Ground Systems Engineer & Architect

Ground Systems Engineer & Architect

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra's ecosystem operates through three business units:
Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms). Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission-ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed. Mission Solutions builds on Umbra's expertise in remote sensing and spacecraft operations to engineer platforms purpose-built for U.S. and allied defense and intelligence missions.

Whether it's a custom payload, a full-stack spacecraft, or the infrastructure behind an entire constellation, our team delivers secure, resilient systems tailored to exacting requirements and built on timelines that match the urgency of the mission.

If you want to work on cutting-edge space technology that's redefining what's possible in space platforms, you belong here at Umbra.

The Ground Systems Engineer & Architect is responsible for defining, designing, integrating, and validating secure, mission-critical ground systems supporting advanced space, ISR, and national security missions. This hands-on technical role serves as the ground systems architecture lead, translating mission requirements into scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise solutions across classified computing environments. The position is responsible for developing ground system architectures, interface definitions, COMSEC implementations, RED/BLACK network designs, and integration strategies while leading system verification, operational testing, and customer design reviews throughout the program lifecycle.

Working closely with software, hardware, network, cybersecurity, and mission engineering teams, the Ground Systems Engineer & Architect ensures successful delivery of modern ground infrastructures leveraging virtualization, containerized services, Dev Sec Ops  practices, and enterprise IT technologies to enable reliable mission operations for U.S. Government and Intelligence Community customers.

This position is based on-site in our Reston, VA office.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect Secure Ground Systems:
  Define and develop end-to-end architectures for mission-critical ground systems supporting space, ISR, and national security missions, ensuring scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise solutions.
• Lead System Integration & Verification:
  Plan and execute system integration, verification, validation, and operational test activities to ensure ground systems meet mission, performance, cybersecurity, and operational requirements.
• Design Secure Enterprise Infrastructure:
  Develop and implement secure computing environments including COMSEC, RED/BLACK architectures, cross-domain interfaces, classified networking, Kubernetes/Docker containerized services, virtualization, storage, and enterprise IT infrastructure.
• Drive Technical Leadership & Customer Engagement:
  Serve as the technical authority for ground system design, leading requirements development, interface definition, technical trade studies, and presenting technical solutions at customer reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and ORR.
• Enable Mission Operations & Modern Engineering Practices:
  Collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver mission-ready ground capabilities using systems engineering best practices, Dev Sec Ops , Infrastructure as Code (IaC), automation, and modern software deployment pipelines supporting U.S. Government and Intelligence Community programs.