Lead Systems Engineer and Architect - TS/SCI

About the role

Parsons is seeking an exceptionally talented Lead Systems Engineer and Architect to serve as a key technical advisor to the Chief Engineer and program partners, bridging high‑level mission requirements, Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and technical execution.

Key responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance to the Chief Engineer, executive stakeholders and business partners on technology adoption, mission alignment and simulation environments.
• Oversee design documentation, technical specifications and architectural frameworks, ensuring alignment between long‑term program objectives and MBSE processes.
• Collaborate with analysts to research, model and analyze defense capabilities within advanced simulation environments.
• Engage in technical interchange meetings with U.S. government customers, delivering senior‑level expertise in modeling, simulation and multi‑domain architectures.
• Partner with government Product Owners in an Agile/SAFe framework to groom, prioritize and translate mission needs into technical user stories.
• Analyze complex user needs to define clear technical paths and guide refinement of conceptual designs into detailed system specifications.

Required profile

• U.S. citizenship with an active Top Secret SCI clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer/Systems Engineering or related field and 15+ years of software/systems engineering experience, including 5+ years in a principal or lead role.

Required skills

• Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).
• Modern network protocols, microservices architecture and cloud storage (AWS, S3‑compatible).
• Zero Trust security concepts.
• Real‑time data streaming and event‑driven architectures (Kafka, JSON).
• Simulation tools such as AFSIM.
• Experience with Cross‑Domain Solutions (CDS) in DoD‑secure environments.
• Familiarity with the TAK ecosystem (TAK Server, WebTAK, ATAK) or Palantir Foundry.

What we offer

• Salary range $157,500 – $283,500 per year.
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules and holidays.