Air Defense/AAW Senior Systems Engineer

Rippling, Inc.; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive PTO

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance

401(k) matching

Tuition Reimbursement

Certifications paid

Job summary

Decision Technologies, Inc. seeks an experienced Air Defense/AAW Senior Systems Engineer to serve as the principal technical director within a major U.S. Navy weapon system program office in Arlington, VA.

This 100% in-office role requires leading technical direction, architecture roadmapping, and integration across ship defense systems, with interaction at executive levels and a focus on threat-informed modernization.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in STEM or equivalent demonstrated Navy surface weapon systems experience.
• 10 years of systems engineering with Navy surface weapon systems or related combat systems.
• Active DoD SECRET clearance required; Top Secret eligible preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead top-level engineering analysis, architectural roadmapping, and program alignment across the Navy IWS 11 portfolio.
• Coordinate with Government Technical Director to translate threat intelligence into S&T roadmaps for surface munitions and defense capabilities.
• Direct system-of-systems integration studies linking terminal defense weapons into ship combat systems and sensor suites.
• Engage senior leaders across DoD and Navy warfare centers to align Enterprise objectives and modernization lifecycles.
• Apply MBSE frameworks, digital threads, and Agile/DevSecOps practices to equipment modernization.

Skills

Systems Engineering

MBSE

Navy Experience

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Education

Master’s Degree in STEM

Bachelor’s with equivalent Navy experience

Tools

SysML

MBSE Tools

Cameo/MagicDraw

Interface Documentation (ICDs/IRSs)

Job description

Decision Technologies was founded to help bridge the gap between Department of Defense and Federal Government acquisition programs and technology to help our customers optimize their decision-making process. Over the years, our areas of expertise have expanded to include Systems Engineering, Program Management, In-Service Engineering, Equipment Repair, Research and Development, Test and Evaluation, and Intelligence and Counterintelligence Support. Our growth and success have positioned us as a premier engineering and intelligence services provider contributing to our nation's defense.

Our company culture cultivates talented problem-solvers on focused on performance with industry-leading teamwork and responsiveness. We have established a reputation for offering superior services and solutions, proven integrity and innovation, employee engagement and development, and customer collaboration.

Bring your expertise and knowledge to our team!

Decision Technologies is seeking an experienced, high-impact Air Defense/AAW Senior Systems Engineer ready to take the next major step in their career trajectory by serving as the principal technical direction engineer embedded within a major U.S. Navy weapon system program office. This is a 100% in-office (Arlington, VA), on-site position sitting inside the Navy program office spaces. This position is not eligible for hybrid or remote work arrangements.

Position Description:

This role is tailored for an accomplished surface weapons or combat systems engineer, especially those with direct experience at OEMs and Labs/Warfare Centers who are looking to move beyond isolated subsystem tasks and transition into high-visibility technical leadership across the Navy enterprise. Embedded directly with program leadership, you will partner with the Government Technical Director to steer future weapon capability, analyze real-world operational feedback from the Fleet, and translate emerging threat intelligence into actionable science & technology (S&T) roadmaps for the next generation of surface munitions and ship self-defense capabilities.

Responsibilities

The selectee will serve as the Decision Technologies Lead Systems Engineer for U.S. Navy Terminal Defense Systems engineering support. In this capacity, you will drive top-level engineering analysis, architectural roadmapping, and operational alignment across the portfolio:

• Strategic Planning & S&T Roadmapping: Lead technical, programmatic, and architectural roadmapping across the entire IWS 11 portfolio. Identify, evaluate, and transition emerging Science & Technology (S&T) and R&D solutions to formulate future weapon system upgrade evolutions.
• Operational Fleet Feedback & Threat Analysis: Serve as the trusted technical advisor to the Government Technical Director, keeping a constant pulse on real-world operational challenges, Fleet feedback, and live combat engagements to rapidly inform near-term CONOPS and long-term capability baselines.
• Threat vs. Weapon Systems Requirements Analysis: Analyze cutting-edge threat intelligence and emerging adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) against current and planned surface weapon capabilities to identify gaps, update weapon specifications, and drive survivability solutions.
• Combat System & Weapon Integration: Direct system-of-systems (SoS) integration studies and interface definitions linking terminal defense weapons (e.g., RAM, CIWS) into ship combat systems (such as SSDS and Aegis) and advanced sensor suites (e.g., SPY-6 EASR).
• High-Level Stakeholder & Enterprise Alignment: Interface at the senior executive and Flag/SES levels across PAE Munitions, PAE Mission Systems, OPNAV, warfare centers (NSWC Dahlgren, NSWC Port Hueneme, NAWC China Lake), international cooperative partners, and national security leadership.
• Digital Engineering Leadership: Guide the program office’s model-based transition by applying Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) frameworks (SysML, Cameo/MagicDraw), digital threads, and Agile/DevSecOps practices to weapons modernization lifecycles.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s Degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics (STEM) discipline (or Bachelor’s Degree with equivalent demonstrated experience directly with U.S. Navy surface weapon systems or combat systems).
• Experience: 10 years of systems engineering experience with U.S. Navy surface weapon systems, surface combat systems (e.g., SSDS, Aegis), or naval guided munitions.
• Clearance: Active DoD SECRET clearance required (Top Secret eligible preferred); ability to access SIPRNet and handle classified intelligence/threat briefings.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a science, engineering, technology, or math discipline.
• Direct technical experience with Navy terminal defense elements, including the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) and Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) weapon systems, launchers, and guided missile rounds.
• Proven track record leading requirements analysis, weapon specification development, and System Engineering Technical Reviews (SETR) according to the NAVSEA Technical Review Manual (TRM).
• Practical familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and architectures (e.g., Cameo Systems Modeler, MagicDraw, SysML, DoDAF).
• Working knowledge of weapon-to-combat system interface documentation (ICDs, IRSs), firing policies, and combat system designation loops.
• Excellent executive briefing, written communication, and cross-functional leadership skills with the poise to advise military program managers, technical directors, and international steering committees.

Travel Requirements

• Limited travel required (~10%), primarily to warfare centers, test facilities, or OEM plant locations (e.g., Dahlgren, VA; Port Hueneme, CA; China Lake, CA; Tucson, AZ).

Compensation:

Compensation at Decision Technologies, Inc. is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements.

Employee Benefits:

• Competitive Paid Time Off
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical, Dependent Care & Commuter)
• Company paid Short Term, Long Term, Life and AD&D Insurance
• 401(k) match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Certifications

Decision Technologies, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.