Reconnaissance Jobs (NOW HIRING)

WE ARE THE NRO

For sixty years, the NRO has developed, acquired, launched and operated the satellites that are the foundation for America’s advantage and strength in space. Using a diversified architecture of spacecraft, NRO collects and delivers the best space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance content on the planet.

Learn more at NRO.gov.

Basic Eligibility For A Position With The NRO

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic drug testing
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic polygraph examinations

Where You Will Work

The System Engineering Directorate (SED) Office of Chief Architect (OCA) is in search of a sharp, critically thinking problem solver to serve as an Enterprise Architect in support NRO Architecture development, baselining, and advancement.

OCA advances the NRO Enterprise by defining, assessing, and delivering the future NRO Enterprise Architecture, shaping investment decisions, and enabling enterprise decision-making. It does so by formulating strategic architecture imperatives for the NRO, developing end-to-end architecture capability at all layers of the Enterprise (space, ground, application, data, facility, infrastructure, etc.), executing long-term strategic planning, driving NRO architecture investments to advance the mission and address strategic challenges. OCA represents the NRO on Intelligence Community and DoW major architecture initiatives and significant shared programs and advises NRO senior leadership on NRO Enterprise Architecture advancement to ensure NRO maintains strategic advantages in today’s rapidly changing national security environment.

As an Enterprise Architect in SED/OCA, you will help develop and manage the enterprise architecture through Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to support engineering analysis, data-driven decision-making, and developing planning guidance to drive investment priorities and assess the impacts of budgetary decisions.

This is your chance to be part of a team tackling some of the most significant challenges faced by our nation's leaders. You'll have the opportunity to apply your skills to meaningful work with far-reaching impact.

This position is non-supervisory; however, the individual will lead cross-functional teams of government and contractor personnel.

The NRO Cadre is collecting resumes for consideration against current and future opportunities for senior level (GG-13), Enterprise Architects, occupational series 0801. For more information on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) occupational series, click here.

Your resume may be considered for other positions which your skills and experience may be a good match.

This is a full-time position that is open from August 20, 2026 through September 11, 2026. Resumes must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on September 11, 2026.

Who May Apply

• This position is open to the public.
• Federal government employees MUST currently be at the grade level or higher as indicated in this announcement. This is NOT a promotion opportunity for current Federal government employees. If selected for the position, Federal government employees will transition laterally at their current grade level and step.
• Federal applicants who exceed the advertised grade may voluntarily request acceptance at the lower grade per IAW DoWI 1400.25 Volume 2006.
• The NRO is only accepting external applicants for this job announcement. Current NRO Cadre employees should apply internally.
• This position may not qualify for the appointment of a reemployed federal annuitant IAW DoWI 1400.25 Volume 300.

What You Will Be Doing

• Serves as an engineer and architect for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Systems Engineering Directorate (SED) formulating and providing technical and professional assessments on capabilities and Intelligence Community mission needs and/or issues affecting the NRO.
• Leads end-to-end overhead reconnaissance architecture development (space, ground, data, infrastructure, etc.)
• Designs and publishes system-of-systems architectures — Builds, baselines, and continuously updates enterprise architectures and detailed architecture artifacts
• Turns authoritative data into actionable architecture — Ingests, reformats, validates, and publishes “As-Is” and “To-Be” architecture products, ensuring the enterprise always has an accurate, trusted picture of its systems.
• Conducts architectural trade studies, evaluates technical feasibility, and validates that proposed designs can achieve mission objectives.
• Defines and maintains accurate, complete, and accessible architecture documentation, including Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), system diagrams, and interface definitions
• Shapes enterprise architecture governance — Help develop, maintain, and execute the architecture governance framework that guides how mission-critical systems evolve across the enterprise.
• Serves as the go‑to architecture expert —advises senior leaders, delivers data-driven recommendations, and helps translate strategic objectives into sound architectural decisions.
• Prepares and briefs senior management through project development cycles

What You Need

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or comparable technical discipline.

• Experience in systems engineering, model-based systems engineering, and/or digital engineering
• Experience defining system-level requirements and interfaces across complex, multi-domain architectures.
• Experience developing and documenting CONOPS and system architectures for space missions.
• Expertise in space system architectures, including satellite platforms, communications payloads, ground stations, and networked systems.

Desired:

• Understanding of government acquisition processes
• Demonstrated interpersonal, organizational, and project management skills to conceptualize and effectively lead complex projects
• Knowledge of DoW and Intelligence Community (IC) organizations, relationships, missions, relevant policies, and processes
• Proven ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and operate effectively in resource-constrained environments.

Qualifying experience may have been acquired in any public or private sector job, but will clearly demonstrate past experience in the application of the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilitiesnecessary to successfully perform and is typically in or directly related to theduties of the position as described above. Experience must be reflected in your resume.

Applicants submitting a resume that exceeds the two-page limit per OPM Memorandum, “Merit Hiring Plan,” dated May 29, 2025, https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/latest-memos/merit-hiring-plan.pdf will not be eligible for consideration. For more information regarding resume writing, see “Guidance for Applicants on 2-Page Resume” and visit the Resume Help Center.

Other Information

• Overtime Statement: MAY be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Travel Statement: MAY be required to travel in military or commercial aircraft to perform temporary duty assignments.
• Financial Disclosure: MAY be required to file an OGE Form 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, upon appointment and will be required to file annually.
• Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) coded positions:If selected for a DAWIA coded position, the incumbent must meet appropriate certification requirements IAW the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) no later than 24 months after accepting this position. Individual shall maintain, at a minimum 80 continuous Learning Points every 24 months via the services acquisition management system. DAWIA requirements may be located at the Defense Acquisition University website.
• Geographic Mobility Agreement: MAY be subject to directed reassignment as required to address mission effectiveness, and/or career development.
• Information Assurance (IA): Must achieve the appropriate IA certification within six months of assignment.
• Emergency Essential: Certain positions MAY be deemed emergency essential and incumbents must be willing to meet all position requirements.

Location

Chantilly, VA 20151

Telework is not available and you must be able to work at the specified location(s).

Salary

This position meets the qualifications for Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) Targeted Local Market Supplement (TLMS) STEM pay for NRO Cadre employees and candidates as authorized by the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security’s (OUSD(I&S)). Cadre employees and candidates are eligible to receive STEM pay if they are currently serving in a STEM designated position. Should a Cadre employee or candidate earning STEM pay change positions within the organization, they must be assigned to another STEM qualifying position in order to continue to remain eligible for STEM pay. Otherwise, Cadre employees and Candidates Generally would be transitioned to the DCIPS GG Pay Scale. For more information on STEM pay, visit https://dcips.defense.gov/Human-Resources/Compensation/

2026 salary range for the Washington, DC area: GG-13$121,785 – $158,322.

This position is a DCIPS position. The NRO is accepting applications from U.S. Citizens and current federal government employees for this position. To qualify for the position, federal government employees MUST currently be at the GG – 13 grade level and may ONLY apply for a lateral reassignment at their current grade level and step. Federal applicants who exceed the advertised grade may voluntarily request acceptance at the lower grade per IAW DoWI 1400.25 Volume 2006.

Hiring Incentives

The NRO may offer hiring incentives and other entitlements at management’s discretion.

Trial Period

All new DCIPS employees will be required to serve a 2-year trial period.

Veterans’ Preference

DoW Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans’ Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoW Instruction 1400.25, Vol 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans’ preference, as defined by section 2108 of Title 5 USC, you must submit documents verifying your eligibility upon request.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non‑merit factor.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:

• An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case‑by‑case basis. Please send your request to Hiring@nro.mil.

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