Aether Aerospace

Hybrid hydrogen-electric eVTOL for personal aviation

Chief Architect

Engineering LeadershipConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-time$157.1k - $217.3k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, engineering management, or a related technical discipline and 15 or more years of relevant experience.
Active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance.
Extensive experience supporting U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or other national-security programs involving complex mission systems.
Demonstrated success serving as a chief architect, lead architect, chief engineer, or senior technical authority for large, multi-team programs.
Deep knowledge of systems engineering principles and lifecycle processes, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration, verification, validation, configuration management, and technical risk management.
Experience developing and governing system, solution, platform, enterprise, or system-of-systems architectures.
Ability to connect mission and operational needs to technical architecture, program roadmaps, engineering priorities, and implementation decisions.
Experience with software-intensive systems, modern application architectures, application programming interfaces, microservices, event-driven integration, and cloud-native design patterns.
Strong understanding of software factories, Development Security Operations, continuous integration and continuous delivery, infrastructure as code, automated testing, artifact management, observability, and secure software supply chains.
Experience applying digital engineering or model-based systems engineering practices and integrating engineering tools into an authoritative digital environment.
Working knowledge of Department of Defense cybersecurity, risk management, authorization, Zero Trust, and secure cloud or classified-environment considerations.
Experience applying modular open systems approaches, interface standards, interoperability principles, and reuse strategies.
Proven ability to lead architectural trade studies, assess alternatives, resolve complex technical issues, and document defensible decisions.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain the technical vision, reference architecture, architectural principles, and modernization roadmap for assigned Air Force programs.
Translate operational mission needs, capability objectives, and program priorities into coherent system-of-systems architectures and executable technical strategies.
Lead architecture development across mission systems, enterprise services, software applications, cloud environments, networks, cybersecurity, data, interfaces, and digital engineering toolchains.
Apply disciplined systems engineering throughout the lifecycle, including requirements development, functional analysis, architecture definition, interface management, integration, verification, validation, deployment, and sustainment.
Establish and govern technical baselines, architecture decision records, engineering standards, interface specifications, and reusable design patterns.
Promote model-based systems engineering and authoritative sources of truth that connect requirements, architecture, design, analysis, test evidence, and configuration data.
Guide the adoption and integration of digital engineering capabilities, including collaborative models, digital threads, digital twins, simulation environments, and automated engineering workflows.
Provide architectural leadership for secure software factories, DevSecOps pipelines, platform services, continuous integration, continuous delivery, automated testing, and continuous authorization practices.
Ensure software-factory and platform solutions align with Air Force enterprise services, approved cloud environments, cybersecurity requirements, and program-specific mission constraints.
Champion modular open systems approaches, well-defined interfaces, interoperability, portability, reuse, and avoidance of unnecessary vendor or platform lock-in.
Evaluate current-state systems and technical debt, identify gaps and constraints, and define practical transition plans toward target architectures.
Identify cross-program architectural dependencies, integration risks, and technical issues; establish mitigation strategies and drive resolution across organizational boundaries.
Review system designs, engineering artifacts, implementation plans, test strategies, and technical deliverables for consistency with approved architecture and program objectives.

Desired Qualifications

An advanced degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, engineering management, or a related technical discipline.
Experience with Air Force acquisition programs, capability development, test and evaluation, operational transition, and sustainment.
Experience with DAF CloudWorks, Cloud One, Platform One, or comparable Department of Defense cloud and software-factory ecosystems.
Experience establishing or modernizing enterprise software factories, platform engineering capabilities, or digital engineering environments.
Familiarity with SysML, UML, DoDAF, UAF, model-based systems engineering platforms, requirements-management tools, modeling and simulation environments, or digital-thread integrations.
Knowledge of continuous authorization to operate, automated compliance evidence, policy as code, software bills of materials, and secure supply-chain practices.
Familiarity with AI-assisted development and agentic workflows, including coding agents, MCP integrations, automated tests, and documentation, with human review and configuration control.

Salary Range: 157089 to 217332.05 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

Start Date: Immediate

JHNA, CTSi, and EXPANSIA have come together to form a Defense Technology platform named Aether Aerospace focused on delivering high-impact technologies, technology-enabled services and advanced manufacturing solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense and related national security customers. Backed by Falfurrias Management Partners, the platform brings together deep domain expertise across Army, Navy, and Air Force and Space Force programs, digital engineering, systems integration, and specialized manufacturing capabilities.

The combined organization operates as a multi-entity aerospace and defense technology and tech-enabled services and manufacturing enterprise positioned for scalable growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation

OVERVIEW

Full-time/Permanent Employee

Location: Remote, preferred Boston, MA or Dayton, OH

As Chief Architect, you will provide technical leadership across complex U.S. Air Force programs, guiding the integration of systems engineering, software delivery, cloud platforms, and digital engineering capabilities. You will establish the architectural vision, principles, standards, and technical roadmaps needed to connect mission needs with executable program solutions. Working across Government, contractor, and mission-partner organizations, you will shape architectures that support capability development from concept and requirements through design, integration, test, deployment, sustainment, and modernization. You will promote disciplined systems engineering, model-based approaches, modular open systems, secure software factories, and reusable digital infrastructure while balancing mission effectiveness, affordability, schedule, cybersecurity, interoperability, and technical risk. You will serve as a senior technical authority, align diverse engineering teams, resolve cross-domain architectural issues, and communicate complex technical decisions to program leadership, customers, and stakeholders.

