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Systems Architect, Staff Principal

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.

Colorado Springs, CO · HybridJob$220–230K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$220–230K/yr
Location
Colorado Springs, COHybrid
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearance

Job overview

Kratos Space Federal seeks an experienced Systems Architect, Staff Principal to lead satellite ground systems engineering activities on a critical government program under the Chief Engineer. The role works across system developers, integration, test, operations, and support personnel, leading technical and architecture discussions and supporting program management. The candidate should bring satellite operations and systems engineering experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to obtain or maintain a SECRET or higher clearance.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Space Systems KnowledgeSatellite OperationsSatellite Command and ControlSatellite Mission PayloadsSystems EngineeringRequirements AnalysisRequirements DecompositionRequirements TraceabilityModel-Based Systems EngineeringEngineering Lifecycle ManagementSystem-of-Systems ArchitectureSoftware RequirementsUser Interface DesignOperator Workflow DesignCONOPS DefinitionEpochLeadershipMentoringCost and Schedule TrackingRisk ManagementStakeholder CoordinationWritten CommunicationVerbal CommunicationCustomer Presentations

Qualifications

7+ Years Defense/Aerospace ExperienceSECRET or Higher Clearance

Full job description

Job Descriptions:

Readiness Delivered. At Kratos, we encourage an entrepreneurial spirit balanced with fiscal and operational discipline. We work hard, we solve hard problems, and we look out for and take care of our customers, each other and our families. Protecting and enabling our nation and global customers through innovative aerospace solutions is what motivates us. We continually build trusted relationships with our peers, our partners and customers, and we take ownership for our actions—always striving to do the right thing. Kratos Space Federal is seeking an experienced, motivated Systems Architect, Staff Principal who will help lead Satellite Ground Systems Engineering activities on a critical government program. Specifically, the candidate will be leading critical aspects of the program under the guidance of the program’s Chief Engineer. As a leader on the program, the desired candidate should display a sense of ownership, urgency, and drive to accomplish results. Excellent communications and interpersonal relationship skills are required as the candidate will be working closely with system developers, integration, test, ops, and support personnel.

Required Experience:

  • 7+ years total experience in Defense/Aerospace industry with strong knowledge of space systems

  • Satellite operations experience including on-shift crew operations, engineering support to operations, or Satellite Operations Center (SOC) functions performing or supporting satellite command and control

  • Experience with satellite mission payloads and mission user needs, with familiarity across multiple payload types such as protected communications, sensor systems, and/or imagery systems

  • Experience in systems engineering for large-scale, enterprise space systems, touching on at least two of the following areas: C2 Ground System, SV Bus Development, Payload Development, Mission Data Processing and User Ground Systems

  • Experience with requirements analysis, decomposition, and traceability including the ability to guide model-based approaches and work effectively with systems modeling engineers

  • Experience supporting the full engineering lifecycle including conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, verification, and validation activities

  • Ability to architect and design system-of-systems solutions, connecting space segment, ground segment, and user segment perspectives while working across multiple disciplines (developers, test, operations, support personnel)

  • Experience translating operational user needs into software application requirements and specifications, including user interface design, operator workflows, and CONOPS definition for ground system applications. Familiarity with satellite C2 software platforms (e.g., Epoch, similar ground system tools) is highly desirable.

  • Demonstrated leadership skills including sense of ownership, urgency, and drive to accomplish results in cross-functional team environments. Ability to actively engage and contribute to real-time technical and architecture discussions, demonstrating syntonical reasoning across complex space, ground, and user systems. Proven ability to mentor and develop junior engineers.

  • Experience supporting program management activities including cost/schedule tracking, risk management, and stakeholder coordination

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to develop and deliver effective customer presentations (design reviews, technical reports, status briefings) at multiple levels of technical detail

  • Ability to obtain/maintain SECRET or higher clearance

#LI-Hybrid

The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

Competitive salary based on experience and educationSalary Range: $220,000-$230,000

Kratos is valued for our ability to design and deliver leading edge, resilient solutions for aerospace communication, control, awareness and mission success across a continuum of offerings—from commercial to tailored custom solutions and integrated programs. Customers trust us to stay relevant and know we are in it for the long-haul. We bring both the capability and confidence that our customers value and depend on. And we always deliver.

This posting will close within 90 days from the Posting Date.

Keyword: Systems Architect, Staff Principal

Kratos Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Disability Accessibility Accommodation

If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply to our careers site, please send your request to [email protected] or call 858-964-2916. Any inquires not related to requesting an accommodation will be discarded.

Pay Transparency

The company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

Job Applicant Privacy Notice

For applicants in the EU and California residents, please review our privacy notice.

From: Kratos Defense

How this job compares

Set against the 1,008 open Systems Architect jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 7, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$220–230K/yr
  • Colorado median$142–220K/yr72 salary ranges
  • US median$140–232K/yr819 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $225K, is 30% above the Colorado median midpoint ($174K) — in the top quarter of Systems Architect salary ranges in Colorado.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 83 open Systems Architect jobs in Colorado and 1,008 across the US. 18% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Colorado
Experience
This posting asks for at least 7 years of experience; Systems Architect postings that state a minimum ask for 8 years at the median (896 postings).
Education
423 of the 1,008 open Systems Architect jobs (42%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 7, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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