System Architect

Thales is seeking a Systems Architect to define, govern, and maintain end-to-end solution architectures for the FAA's new Air Traffic Control System and Unmanned Aircraft Systems initiatives. This role involves aligning stakeholder needs with business strategy, technical feasibility, and lifecycle objectives, leading architectural definition from concept to in-service support. The architect will ensure solutions meet performance, cost, risk, schedule, and regulatory requirements, acting as a key technical authority to drive trade-offs and ensure long-term viability and scalability.

Must Have

• Define, govern, and maintain end-to-end solution architectures.
• Align internal and external stakeholder needs with business strategy, technical feasibility, and lifecycle objectives.
• Lead architectural definition from bid and concept phases through design, development, integration, validation, customer acceptance, and in-service support.
• Ensure solutions meet performance, cost, risk, schedule, and regulatory requirements.
• Act as a key technical authority, drive informed trade-offs.
• Ensure compliance with engineering governance and product policies.
• Safeguard the long-term viability, scalability, and sustainability of solutions across their full lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary technical interface with customers on solution architecture, design, performance, and lifecycle considerations.
• Proactively anticipate, analyze, and translate customer and stakeholder needs into a structured and traceable initial requirements baseline.
• Formalize solution requirements and ensure alignment with business objectives, technical feasibility, and lifecycle constraints.
• Lead and oversee the architecting of software solutions in alignment with the approved technology roadmap, agile development strategy, and sprint planning cycles.
• Define and drive the development strategy for advanced algorithms, software applications, and enabling technologies.
• Develop, stabilize, and maintain solution architectures for bids and projects across the full lifecycle.
• Develop and evolve the solution architecture by fully understanding operational context, stakeholder expectations, and system constraints.
• Define and propose candidate architectures at the solution or solution-element level that meet stakeholder expectations.
• Establish solution architectures through structured trade-offs among stakeholder expectations, technical and technological options, cost, risk, and schedule.
• Lead architectural trade-off analyses to balance evolving customer requirements with cost, risk, opportunity, schedule, and critical performance objectives.
• Lead requirements allocation, interface definition, performance assessment, and management of critical parameters.
• Review, assess, and manage technical risks and opportunities.
• Ensure full compliance of the solution with product policies, production and service strategies, contractual obligations, and applicable regulations.
• Approve technical specifications and source selection for outsourced subsystems and products.
• Prepare, review, and sign Design Validation (DVa) documentation.
• Review and approve the completion of integration, verification, validation, and qualification (IVVQ) activities, oversee customer acceptance of the solution.
• Organize and lead technical meetings, peer reviews, and design assessments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 9 years of relevant professional experience, or 10+ years of experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Demonstrated experience applying Design Assurance standards, particularly as they relate to system safety, compliance, and certification.
• Proven knowledge and hands-on experience in complex systems engineering, including system integration across hardware, software, and operational domains.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering processes and lifecycle methodologies.
• Solid knowledge of and practical experience with Agile development methodologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• High standards of quality and a strong attention to detail.
• Disciplined, structured, and systematic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Must be a US Person as defined in applicable law.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire.

Good to Have

• Working knowledge of the national airspace system and/or an understanding of unmanned aircraft systems.
• Experience working on technology-centered programs for US Federal Gov’t Agencies (with a strong preference for FAA, DoD/DoW and/or DHS).
• Strong knowledge of aeronautical and Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems, data, and operational environments.
• Working knowledge of FAA operations and maintenance policies, procedures, and governance models.
• Broad understanding of aviation and air traffic control (ATC) concepts, operations, and system interactions within complex airspace environments.
• Experience with modern software engineering practices, methodologies, and toolchains, including agile delivery, DevSecOps, and model-based or component-based development approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to present, defend, and position technical solutions to customers and stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Proven systems engineering expertise across the full software and/or hardware development lifecycle, including architecture definition, integration, verification and validation, and experience with cloud-based architectures.

Perks & Benefits

• Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA
• Voluntary Life and AD&D
• Whole Group Life w/LTC
• Critical Illness
• Hospital Indemnity
• Accident Insurance
• Legal Plan
• Identity Theft
• Pet Insurance
• Retirement Savings Plan (after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period)
• Company paid holidays
• Paid Time Off
• Company provided Life Insurance
• AD&D
• Disability
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Well-being Program

Position Summary

The FAA’s Brand-New Air Traffic Control System and other initiatives related to Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Advanced Air Mobility are fueling the growth of Thales’ Airspace Mobility Solutions team. We are expanding our teams and seek talented individuals who want to be part of these ambitious initiatives shaping the future of aviation. We are looking for people with a passion for aviation and ready to deliver innovative solutions built to the nation’s highest safety and security standards. America’s aviation moment is now. Thales has the solutions, experience and expertise to execute now. Come join our journey.

Thales is looking for a Systems Architect, who is responsible for defining, governing, and maintaining end-to-end solution architectures that align internal and external stakeholder needs with business strategy, technical feasibility, and lifecycle objectives, and who leads architectural definition from bid and concept phases through design, development, integration, validation, customer acceptance, and in-service support, ensuring solutions meet performance, cost, risk, schedule, and regulatory requirements.

In this position, you will act as a key technical authority, drive informed trade-offs, ensure compliance with engineering governance and product policies, and safeguard the long-term viability, scalability, and sustainability of solutions across their full lifecycle.

