Chief Engineer - Senior Systems Engineer at BLACKROCK STRATEGY INC – Washington, District of Columbia

Chief Engineer - Senior Systems Engineer (AI/MBSE)

Blackrock Strategy, Inc. | Washington, DC (Preferred) | Full-Time | TS w/ SCI Eligibility

ABOUT BLACKROCK STRATEGY, INC.

Blackrock Strategy, Inc. (BrS) is a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) delivering tailored solutions to government and commercial clients. Our expertise spans the Department of War (DoW), U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), private equity, high-net-worth individuals, and business leaders.

Our mission is to optimize resources, reduce risk, and protect our clients' interests through expert assessments and proactive strategies. We deliver solutions that enhance safety, resilience, and mission effectiveness in complex environments.

At Blackrock Strategy, Inc., we invest in our people. You will work on meaningful, high-impact problems alongside a team that values critical thinking, collaboration, and ownership.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Most AI roles focus on building models.
This one defines how AI actually gets deployed into mission systems.

Blackrock Strategy, Inc. is seeking a Chief Engineer–level/ Senior Systems Engineer to lead the design, integration, and alignment of AI-enabled capabilities across a complex, multi-organization environment.

You will interface directly with leading research and engineering organizations, including MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, as well as government leadership and mission partners.

This role sits at the intersection of AI-driven software development and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), where architecture decisions, system behaviors, and integration strategies must align across organizations and directly impact mission outcomes.

This position is ideal for someone already operating at a high level who is ready to step into true technical authority.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• AI capabilities are successfully integrated into real mission systems—not just prototypes or isolated efforts
• Technical direction is clear, aligned, and adopted across government, research, and engineering stakeholders
• Architecture decisions scale beyond a single program and support system-of-systems mission objectives
• Stakeholders operate with shared understanding, reducing friction and accelerating execution
• Risks and integration challenges are identified early and addressed before impacting delivery
• Leadership has clear, actionable insight into system performance, tradeoffs, and technical decisions
• Requirements, interfaces, and system behaviors are well-defined, traceable, and executable
• Cross-organizational collaboration is productive, coordinated, and focused on mission outcomes

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead system architecture for AI/ML-enabled mission systems, ensuring solutions are scalable, integrated, and aligned to mission objectives
• Establish and drive technical direction across a complex, multi-organization environment, aligning government, research, and engineering stakeholders
• Define, decompose, and manage system requirements using MBSE methodologies, ensuring traceability from concept through implementation
• Develop and evolve system models (SysML, Cameo, MagicDraw, or similar) to represent architecture, interfaces, and system behavior
• Define system interfaces, data flows, and integration strategies across system-of-systems environments
• Identify and mitigate technical risks early, shaping architecture decisions to prevent downstream integration challenges
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable guidance for senior leadership and mission partners
• Coordinate across external research and engineering organizations, including partners such as MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
• Support verification, validation, and rapid prototyping efforts, ensuring systems perform as intended in real-world environments
• Ensure alignment across system-of-systems architecture, maintaining cohesion between technical execution and mission objectives

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in systems engineering within DoW, Intelligence Community, or advanced R&D environments
• Background working with or integrating AI/ML-enabled systems or AI-driven software capabilities
• Hands-on experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), including tools such as SysML, Cameo, MagicDraw, or similar
• Ability to operate across multiple organizations and stakeholders, aligning technical direction in complex environments
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insight for senior leadership
• Experience defining and managing system requirements, interfaces, and integration strategies
• Active TS clearance with SCI eligibility

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience supporting advanced research and engineering (R&E) or emerging technology initiatives
• Familiarity with autonomous systems, decision support systems, or advanced analytics platforms
• Experience with system-of-systems architecture and integration
• Prior collaboration with organizations such as MIT Lincoln Laboratory or Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
• Experience with requirements management tools such as DOORS or similar

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Based in government and SETA support environments, with Washington, DC preferred
• Operates in a high-visibility, fast-paced R&D environment
• Requires frequent interaction with government leadership, research organizations, and engineering teams
• Limited remote support may be considered

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively in English, both verbally and in writing, across technical and non-technical audiences.
Ability to develop and deliver executive-level briefings, technical reports, and architectural summaries for senior government leadership, research organizations, and mission partners.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to analyze complex, system-of-systems environments and evaluate technical tradeoffs across multiple domains to inform architectural decisions.

Capable of synthesizing input from diverse stakeholders and organizations into clear, actionable direction while identifying risks, integration challenges, and mission impacts.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Blackrock Strategy, Inc. is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a workplace free from discrimination. We recruit, hire, and advance qualified individuals based on merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We also take affirmative action to employ and advance veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact our Human Resources department at (256) 429-3608.

BENEFITS

401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Employee assistance program
Flexible schedule
Flexible spending account
Health insurance
Health savings account
Life insurance
Paid time off
Parental leave
Professional development assistance
Referral program
Tuition reimbursement
Vision insurance