Staff Software Architect

The Role

Red 6 is seeking a Staff Software Architect (Level 4) to join our dynamic team in Louisville, CO or Santa Monica, CA. This individual contributor role is responsible for defining, implementing, and evolving software architectures across Red 6’s Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) product portfolio and future software platforms.

The Staff Software Architect works closely with Engineering leadership, Product Management, Chief Engineer(s), Systems Engineering, and Program teams to deliver scalable, secure, maintainable, and mission-ready software. The role provides hands-on architectural definition across real-time graphics, embedded software, edge computing, AI-enabled capabilities, cloud services, mission applications, simulation, and aircraft integration. This role also involves back-end code development for open mission systems, real time operating systems (RTOS), and safety critical code as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Define, document, and evolve software architectures for ATARS and future software-enabled products.
• Lead architectural designs across embedded software, real-time rendering and operations, simulation, mission systems, networking, cloud infrastructure, edge computing, AI/ML services, and user applications.
• Design for mission-critical performance requirements, including latency, determinism, scalability, cybersecurity, reliability, maintainability, and operational resiliency.
• Work with Chief Engineers and Systems Engineering to align software architecture with system architecture, technical baselines, product roadmaps, interfaces, and verification plans.
• Develop and apply modular, scalable, and reusable software architectures supporting MOSA, OMS/UCI, FACE, and other applicable defense standards.
• Implement and certify safety critical code to DO-178, AC 17-01 or other similar standards.
• Establish and promote software design standards, architectural patterns, interface and API practices, code quality expectations, and secure software development lifecycle practices.
• Contribute to modernization efforts including containerization, cloud-native services, DevSecOps, CI/CD automation, infrastructure as code, and software factory practices.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering on Digital Engineering, MBSE, requirements traceability, interface management, and verification planning.
• Support customer engagements, proposal development, and technical discussions when needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM discipline.
• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including significant expertise in software architecture or technical leadership roles.
• Software development and architecture experience in aerospace or similarly complex integrated hardware/software systems.
• Experience with embedded systems, distributed computing, cloud platforms, and real-time applications.
• Experience developing software for flight-critical, safety-critical, or mission-critical systems; familiarity with DO-178 and/or AC 17-01 is strongly preferred.
• Understanding of microservices, event-driven architectures, distributed systems, containerized applications, and edge computing.
• Experience with DevSecOps, CI/CD, automated testing, secure software development practices, and modern software delivery methods.
• Experience with embedded Linux, RTOS, networking, GPU computing, and high-performance software architectures.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Experience developing software for AR, VR, MR, or advanced visualization systems.
• Experience with real-time graphics engines, rendering pipelines, GPU programming, or computer vision.
• Experience architecting AI/ML-enabled software platforms supporting autonomy, synthetic training, or mission applications.
• Experience with OMS, FACE, MOSA, CMOSS, or similar DoD standards.
• Experience with Kubernetes, cloud-native infrastructure, hybrid cloud, and edge deployment.
• Experience implementing Digital Engineering and MBSE practices.
• Experience with RMF, Zero Trust, and DoD cybersecurity frameworks.
• Active DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Estimated Base Salary dependent on skill and experience

$150,000 to $190,000 range

Full-Time Employee Benefits

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision (100% coverage for Employees)
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick, paid holidays, and parental leave
• Short and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Voluntary Worksite Benefits (Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity)
• May be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus based on individual and company performance, subject to plan terms.

Note

Red 6 reserves the right to change its current benefits program at any time, in a manner that is consistent with applicable federal and state regulations.

• This job description is not a contract and confers no contractual rights, privileges, or benefits on any applicant or potential applicant.
• Red 6 has the right to change any and all terms of this job description, including, but not limited to, job responsibilities, qualifications, and benefits.
• Nothing in this job description constitutes an offer or guarantee of employment.

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