Principal Systems Architect

BlackSky

Principal Systems Architect developing software architecture for BlackSky’s satellite missions. Collaborating with teams to innovate and align technologies and system capabilities.

Posted 6/19/2026full-timeRemote • Virginia • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $190,000 - $215,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

GoKubernetesPython

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and own the productized software architecture for the ground segment for customer satellite missions and programs.
Architect, design, and manage software requirements and design for As-Is and Target architectures for systems and sub-systems within BlackSky’s Ground Segment.
Distill unified requirements and system design across disparate major customers and programs, product roadmap, and BlackSky Strategic vision.
Communicate with internal and external stakeholder and translate requirements into engineering specifications within the BlackSky architecture.
Understand the interactions between systems, applications, and services within the architecture and evaluate the impact of changes or additions including risks resource, and schedule implications.
Ensure the accuracy and completeness of BlackSky architecture documentation.
Coordinate development and execution across software development teams, systems engineering, and program and product teams to develop execution plans for system capabilities, align development teams, and ensure effective capability integration across space and ground systems and subsystems.
Work with engineering teams on elements of system design including resource requirements, interfaces and data models, enterprise integration patterns, system and sub-system capabilities, standards and best practices, etc.
Support the capture and execution of customer programs by driving alignment with a common missions ground architecture.
Act as liaison between technical and non-technical departments, facilitating cross-team collaboration and understanding on system capabilities and execution.
Organize and track projects, proactively manage risks, manage project escalations, prioritize tasks, and meet specific business objectives.
Collaborate with business managers and technical groups to address important customer issues and find innovative solutions to difficult problems
Develop models and analyze data to evaluate tradeoffs and support the decision-making process.
Other job-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

What you’ll need

A minimum of 12 years of related work experience with at least five (5) years in systems architecture or systems engineering.
Bachelor’s degree in an engineering field.
Experience architecting complex software systems.
Able to decompose complex problems into pieces and components.
Familiarity with software engineering best practices and process including agile development, enterprise design patterns, and coding standards.
Experience with Kubernetes and on-premises deployments of software systems
Experience designing Software APIs, system integrations, and Data Models.
Experience with the software engineering life cycle from product concept through operations and maintenance and toolchains used to manage this process (JIRA, Git, etc.).
Versed in Systems Engineering best practices and tools including communicating, managing, and documenting system architectures, documenting interfaces, documenting and validation of functional and non-functional requirements.
Effective communication skills to represent architectural and engineering concepts and decisions across varied stakeholders including Engineering, Sales, Customers, Product Management.
Experience developing Concepts of Operations and derived engineering requirements based on complex Customer and Mission requirements.
Basic Algorithm or Modelling experience to develop rulesets for system behavior and the productization of high-level features.
Proficient in Golang, C++, or Python.
Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a US Security Clearance (this requires US Citizenship).

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance
BlackSky pays 100% of employee-only premiums for medical, dental and vision and contributes $100/month for out-of-pocket expenses!
15 days of PTO, 11 Company holidays, four Floating Holidays (pro-rated based on hire date), one day of paid volunteerism leave per year, parental leave and more
401(k) pre-tax and Roth deferral options with employer match
Flexible Spending Accounts
Employee Stock Purchase Program
Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs
Employer matching donations
Professional development
Mac or PC? Your choice!
Awesome swag

ATS Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

systems architecturesystems engineeringsoftware architecturesoftware APIsdata modelsKubernetesGolangC++Pythonagile development

Soft Skills

effective communicationcross-team collaborationproject managementproblem-solvingstakeholder engagementrisk managementorganizational skillsrequirements analysisdecision-makingfacilitation