Staff Solutions Engineer with Security Clearance

Location: Sioux Falls, SD 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 (<50%) This role can also be located in Arlington, VA