Senior Software Architect (Technical Lead)

Target Effect Pairing (TEP) is a capability for USPACOM Joint Fires, built on the Maven Smart System, that gives commanders AI recommendations they can trace, explain, and audit, while every inherently governmental decision stays with a human. Part of the team building it sits in Honolulu, near the users at USPACOM. Whether the software fits how targeteers actually work gets decided there as much as anywhere.

You lead engineering for the Honolulu team. The program's Lead Software Architect, based in the National Capital Region, owns the overall architecture and has final technical authority. You turn that architecture into working software in Honolulu: you make the design calls within it, review code, and keep the Honolulu engineers, the Senior UX Designer, and the Product Manager/Fires SMEs building one product with the team in the National Capital Region.

This is a hands-on lead role. The work spans two locations, some integration work waits on government decisions, and everything happens in secure facilities.

What Success Looks Like

Objective 1: In the first 90 days, get the Honolulu team shipping against the program architecture

• Honolulu engineers build to the same interfaces, data models, and standards as the National Capital Region team, with no local variant.
• Design decisions made in Honolulu are written down, and the Lead Software Architect rarely has to revisit them.
• Code from both locations integrates without a cleanup sprint.

Objective 2: Turn what USPACOM users say into technical decisions quickly

• Feedback from operators reaches the backlog with a technical approach and an estimate attached.
• UX designs get built as designed, or the tradeoff is agreed with the designer before code is written.
• Questions about operational intent go to the Fires SMEs early, so they don't show up later as defects.

Objective 3: Deliver software that holds up in the government's environment

• Releases from the Honolulu team deploy in the secure environment without late rework.
• Every recommendation the software produces can be traced to its inputs and logic, so an audit doesn't require new work.
• Recompute is fast enough that operators can change an input and see the updated recommendation inside their own workflow.

Objective 4: By the end of year one, raise the engineering standard of the Honolulu team

• Code review catches problems before integration, and defects found in government testing decline over time.
• Honolulu engineers make sound design decisions without escalating each one.
• Engineers you helped hire and onboard are productive within their first month.

What You Bring

Minimum Qualifications

• Proven ability to drive progress and create clarity in fast moving, ambiguous environments. Ability to maintain required TS/SCI access.

Preferred Skills

• You have led an engineering team building distributed, event-driven, or microservice systems, and stayed hands-on while doing it.
• You have worked inside an architecture someone else owns and improved it through interface control documents, API contracts, or shared data models.
• You have built software where outputs had to be explainable and auditable, such as decision support or agent orchestration.
• You have delivered software into secure or classified DoW environments.
• You have led engineers alongside designers and domain experts and turned their input into technical decisions.
• Experience with Maven Smart System, USPACOM, or Joint Fires is a plus.
• Technology: Go, Java, or Python; React and TypeScript; message-driven architecture; MCP and API design.

WORKING CONDITIONS

All work takes place in secure facilities. This position is based in Honolulu with the USPACOM-based development team.

Conditions

Work is primarily performed in professional office, Government, and technical development environments. This position requires regular on-site collaboration in the San Diego area, including work with Government and development stakeholders at or in support of NIWC-Pacific. Periodic travel may be required to support operational stakeholders and other mission activities. Work may occur in secure facilities with restrictions on personal electronic devices and remote connectivity.

Strength Demands

Sedentary to light physical demands associated with professional office and technical work environments. Occasional movement or transport of laptops, documents, and other standard work materials may be required.

Physical Requirements

Regular use of computers and standard office equipment; ability to participate in meetings, technical working sessions, and collaborative development activities for extended periods; ability to communicate effectively in person and through approved electronic means; and ability to travel as required.