Software Architect, Systems Engineer

Who Are We:

Sceye is a high-growth technology company, building the next generation of instant communications, imaging and remote sensing infrastructure through stratospheric platforms.

Our lighter-than-air high-altitude platform systems (LTA HAPS) are capable of maintaining position over an operational area in the stratosphere (altitudes of 18–21km). They can carry multiple telecommunications, imaging and remote sensing payloads, providing unique functionality, cost, environmental and societal advantages.

Our HAPS can be deployed in a matter of days and at a fraction of the cost of traditional infrastructure solutions. This makes them an ideal solution for providing telecommunications connectivity, emergency solutions in the event of natural or other disasters, environmental and infrastructure monitoring, Earth observation and a range of defense applications.

Our customers & partners include some of the largest global telecommunications companies, infrastructure operators, climate researchers, civil and defense agencies.

At Sceye, we aim high, and we want you to join us at the stratospheric edge of innovation. As part of our mission-driven team, you'll contribute to building breakthrough technologies that are changing the way we connect and observe the world. We are looking for individuals who bring not only deep expertise but also bold vision and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Position Summary:

Sceye is seeking an experienced Software Architect to define and evolve the software architecture powering our stratospheric High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) fleet. This role owns the technical vision across avionics, ground systems, mission operations, and data platforms, ensuring our software is scalable, reliable, and ready to support a rapidly growing fleet of stratospheric airships. You will work directly with engineering leadership and cross-functional teams to translate mission requirements into robust, long-lived architecture.

Job Purpose:

• Define and maintain the overall software architecture across flight, ground, and mission systems.
• Set technical direction and coding standards for distributed teams working across avionics, backend, and data services.
• Evaluate and select technologies, frameworks, and infrastructure patterns to support scalability and reliability.
• Lead architecture reviews and design documentation for major new systems and features.
• Partner with Product, Systems Engineering, and Flight Operations to translate mission and safety requirements into software design.
• Design fault-tolerant, real-time systems suitable for command and control of remote, high-altitude vehicles.
• Guide API design, service boundaries, and data models across the software stack.
• Mentor senior and staff engineers on architectural best practices and long-term system health.
• Drive decisions on build-vs-buy, cloud infrastructure, and on-prem/edge computing tradeoffs.
• Identify technical debt and lead initiatives to modernize legacy systems without disrupting flight operations.
• Participate in incident reviews for mission-critical systems and drive architectural remediation.
• Ensure architecture decisions account for cybersecurity, data integrity, and regulatory considerations.

What We're Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field;
  Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including 3+ years in an architect or senior technical leadership role.
• Proven track record designing large-scale, distributed, real-time, or safety-critical systems.
• Deep expertise in at least one modern backend language (e.g., Python, Go, C++, Java) and familiarity with several others.
• Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP), containerization, and microservices architecture.
• Experience with real-time or near-real-time telemetry, command-and-control, or IoT-style systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain architecture tradeoffs to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to lead architecture across multiple teams and drive alignment among engineers and stakeholders.

Prefer…