Principal Systems Architect

Principal Systems Architect

About Us:

BlackSky is a real-time intelligence company. We own and operate the world's most advanced space-based intelligence platform and provide customers satellite imagery, automated analytics and high-frequency monitoring of strategic locations, economic assets and events from around the globe. BlackSky is trusted by the most demanding allied military and intelligence organizations and commercial companies to deliver foresight into critical matters that affect national security and the economy. BlackSky's data enables governments and businesses to see, understand and anticipate change as it happens, giving them the ultimate strategic advantage so they can act quickly. Our global team works with cutting-edge technology to make a difference around the world and prides itself on being people-first, customer-focused and fun.

BlackSky is looking for a talented software system architect, in support of the Chief Technology Office to help shape and drive the realization of future BlackSky space vehicle ground segment capabilities. This role will play an instrumental part in future innovation and supporting BlackSky’s position as a leader in real-time geospatial intelligence and satellite missions. BlackSky is looking for multi-faceted individual with a strong software architecture background who can work across diverse stakeholder sets to plan and execute system and software architectural solutions. This is a hands-on role and you will be working across teams to evolve our current systems and technologies to align with future BlackSky requirements, capabilities, and strategic direction.

This role reports to the VP, Product Architecture and while we would strongly prefer candidates near our Herndon, VA office we may also consider remote candidates in certain states.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and own the productized software architecture for the ground segment for customer satellite missions and programs.
• Architect, design, and manage software requirements and design for As-Is and Target architectures for systems and sub-systems within BlackSky’s Ground Segment.
• Distill unified requirements and system design across disparate major customers and programs, product roadmap, and BlackSky Strategic vision.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholder and translate requirements into engineering specifications within the BlackSky architecture.
• Understand the interactions between systems, applications, and services within the architecture and evaluate the impact of changes or additions including risks resource, and schedule implications.
• Ensure the accuracy and completeness of BlackSky architecture documentation.
• Coordinate development and execution across software development teams, systems engineering, and program and product teams to develop execution plans for system capabilities, align development teams, and ensure effective capability integration across space and ground systems and subsystems.
• Work with engineering teams on elements of system design including resource requirements, interfaces and data models, enterprise integration patterns, system and sub-system capabilities, standards and best practices, etc.
• Support the capture and execution of customer programs by driving alignment with a common missions ground architecture.
• Act as liaison between technical and non-technical departments, facilitating cross-team collaboration and understanding on system capabilities and execution.
• Organize and track projects, proactively manage risks, manage project escalations, prioritize tasks, and meet specific business objectives.
• Collaborate with business managers and technical groups to address important customer issues and find innovative solutions to difficult problems.