RESPONSIBILTIES

Define and maintain the technical vision, reference architecture, architectural principles, and modernization roadmap for assigned Air Force programs

Translate operational mission needs, capability objectives, and program priorities into coherent system-of-systems architectures and executable technical strategies

Lead architecture development across mission systems, enterprise services, software applications, cloud environments, networks, cybersecurity, data, interfaces, and digital engineering toolchains

Apply disciplined systems engineering throughout the lifecycle, including requirements development, functional analysis, architecture definition, interface management, integration, verification, validation, deployment, and sustainment

Establish and govern technical baselines, architecture decision records, engineering standards, interface specifications, and reusable design patterns

Promote model-based systems engineering and authoritative sources of truth that connect requirements, architecture, design, analysis, test evidence, and configuration data

Guide the adoption and integration of digital engineering capabilities, including collaborative models, digital threads, digital twins, simulation environments, and automated engineering workflows

Provide architectural leadership for secure software factories, DevSecOps pipelines, platform services, continuous integration, continuous delivery, automated testing, and continuous authorization practices

Ensure software-factory and platform solutions align with Air Force enterprise services, approved cloud environments, cybersecurity requirements, and program-specific mission constraints

Champion modular open systems approaches, well-defined interfaces, interoperability, portability, reuse, and avoidance of unnecessary vendor or platform lock-in

Evaluate current-state systems and technical debt, identify gaps and constraints, and define practical transition plans toward target architectures

Identify cross-program architectural dependencies, integration risks, and technical issues; establish mitigation strategies and drive resolution across organizational boundaries

Review system designs, engineering artifacts, implementation plans, test strategies, and technical deliverables for consistency with approved architecture and program objectives

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

Clearance: Active TS/SCI

Education and Years of Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, engineering management, or a related technical discipline and 15+ years of relevant experience

Extensive experience supporting U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or other national-security programs involving complex mission systems

Demonstrated success serving as a chief architect, lead architect, chief engineer, or senior technical authority for large, multi-team programs

Deep knowledge of systems engineering principles and lifecycle processes, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration, verification, validation, configuration management, and technical risk management

Experience developing and governing system, solution, platform, enterprise, or system-of-systems architectures

Ability to connect mission and operational needs to technical architecture, program roadmaps, engineering priorities, and implementation decisions

Experience with software-intensive systems, modern application architectures, APIs, microservices, event-driven integration, and cloud-native design patterns

Strong understanding of software factories, DevSecOps, CI/CD, infrastructure as code, automated testing, artifact management, observability, and secure software supply chains

Experience applying digital engineering or model-based systems engineering practices and integrating engineering tools into an authoritative digital environment

Working knowledge of Department of Defense cybersecurity, risk management, authorization, Zero Trust, and secure cloud or classified-environment considerations

Experience applying modular open systems approaches, interface standards, interoperability principles, and reuse strategies

Proven ability to lead architectural trade studies, assess alternatives, resolve complex technical issues, and document defensible decisions

PREFERRED ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Advanced degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, engineering management, or a related technical discipline

Experience with Air Force acquisition programs, capability development, test and evaluation, operational transition, and sustainment

Experience with DAF CloudWorks, Cloud One, Platform One, or comparable Department of Defense cloud and software-factory ecosystems

Experience establishing or modernizing enterprise software factories, platform engineering capabilities, or digital engineering environments

Familiarity with SysML, UML, DoDAF, UAF, MBSE platforms, requirements-management tools, modeling and simulation environments, or digital-thread integrations

Knowledge of continuous ATO, automated compliance evidence, policy as code, software bills of materials, and secure supply-chain practices

Familiarity with AI-assisted development and agentic workflows, including coding agents, MCP integrations, automated tests, and documentation, with human review and configuration control

Aether Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.

About the Company

Aether Aerospace

Hybrid hydrogen-electric eVTOL for personal aviation

Aether Aerospace is developing a personal eVTOL aircraft called Project Aether that uses a hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion system and aims to achieve FAA MOSAIC certification. The aircraft uses batteries for hovering and hydrogen fuel cells for cruise, with the cells recharging the batteries in flight, to offer more than 250 miles of range. It features a tandem tilt-wing with eight ducted fans, fly-by-wire controls, and a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute for safety. The company targets two markets: individual owners who can store the aircraft in a two-car garage for about $195,000, and flight centers that would buy fleets of 10–20 aircraft to rent to Sport Pilots, supported by hydrogen fuel, maintenance, and a booking platform, with the goal of bringing a certificated, on-demand personal air vehicle to market and scaling through fleet-based services.

Company size: 11-50
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Not listed
Founded: 2026

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