Regulatory Compliance Requirements

• US - CUI Regulatory Compliance Requirement – Must be a US Person as defined in applicable law.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Serve as the primary technical interface with customers (or Product Line Management for product-based solutions) on solution architecture, design, performance, and lifecycle considerations; proactively anticipate, analyze, and translate customer and stakeholder needs into a structured and traceable initial requirements baseline; and formalize solution requirements and ensure alignment with business objectives, technical feasibility, and lifecycle constraints.
• Lead and oversee the architecting of software solutions in alignment with the approved technology roadmap, agile development strategy, and sprint planning cycles; define and drive the development strategy for advanced algorithms, software applications, and enabling technologies required to deliver the solution; and develop, stabilize, and maintain solution architectures for bids and projects across the full lifecycle, in close cooperation with the System Engineering Manager (SEM).
• Develop and evolve the solution architecture by fully understanding operational context, stakeholder expectations, and system constraints; define and propose candidate architectures at the solution or solution-element level that meet stakeholder expectations while complying with standardization, reuse policies, technology roadmaps, and business strategy; and establish solution architectures through structured trade-offs among stakeholder expectations, technical and technological options, cost, risk, and schedule, documenting architectural rationale through formal artifacts (e.g., D&JF, PBS, SSDD), and approving resulting lower-level specifications.
• Lead architectural trade-off analyses to balance evolving customer requirements with cost, risk, opportunity, schedule, and critical performance objectives throughout project execution; lead requirements allocation, interface definition, performance assessment, and management of critical parameters throughout the project lifecycle, arbitrating technical decisions across internal and external contributors; and review, assess, and manage technical risks and opportunities in collaboration with the System Engineering Manager (SEM), ensuring mitigation plans are defined, monitored, and executed across bids and projects.
• Ensure full compliance of the solution with product policies, production and service strategies, contractual obligations, and applicable regulations (including export controls, Environmental/HSE, safety, and security); verify that the engineering environment (processes, practices, and tools) complies with company and country requirements while optimizing overall solution cost, technical risk, and schedule; and approve technical specifications and source selection for outsourced subsystems and products in accordance with Make-Team-Buy policy, export restrictions, and offset requirements.
• Prepare, review, and sign Design Validation (DVa) documentation at each applicable bid and project milestone, ensuring formal approval by the Design Authority (DA); review and approve the completion of integration, verification, validation, and qualification (IVVQ) activities, oversee customer acceptance of the solution, and approve key bid and project engineering reviews and deliverables when acting at the solution-element level in the absence of a Project Design Authority (PDA); organize and lead technical meetings, peer reviews, and design assessments, ensure conclusions from technical reviews are formally reflected in the DVa, contribute to defining and continuously improving the solution development lifecycle and co-engineering approach, actively contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, maintain awareness of emerging and cutting-edge technologies, and represent the organization in industry working groups and standards bodies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related discipline, with a minimum of 9 years of relevant professional experience, or 10+ years of experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience applying Design Assurance standards, particularly as they relate to system safety, compliance, and certification. Proven knowledge and hands-on experience in complex systems engineering, including system integration across hardware, software, and operational domains.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering processes and lifecycle methodologies, with experience supporting large-scale, complex programs involving multiple stakeholders and demanding schedules.
• Solid knowledge of and practical experience with Agile development methodologies, including iterative delivery, cross-functional collaboration, and incremental value realization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in fast-paced environments.
• High standards of quality and a strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance across deliverables. Disciplined, structured, and systematic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of the national airspace system and/or an understanding of unmanned aircraft systems.
• Experience working on technology-centered programs for US Federal Gov’t Agencies (with a strong preference for FAA, DoD/DoW and/or DHS).
• Strong knowledge of aeronautical and Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems, data, and operational environments, including familiarity with industry standards, safety culture, and applicable regulatory frameworks.
• Working knowledge of FAA operations and maintenance policies, procedures, and governance models, including compliance, audit, certification, and reporting requirements.
• Broad understanding of aviation and air traffic control (ATC) concepts, operations, and system interactions within complex airspace environments.
• Experience with modern software engineering practices, methodologies, and toolchains, including agile delivery, DevSecOps, and model-based or component-based development approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to present, defend, and position technical solutions to customers and stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise, translating complex architectures into clear business and operational value.
• Proven systems engineering expertise across the full software and/or hardware development lifecycle, including architecture definition, integration, verification and validation, and experience with cloud-based architectures.

Special Position Requirements

• Schedule: Either 9/80A - 1st (9hrs Mon-Thu, 8hrs 2nd Fri, Start @ 09:00AM) (United States of America) or USA - 5/40 - 1st (8hrs Mon-Fri) (United States of America)
• Travel: US and to Europe periodically is preferred, approximately 10% travel anticipated annually

If you’re excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community!

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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.

We are an equal opportunity employer, including disability and veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at talentacquisition@us.thalesgroup.com

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The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between

Total Target Cash (TTC) 144,254.00 - 241,033.00 USD Annual

This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.

(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please reach out to your HR Shared Service, 1st Point)

Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

• Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance
• Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period
• Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off
• Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program

About Thales

In a world that is increasingly fast moving, unpredictable – and full of opportunities, trust is essential for societies to flourish. Trust in our institutions. Trust in our systems. Trust in technology. Trust in each other.

And the people we all rely on to make the world go round, they rely on Thales. They come to us with big ambitions: to make life better, to keep us safer.

From the bottom of the oceans to the depths of space and cyberspace, we help our customers navigate uncertainty with confidence and new frontiers with optimism. Thinking smarter and acting faster - mastering ever greater complexity and every decisive moment along the way.

We collaborate to architect and deliver high technology solutions that are both imaginative and resilient, human-centered and sustainable. So that together we can harness the extraordinary power of technology to build a future we can all trust.

Thales is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, age or any other characteristic protected by law. Please read Thales Equal Opportunity Policy Statement

. Please read our Pay Transparency Policy Statement

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For more information about your rights as an applicant, please review EEO is the Law

and EEO is the Law Supplement

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If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please call Human Resources at 1-844-504-7271 or email us at resourcing@us.thalesgroup.com

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