OPIR Subject Matter Expert

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in McLean, VA. Our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

About the role:

As an OPIR Subject Matter Expert, you are a go-to person for complex operational challenges within the Overhead Persistent InfraRed (OPIR) domain. Your role is pivotal in bridging engineering teams with operational end-users, ensuring competitive advantage in technical evaluations, and guiding mission-relevant application development within the TAP Lab.

The TAP Lab is building secure applications and algorithms for the Department of Defense (DoD) OPIR Battlespace Awareness Center (OBAC). This involves managing the complete Secure Software Development Life Cycle (S-SDLC) using DevSecOps principles and deploying applications to the Sensor Exploitation Ground Architecture (SEGA) environment. Your involvement encompasses hands-on collaboration with engineering teams, government customers, and operational stakeholders to deliver rapid but secure capabilities to the warfighter.

Serve as project manager for OPIR-related R&D activities and applications
Develop customer relationships with OBAC operators to ensure competitive positioning during technical evaluations
Guide engineering teams on OPIR operational relevancy and translate warfighter requirements into technical specifications
Support application maturation through S-SDLC stages from development to operational deployment

What we are looking for:

• Five plus years of relevant hands-on industry experience in OPIR systems, space-based remote sensing, or related DoD operational environments


• In-depth experience with OPIR mission systems, sensor exploitation workflows, and operational procedures within OBAC or similar environments


• Experience with government project management including R&D coordination, vendor management, and stakeholder engagement


• Working experience in software development life cycles, DevSecOps practices, and secure application deployment


• Experience with government security frameworks and competitive technical evaluations


• Experience leading Agile software development teams with proven ability to guide cross-functional teams through sprint planning, backlog management, iterative delivery, and consistent delivery of high-quality software products to meet project milestone.


• Obtain Security+ certification within the first 90 days of employment with Raft

Highly preferred:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent


• Experience with Sensor Exploitation Ground Architecture (SEGA) environments


• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and automated testing frameworks


• Experience with Space Command or Space Force operations


• Experience managing government contracts with focus on deliverable tracking, milestone management, and ensuring timely completion of all contractual obligations while maintaining compliance with federal requirements.


• Background in Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) processes, Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) and other government R&D contracting

Clearance Requirements:

• Active Secret clearance.

Work Type: 

• Onsite in Boulder, CO


• May require up to 15% travel

Salary Range:

• $140,000 - $190,000 


• The determination of compensation is predicated upon a candidate's comprehensive experience, demonstrated skill, and proven abilities

What we will offer you:

• Highly competitive salary


• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage


• 401(k) and company match


• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays


• Education & training benefits


• Generous Referral Bonuses


• And More!

Our Vision Statement: 

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession: 

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there? 

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration. 

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.