Senior Director Architecture

iDirect Government LLC.
Herndon, VA
11 Apr 2024

Vacancy expired!

Overview

Direct Government is a leading ground systems provider to the military satellite industry. We offer platforms connecting a variety of satellite constellations with an array of hub and remote terminal products. Terminals are installed on aircraft, maritime vessels, and other ground-based military and government assets. These terminals provide internet and voice connectivity to remote and austere locations where traditional ground and cellular based infrastructure is unavailable. This position is based in Herndon, VA. We are looking for a talented candidate for the position of Senior Director of Architecture, with experience in satellite ground systems and related networking infrastructure. The candidate should have extensive experience with satellite communications concepts, complex system management, and networking protocols and standards. Prior experience with VSAT waveforms is not required, but is highly desirable. The Senior Director of Architecture will be the technical leader of the System Architecture team that is responsible for developing key technologies and platforms that are the basis for future hardware and software products for the company. This is a highly technical position that requires deep theoretical understanding along with the ability to reduce theory to practice in the form of architectural and/or high level design documents that an engineering team can use to implement functional systems. The candidate is expected to be a subject matter expert in their field and to be a guiding force in the engineering organization. In addition to strategic vision, this role is also expected to be responsible for ensuring that all final engineering products meet the quality and robustness that sets iDirect Government apart from the competition. Attention to every detail and a deep understanding of the products and customers is required. The candidate must also demonstrate a working knowledge of hardware, FPGA, and software design and be able to converse knowledgably with engineers from all disciplines.

Responsibilities

  • Contributing to architectural vision and customer-driven objectives on adoption of next generation terrestrial, cellular, wireless, and satellite waveforms/propagation and their interactions, including for example DVB-S2X
  • Performing systems engineering and architecture development using new and emerging technologies
  • Reviewing engineering implementations and final test of products and features
  • Authoring detailed internal engineering documentation, including bit level and message level protocol descriptions
  • Leading the design for further advances in adaptive TDMA, SCPC, DAMA, Interference Mitigation, and Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum waveforms, including modeling and design of the control loops and algorithms for real time embedded system implementation
  • Participating with standards bodies to ensure proposed standards affecting iDirect are technically sound and aligned with the company's interests
  • Partnering with customers, business development partners, and the executive management team on innovative advancements to our product line
  • Winning customer confidence through integrity, thought leadership, technical communication, problem solving, capability demonstrations and requirements negotiations
  • Writing internal and external facing documents about iDirect technology
  • Facilitating collaboration with the platform team and other engineering functions on system design issues
  • Maintaining a high level of awareness of competitive developments, technology trends, and of complimentary third party technologies

Qualifications

  • Demonstrated ability to learn/innovate in the field of software defined radio (SDR) links
  • Digital signal processing and FPGA firmware technology knowledge
  • Architecting solutions for complex systems employing both high power computing platforms as well as embedded hardware platforms
  • Experience with Matlab/Simulink with DSP-Builder or equivalent for development of modules ready for FPGA implementations
  • Experience with provider level networking systems (cellular, telecom, satellite, etc.)
  • Networking protocols (TCP/IP, UDP, Ethernet, DHCP, VoIP, ARP, QinQ, etc.)
  • Ability to synthesize waveforms in HW - Arbitrary Waveform, satellite and channel model creation in VSG
  • Ability to plan/perform RF link budget analyses, cascade analyses, functional decomposition, studies/trade-offs in support of subsystem specification and hardware, firmware and software design recommendations
  • Comfort working closely with senior engineering specialties and mentoring junior technical contributors on simultaneous top-down/bottom-up design and configuration for RF and microwave communication and monitoring systems
  • Ability to lead technical discussions for new features, drive consensus, and capture the results in writing in the form of designs, models, and requirements
  • Experience in architecting or designing and testing systems/fixtures in a multi-disciplinary environment including developing and writing software for test and integration, e.g. C/C/C#, LabView, Python, etc
  • Experience managing the delivery of the project; ensuring that the solution is delivered on schedule, within budget, and with the quality required
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills on technical matters

Additional experience in the following areas is a plus
  • Familiarity with Networking, TCP/IP, UDP, SIP/RTP, DNS, DHCP, cloud technologies
  • Knowledge of network diagnostics tools such as Wireshark and tcpdump
  • Experience with verification methodologies and coverage tools
  • Experience with design and development of test structures using System Verilog
  • Experience with C/C, SystemC, bash, PERL, LabView/Windows,. NET, Python programming
  • Knowledge of database design and configuration such as Microsoft SQL
  • Experience with automating, and scripting deployments in virtualized environments (VMware and KVM), cloud (AWS, Openstack, Azure, Google), and physical servers
  • Understanding and prior support of message queues like Zero/RabbitMQ
  • Experience with JTAG, digital/analog functional and RF parametric test development
  • Experience in an Agile/Scrum environment
  • Satellite Communication experience
  • Familiarity with Orbital Mechanics simulators

Education
  • BS/MS/PhD in Computer or Electrical Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or related field

Required Experience
  • 7+ years of System Architecture experience
  • 15+ years of related SW and/or HW development experience
  • Experience authoring technical documents and white papers

Travel
  • 0-10%

Clearance
  • Active DoD clearance or ability to obtain a DoD clearance
iDirect Government is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or protected veteran status.