Staff Systems Architect

Staff Systems Architect

Senior Level | $125,000 - $150,000 | Top Secret Clearance Required | U.S. Citizenship Required

Support the development of next-generation strategic mission systems by designing secure, resilient system architectures that enable critical national defense capabilities. Join a collaborative engineering team working alongside government engineers to define mission architectures, system interfaces, and technical solutions supporting complex command and control (C2) and mission planning environments. You'll serve as the architectural bridge between customer requirements and software development teams, ensuring systems are scalable, secure, and mission-ready.
A Day in the Life - What you'll do

• Collaborate with government engineers and program stakeholders to understand operational environments, mission objectives, and emerging capability requirements.
• Design and document end-to-end system architectures supporting complex software-intensive defense systems.
• Develop Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) models using SysML and Cameo to define system behavior, interfaces, and architecture products.
• Design secure, scalable system-to-system interfaces using REST APIs, Kafka messaging services, databases, and other enterprise integration technologies.
• Define architecture standards that prioritize cybersecurity, system performance, reliability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Translate customer requirements into architectural solutions that provide software development teams with clear implementation guidance.
• Evaluate system architectures to identify technical risks, performance bottlenecks, cybersecurity concerns, and opportunities for modernization.
• Collaborate with software engineers, cybersecurity specialists, systems engineers, and product owners throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Present architecture designs, technical recommendations, and engineering trade studies to customers, program leadership, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Support Agile development efforts by participating in architecture reviews, backlog refinement, sprint planning, and technical decision-making.
• Ensure architectural decisions align with mission objectives, security requirements, and long-term system evolution.
• Contribute to engineering best practices, architecture governance, and continuous improvement initiatives supporting enterprise defense systems.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Active DoD Top Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with required special access.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML, and Cameo Systems Modeler.
• Experience designing system architectures for large-scale, software-intensive enterprise systems.
• Experience designing system-to-system interfaces using RESTful APIs, Kafka, databases, and modern integration technologies.
• Experience supporting large, complex software development programs.
• Strong systems engineering and architectural documentation skills.
• Experience presenting technical solutions and architecture designs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, communication, and technical leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within Agile software development environments.
• Experience using Atlassian collaboration tools including Jira and Confluence.
• Knowledge of U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) missions including Intelligence, Mission Planning, or Command & Control (C2).
• Experience evaluating cybersecurity risks, vulnerabilities, threats, and secure system architectures.
• Experience supporting Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) systems including:
  • Strategic Mission Planning and Execution System (SMPES)
  • Mission Planning and Analysis System (MPAS)
  • Nuclear Planning and Execution System (NPES)
• Experience architecting mission-critical command and control or strategic defense systems.
• Experience supporting classified Department of Defense software development programs.

Who is Caribou Thunder?

Caribou Thunder is a HUBZone-certified small business providing advanced technical and engineering services to the U.S. Department of Defense and its mission partners.

35+ states and 20+ countries.

We've delivered trusted solutions for over two decades-strengthening national readiness across missions on land, undersea, in the air, and throughout LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space.
Why Caribou Thunder?
TEAM THUNDER - Mission Focused. Delivery Proven. Ready to Serve.

• Employee Advocacy
• Mission Proven
• Global Reach
• Skilled Teams
• Modern Tools
• Empowering Culture

Our engineers and innovators ensure capability from sea floor to space frontier-delivering on time, maintaining compliance, and performing with precision in high-consequence environments.

We specialize in Engineering Services, Systems Architecture, Digital Engineering, Cybersecurity, Software Development, Modeling & Simulation, DevSecOps, and Artificial Intelligence-disciplines powering the nation's most complex technical missions.
Employee Advocacy + Benefits

Our people are the heart of Caribou Thunder. We invest in their growth, flexibility, and well-being-knowing their success drives ours.

Benefits include:

• Premium Health, Dental & Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with 6% Company Match
• Flexible PTO & Work Schedule
• Education & Certification Reimbursement
• Support for Military Leave
• Work-Life Balance & Traditional Family Values

Your future, your flexibility, your well-being-we invest in you.

Apply and let's connect.