Senior Technical Lead — R&D Mission Systems

Responsibilities

• Lead mission-focused R&D efforts, demos, and customer-facing technical engagements
• Translate mission workflows, user feedback, and early requirements into clear technical direction
• Guide architecture, system design, technical tradeoffs, and prototype planning
• Partner with R&D engineers to move ideas from concept to working software or demonstrable capability
• Support prototypes involving mission systems, AI/data workflows, analytics, automation, APIs, or data pipelines
• Explain system behavior, constraints, risks, and tradeoffs to technical and non-technical audiences

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship required
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
• Experience leading or contributing to software, data, AI/ML, or mission systems
• Strong technical credibility with modern software engineering, system design, or cloud environments
• Ability to gather and translate customer needs into technical requirements
• Willingness to travel approximately 15% for R&D events and demos

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance or higher
• Background supporting DoD, Air Force, Space Force, or national security programs
• Hands-on experience with Python, APIs, backend services, or data workflows
• Familiarity with cloud platforms, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, or CI/CD
• Experience building prototypes, technical demos, or field events

Benefits

• Company-supported certifications
• 401(k) with 100% match up to 6%
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage
• Generous PTO and paid holidays
• Home-office equipment plan and remote work support
• Fitness and wellness reimbursement

About the Company

Rackner is a software consultancy focused on building mission-critical systems for the U.S. government, working across cloud platforms, DevSecOps, AI/ML, and distributed systems.