Distributed Systems Architect / Systems Engineering Lead (ES)
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 18, 2026. First seen by Alion on Jul 31, 2026. The University of Texas at Austin scores B on the Alion truth index.
Job Posting Title:
Distributed Systems Architect / Systems Engineering Lead (ES)----
Hiring Department:
Applied Research Laboratories----
Position Open To:
All Applicants----
Weekly Scheduled Hours:
40----
FLSA Status:
Exempt from FLSA----
Earliest Start Date:
Immediately----
Position Duration:
Expected to Continue----
Location:
PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS----
Job Details:
Purpose
The Space and Geophysics Laboratory (SGL) delivers capabilities to government customers for various applications, from real-time data-intensive network operations spanning geographically distributed sites to standalone remote field systems.
We are seeking a distributed systems architect to lead the design of mission-critical systems that span multiple nodes, sites, and networks. They will serve as a technical leader within the laboratory in the areas of distributed systems architecture, fault tolerance, scalability, and design.
As a key member of a team of engineers, you will be responsible for eliciting systems scope from stakeholders, guiding the development of requirements, translating requirements into systems designs, guiding the decomposition of those systems into components of actionable units of work, and advising all stakeholders throughout the life-cycle, from systems definition to implementation.
Responsibilities
Elicit system scope and requirements from stakeholders for use in systems designs
Lead the development and evaluation of the distributed systems architecture and design, including scope, requirements, components, interactions, and interfaces
Communication of work process, products, and results, including documentation, written reports, and briefs presented to stake-holders
Participate in Agile process, backlog management, and project decomposition into components and actionable units of work
Coordinate with and provide support to stakeholders throughout the life-cycle of the systems definition, design, implementation, integration, and deployment;
Perform engineering estimates, guide project schedules, and identify dependencies
Conduct engineering evaluations, such as trade studies, reliability analysis, functional analysis, risk analysis assessments
Mentoring of junior engineering staff, technicians and students
Other related functions as assigned.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree, in science, applied science, or engineering
Three years of relevant professional work experience, including architecting and/or design of distributed, large-scale networked, real-time, or high-availability systems
Demonstrated experience designing systems for fault tolerance, high availability, and horizontal scalability across multiple nodes or sites
Experience with distributed systems concepts including consensus, replication, partitioning, messaging, and eventual/strong consistency models
Experience in designing/maintaining formal APIs and Interface Specifications
Demonstrated ability to design, develop, evaluate, and support the development of large and complex systems.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to communicate technical detail to staff and stakeholders of varying backgrounds and experiences.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively, both independently and collaboratively, with a strong commitment to contribution and enabling the entire team.
Demonstrated ability to make architectural decisions balancing performance, reliability, and operational complexity
US Citizen. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to the project requirements of the position.
Preferred Qualifications
Post-graduate degree in systems engineering, engineering management, engineering mechanics, operations research, industrial engineering, or related field;
Twelve or more years of relevant professional work experience, including eight years or more years in the architecting and/or design of distributed, large-scale networked, real-time, or high-availability systems
Immediate or previous eligibility to classified information.
Experience with containerization and orchestration (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes), infrastructure as code, and cloud platforms (e.g. AWS)
Experience with streaming/messaging systems (e.g. Pulsar), real-time data streams, and TCP/IP networking at scale;
Work experience specific to GNSS observation and navigation data;
Demonstrated experience participating in an Agile project management using Jira or similar Agile management tools;
Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and techniques (experience with Structurizr is a plus);
Demonstrated experience in software development using C++/Python;
Cumulative GPA of 3.0
General Notes
An agency designated by the federal government handles the investigation as to the requirement for eligibility for access to classified information. Factors considered during this investigation include but are not limited to allegiance to the United States, foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations, drug involvement, the likelihood of continuation of such conduct, etc.
Please mark "yes" on the application question that asks if additional materials are required. Failure to attach all additional materials listed below may result in a delay in application processing.
Visit our website (www.arlut.utexas.edu) for additional information about Applied Research Laboratories.
UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:
· 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
· Retirement contributions
· Paid vacation and sick time
· Paid holidays
Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered.
Salary Range
$104,000-$174,000+/negotiable depending on qualifications
Working Conditions
Standard office conditions
Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
Use of manual dexterity
Some weekend, evening and holiday work
Possible interstate/intrastate travel
Required Materials
Resume/CV
3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
Letter of interest
Unofficial college transcripts
Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL RequiredMaterials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.
Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presentedto upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.
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Employment Eligibility:
Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.----
Retirement Plan Eligibility:
The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.----
Background Checks:
A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.
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Equal Opportunity Employer:
The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
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Pay Transparency:
The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.
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Employment Eligibility Verification:
If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.
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E-Verify:
The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:
- E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
- Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
- Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
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Compliance:
Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.
The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.