What are the responsibilities and job description for the System Architect position at SkyGrid?
SkyGrid, a Boeing, Avathon Company, exists to open the sky for autonomous flight. Based in Austin, Texas, SkyGrid builds ground-based, high-assurance third-party services to enable the safe operations and airspace integration of highly automated and autonomous aircraft. SkyGrid also acts as a key operational nexus for advanced air mobility, integrating and managing data, infrastructure, access, and traffic to support seamless and efficient air traffic services.
The SkyGrid team is looking for a System Architect who will be responsible for the design and ownership of a robust, hybrid, distributed, and cloud-based system architecture in collaboration with cross-functional Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), software developers, and network architecture focals. This role is responsible for conducting necessary trade studies to inform analysis and decision-making related to system design deliverables. The ideal candidate will have strong experience leading complex systems integration in mission-critical environments in multidisciplinary environments.
Performance Objectives:
- Complete the topology and trade studies associated with system architecture
- Complete the system architecture design, ensuring alignment with mission-critical requirements
- Validate the architecture against certification, system safety, scalability, and security requirements while providing support and evidence regarding the certification approach
Responsibilities:
- Perform end-to-end functional definition, decomposition, and allocation to the component-level
- Correlate functions to the System Safety process to inform the top-level system architecture and subsystem architectures
- Define functional, logical, and physical architectures
- Ensure considerations from Concept of Operations (ConOps) and Marketing Requirements are represented in the system architecture
System Architecture Design and Modeling:
- Modeling System Components: Usage of MBSE tools such as SysML (Systems Modeling Language) to represent the system's structure, behaviors, and interactions. This includes definition of subsystems, components, and interfaces
- Behavior Modeling: Creation and refinement of models that simulate system behaviors under various conditions, such as state-machines, sequence diagrams, and activity diagrams
- Interface Definition: Usage of models to define and document the interactions between subsystems, ensuring that all interfaces are clear and consistent across the design
- System Trade Studies: Evaluation of design alternatives through simulation and modeling, considering factors such as cost, performance, and risk. This allows for informed decision-making and optimization of the system architecture
Collaboration with Multi-Disciplinary Teams:
- Cross-Disciplinary Communication: Facilitate collaboration by providing a common language for various engineering disciplines (electrical, software, etc.) via MBSE. The System Architect will bridge gaps between disciplines by coordinating the development of system models that incorporate input from all engineering disciplines
- Model Reviews and Walkthroughs: The System Architect will participate in periodic design reviews using MBSE models, engaging cross-functional teams to validate assumptions, identify issues, and update the models accordingly.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related STEM degree from an accredited university or college
- 10 years of related experience, preferably in the aerospace or telecom industry
- Experience working with aerospace communication protocols
- Familiarity with electrical wiring interconnection, system integration, and interface control definition
- Familiarity with the development of control and monitoring schema
- Familiarity with the creation of dataflows according to functional decomposition
- Ability to create system description documents to provide an overview of the system and to provide rationale for architectural decision
- Understanding of the correlation between system architecture and software architecture.
- Experience with System Development process according to SAE ARP 4754B.
- Experience with System Safety process according to SAE ARP 4761A.
- Experience with Software Development process according to RTCA DO-178C.
- Experience with Electronic Hardware Development process according to RTCA DO-254.
- Strong communication skills, self-driven and capable of participating in senior leadership discussions.
- Strong presentation skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced Engineering degree (Masters) from an accredited institution
- Familiarity with aviation-related networking standards and technologies (e.g., ADS-B, radar integration, real-time systems).
Join Our Team and Enjoy Exceptional Benefits:
- Comprehensive Health Coverage from Day One: Enjoy immediate access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, including HSA and FSA options.
- Generous Retirement Contributions: Benefit from an automatic company 401k contribution program, with no match required, plus an additional company matching program to boost your retirement savings.
- Calm Annual Membership: Prioritize your mental health with complimentary access to mindfulness and meditation resources.
- Discounted ClassPass Membership: Stay active and healthy with access to thousands of fitness studios and gyms nationwide.
- Investment in Your Growth: Receive an annual stipend for learning and development to support your continuous education and skill development
- Engaging Team Activities: Participate in quarterly team-building events and celebrations organized by our dedicated culture committee.
- Fully Stocked Kitchen: Enjoy a variety of snacks and beverages to keep you fueled throughout the day.
