Company Overview

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans