SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 143,000 - 156,000 / annual
Shift5 is an observability platform for onboard operational technology (OT) serving defense, aerospace, and rail sectors. The company specializes in cybersecurity, predictive maintenance, and compliance for OT systems across critical infrastructure fleets.
You will serve as the bridge between engineering teams and U.S. Department of War (DoW) platform deployments. This is a hands-on, execution-oriented role focused on systems engineering across one or more defense acquisition programs.
Key Responsibilities:
**Platform Integration & Technical Execution:** Define and design the integration of Shift5 software and hardware into customer platforms, including data interfaces, execution environments, OS-level configuration, network topology (TCP/IP, tactical radio/RF), encryption/key management, environmental qualification (MIL-STD), SWaP, cabling, and A-kit development. Identify and manage technical risks and dependencies.
**Requirements & Technical Baseline Management:** Own and maintain system-level technical baselines across assigned programs. Oversee tracking, testing, and verification of compliance and customer requirements. Develop, decompose, and manage requirements documents (SRDs, SRSs, ICDs) and evaluate design updates for downstream program impact.
**CDRL & Technical Artifact Development:** Lead the development, review, and delivery of formal systems engineering and Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) artifacts for government acquisition programs, including V&V Plans, System Architecture/Design Documents, Configuration Management artifacts, and Technical Manuals.
**System Architecture & Design:** Lead end-to-end, cross-discipline technical execution across software, platform, cyber, data science, and integration teams. Serve as the technical authority for system-level decisions across hardware, software, network, and platform interfaces.
**Verification, Validation & Test:** Define system-level verification strategies, acceptance criteria, and testing execution. Perform system-level analyses including latency, throughput, network bandwidth allocation, platform stability, system safety, and fault tolerance (FMECA, Single-Point Failure).
**Program & Customer Engagement:** Serve as a primary technical interface with customer engineering, PMOs, and certification authorities. Lead content development for formal technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRRs) and define entry/exit criteria for milestone events.
Success in this role means seamlessly bridging engineering teams and DoW platform deployments, ensuring complex hardware, software, and network subsystems meet strict airworthiness, safety, and compliance standards. You will independently own and manage technical baselines, CDRL deliverables, and requirements traceability across fast-moving defense acquisition programs. You will serve as a trusted technical lead across software, cyber, hardware, and platform teams, translating complex operational constraints into robust, scalable architecture designs. You will build high-trust relationships with customer PMOs and engineering authorities, successfully navigating technical gates to advance platform capabilities.
The role is based in Rosslyn, VA (headquarters) but is open to remote candidates in San Diego, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; or Ogden, UT. Up to 30% travel is required to support customer site integrations and testing.
**Requirements:**
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field
- 5+ years of experience in systems, integration, or software engineering, preferably within the aerospace, defense, or high-reliability electronics sectors
- Familiarity with common government contract documentation according to DIDs (SRD, SRS, IDD, ICD, SDD, CSA, etc.)
- Strong understanding of configuration management, software/OS integration (Linux/Unix), network architectures (TCP/IP, routing, VLANs), radio/RF communications, encryption protocols, and basic hardware/cabling integration in safety-critical/airworthiness environments
- Demonstrated experience with common system verification methods (Test, Inspection, Demonstration, Analysis), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) lab environments, and software-in-the-loop setups
- Active Security Clearance required
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to coordinate across diverse engineering disciplines, project managers, and external government stakeholders
**Preferred:**
- Familiarity with industry design standards such as DO-178 and DO-254
- Familiarity with quality standards such as AS9100 and ISO 9001
