Staff Solutions Engineer with Security Clearance

This role can also be located in Arlington, VA As our Staff Solutions Engineer , you will be the technical bridge between our stratospheric balloon technology and the real-world challenges of our customers. You'll sit at the intersection of high-altitude hardware, data delivery, and market strategy. The Role This is not a "behind-the-desk" engineering role. You are a problem-solver who thrives on customer interaction. You will work directly with partners in defense, telecommunications, and environmental monitoring to translate their "what ifs" into "here's how." You'll also be a key voice in our commercial strategy-helping us figure out not just how the tech works, but how we position it to win in a competitive global market. What You'll Do • Architect Solutions: Partner with customers to deeply understand their pain points and design mission profiles using our stratospheric platforms, payloads, and partner technology. • Bridge the Gap: Translate complex technical requirements from the field into actionable insights for our internal Product and R&D teams. • Strategic Positioning: Analyze the competitive landscape to help refine our value proposition. You'll identify where our tech beats the competition and help us lean into those markets. • Technical Sales Support: Lead technical demonstrations and pilot programs, proving the ROI of "near-space" solutions. • Mission Design: Oversee the technical feasibility of payload integrations, ensuring customer sensors and tech are optimized for the stratospheric environment. What We are Looking For • Technically Fluent: You have an engineering background (Aerospace, EE, Systems, or similar) and can speak confidently about link budgets, payload integration, and atmospheric conditions. • Customer-Focused: You enjoy the "discovery" phase-asking the right questions to uncover what a client actually needs versus what they think they want. • Strategic Thinker: You don't just build; you look at the market. You understand pricing, competitive models, and how to pitch technology as a business solution. • The "Plus" Factor (Preferred): You have experience in Commercial Imagery/Remote Sensing. If you've sold or integrated SAR, EO/IR, or hyperspectral data, you'll hit the ground running. Education and Experience • Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or related field preferred • The best candidates will have a strong background in commercial data sales, and not just from the technical side - from the market and strategy side • 10+ years job experience preferred, with 4+ years as a technical or business leader • MBA, PMP, Systems certifications a plus • Travel: Some travel expected ( This role can also be located in Arlington, VA