Solution Architect- Navy Controls

Siemens Government Technologies (SGT) is a dynamic and rapidly growing organization, and we are seeking a self-driven, technically accomplished Solutions Architect to join our Navy Controls team.

As a Solutions Architect for Navy Control Systems, you will serve as a technical leader responsible for both control-system architecture and hands-on PLC engineering. You will develop, integrate, troubleshoot, and sustain industrial control solutions supporting U.S. Navy platforms and related test environments. This role requires strong technical judgment, customer-facing communication, systems thinking, and practical experience working across multiple PLC platforms.

You will work closely with Program and Project Managers, Systems and Software Engineers, Electrical Designers, Test Engineers, subcontractors, shipboard personnel, and government customers to ensure that technical solutions are safe, supportable, testable, and aligned with contractual requirements, program baselines, cost, and schedule.

Responsibilities

•Lead the architecture, design, integration, and technical implementation of PLC-based Navy control systems and associated test-stand environments.

•Perform hands-on PLC programming, configuration, troubleshooting, and modification across multiple industrial automation platforms.

•Translate customer, system, interface, cybersecurity, and operational requirements into control-system architectures, functional designs, software requirements, and implementation plans.

•Develop and maintain functional block diagrams, I/O definitions, network architectures, interface control information, and supporting design documentation.

•Evaluate existing and legacy control systems, identify technical risks and obsolescence concerns, and recommend modernization, migration, or sustainment strategies.

•Integrate PLCs with HMIs, remote I/O, instrumentation, motor-control equipment, industrial networks, supervisory systems, and shipboard interfaces.

•Lead or support technical reviews, including System Functional Review, Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, Test Readiness Review, Production Readiness Review, and related customer reviews.

•Plan and support development testing, hardware/software integration, factory acceptance testing, environmental qualification testing, shipboard installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting.

•Make and defend technical recommendations that balance performance, reliability, cybersecurity, maintainability, lifecycle support, cost, and schedule.

•Support project management activities by identifying technical dependencies, estimating engineering effort, managing technical scope, and communicating risks, issues, and recovery actions.

•Interface directly with U.S. Navy customers and internal stakeholders to communicate technical status, resolve issues, and maintain alignment on requirements and acceptance criteria. Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers, designers, integrators, and subcontractor personnel supporting the controls team.

•Develop and maintain system requirements, design descriptions, deployment plans, configuration baselines, test procedures, test reports, recommended hardware, and other contract deliverables.

•Support proposal development, basis-of-estimate inputs, make/buy decisions, subcontractor technical evaluations, and planning for future Navy controls opportunities.

Required Qualifications

•Bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science (or equivalent experience).

•Minimum 5 years of industrial automation/control-system experience including design, integration, programming, and testing.

•Proven technical leadership, with ability to guide multidisciplinary engineering teams.

•3 years Customer-facing engineering experience, ideally supporting DoD, U.S. Navy, maritime, or other mission critical systems.

•Strong PLC and industrial controls expertise (I/O, instrumentation, HMIs, control panels, and communications).

•Advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills across integrated hardware/software systems.

•Hands-on PLC development experience using IEC 61131 3 languages (ladder, FBD, structured text).

•Solid understanding of systems engineering and software-development lifecycles, requirements, and configuration control.

•Excellent communication skills, able to convey complex technical topics to diverse technical and non technical stakeholders.

•Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, travel as needed, and deliver results in regulated, mission critical environments.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Education, and Experience

•CompTIA Security+ (or equivalent DoD cybersecurity certification), or willingness to obtain after hire. 

•Experience with Siemens industrial automation platforms such as SIMATIC S7 300/400/1200/1500, TIA Portal, STEP 7, and WinCC. 

•Experience with Rockwell/Allen Bradley platforms, including ControlLogix, CompactLogix, Studio 5000, and FactoryTalk. 

•Experience leading technical reviews, troubleshooting activities, test events, and customer technical discussions. 

•Ability to present and defend architecture options, trade studies, modernization approaches, and technical risk reduction strategies.