To help us accelerate our growth, Quantum Sky is searching for a Solutions Architect - Estimation & Commercial Strategy Specialist with strong Level of Effort (LOE) and Basis of Estimate (BOE) experience to provide technical leadership throughout the business development lifecycle. The SA – Estimation & Commercial Strategy Specialist develops compelling, compliant, and commercially viable technical solutions that optimize labor, automation, technology investments, and innovative service delivery models. Working under the direction of the Estimation Practice Lead, this individual serves as a lead practitioner for estimation, staffing strategy, BOE development, and commercial solution modeling. 

This role engages early in new business pursuits and drives solution development from capture through proposal submission. The successful candidate will help advance Quantum Sky estimation capabilities by combining deep Federal proposal experience with emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven decision making. The role develops innovative estimation methodologies and pricing strategies supporting both traditional labor-based contracts and commercially oriented delivery models—including managed services, subscription services, consumption-based pricing, and other X-as-a-Service (XaaS) offerings. 

Responsibilities 

• Lead the development, review, and coordination of BOEs, LOEs, staffing models, and supporting narratives for assigned captures. 

• Serve as the BOE Lead in accordance with the Shipley Associates proposal development framework. 

• Work closely with the Estimation Practice Lead to mature Quantum Sky estimation capabilities, improve estimation processes, standardize BOE methodologies, and capture lessons learned. 

• Identify, evaluate, and implement artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, automation, and data analytics capabilities that improve the speed, quality, consistency, and defensibility of BOE development, staffing plans, and technical estimates. 

• Develop reusable estimation assets, AI-assisted workflows, prompt libraries, knowledge repositories, and estimation playbooks that improve proposal quality and organizational efficiency. 

• Develop estimation approaches supporting labor-based, managed services, subscription-based, consumption-based, automation-enabled, and XaaS delivery models while ensuring compliance with Federal acquisition requirements. 

• Analyze solicitations (PWS, SOW, SOO, CDRLs, evaluation criteria) to derive staffing requirements, assumptions, estimating methodologies, and resource needs. 

• Apply, refine, and continuously improve advanced estimation methodologies, including parametric, bottom-up, expert judgment, and value-based estimating. 

• Develop staffing plans using historical data, organizational knowledge, AI-assisted analysis, and engineering judgment to optimize labor models while balancing technical performance, affordability, automation opportunities, and execution risk. 

• Partner closely with Pricing, Capture, Finance, Recruiting, Engineering, and SMEs to align staffing plans, BOEs, recurring service costs, automation assumptions, subscription models, consumption forecasts, and cost models. 
• Document solutions, develop CONOPS, support proposal volume development, technical reviews, presentations, and price-to-win activities. 

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Mathematics, Operations Research, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience will be considered. 

• 3+ years in a Solutions Architect or comparable technical leadership role supporting Federal proposals. 

• Demonstrated success leading estimation and staffing development for complex Federal IT opportunities. 

• Leadership experience (Systems Engineering Manager, Team Lead, Scrum Master, Program Manager, Project Manager, etc.) developing staffing plans for Federal IT contracts. 

• Experience leading the development of BOEs during capture and proposal efforts using the Shipley Associates framework or a comparable structured proposal development methodology. 

• Demonstrated ability to influence technical, capture, pricing, and executive stakeholders without direct authority. 

• Demonstrated interest in applying AI, large language models, automation, data analytics, or knowledge management to improve proposal development, estimation, or engineering operations. 

• Experience developing estimates for labor-based and commercially oriented delivery models, including managed services, subscription services, consumption-based pricing, and XaaS. 

• Strong understanding of Federal/DoD programs with excellent analytical and communication skills. 

• Ability to translate technical solutions into executable staffing models. 
• Experience with estimation tools and analytical models (e.g., SEER-IT, SEER-SYS, Erlang Calculator, RSMeans, Excel-based models).

Desired:

• 5+ years of Federal capture, business development, proposal, or solution development experience. 

• Experience applying generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), workflow automation, machine learning, or digital engineering techniques to proposal development, technical solutioning, cost estimation, or knowledge management. 

• Experience designing or pricing managed services, cloud services, digital modernization, or platform-based delivery models leveraging automation and AI. 

• Certification in Cost Estimation (CCEA, PCEA, or equivalent). 

• Subject matter expertise in one or more technical domains. 

• Experience building staffing plans, BOEs, LOEs, and narratives for FEDSIM proposals. 

• Active SECRET clearance or ability to obtain one. 

Compensation:

• Compensation is unique to each candidate and relative to the skills and experience they bring to the position. This does not guarantee a specific salary as compensation is based upon multiple factors such as education, experience, certifications, and other requirements, and may fall outside of the above-stated range.

Benefits: