Airborne Testbed Engineer-Associate Staff

MIT Lincoln Laboratory; Lexington (MA); On-site; USD 116,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/Dental/Vision

MIT Pension

401K Matching

Paid Leave

Tuition Reimbursement

Mentorship Programs

Work-Life Balance Options

Job summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA seeks an engineer to develop, integrate, operate, and sustain mission systems aboard airborne testbeds, including RF/IR sensing, avionics interfaces, mission computing, networking, data recording, and supporting software.

This hands‑on role requires collaboration with researchers, pilots, flight test engineers, aircraft maintenance personnel, and sponsors to prepare systems for test events and execute airborne experiments.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in a related technical field.
• 3+ years of airborne systems/instrumentation experience if only a bachelor’s degree.
• Experience in aircraft flight test programs or mission systems engineering.
• Experience integrating and troubleshooting complex hardware/software systems.

Responsibilities

• Integrate, test, modernize, and sustain mission systems on airborne test platforms, including sensors, computing, networking, and data recording equipment.
• Coordinate with software teams to resolve anomalies and thoroughly test before installation.
• Develop and troubleshoot interfaces between aircraft systems and experimental payloads.
• Serve as a mission systems operator during flight-test missions, with growth to airborne test director.
• Support pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight activities including data collection and anomaly resolution.
• Evaluate system performance using lab measurements, flight data, and model predictions.
• Develop procedures, checklists, and documentation for operation of mission systems.
• Coordinate with pilots, maintainers, researchers, flight test engineers, and sponsors to safely meet test objectives.

Skills

Python

C++

MATLAB

C#

Embedded systems

Flight test experience

Data analysis

DoD security clearance

Team collaboration

Technical writing

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline

Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of relevant experience in airborne systems integration, flight testing, or mission systems engineering

Tools

IP network configuration

Instrumentation hardware

Job description

The Tactical Defense Systems Group drives innovation in air defense to enhance the effectiveness of U.S. Air Force (USAF) operations. Our team addresses critical challenges in air vehicle survivability, vulnerabilities to advanced weapons systems, electronic countermeasure development, testing infrastructure, and air surveillance for homeland defense. By combining cutting-edge technology with creative problem-solving, we shape the future of air defense through impactful solutions. We conduct flight, field, and laboratory testing to understand USAF and adversary air defense systems. Our team designs and develops specialized instrumentation and prototype systems to support these initiatives. Each year, we carry out major field-testing campaigns using a fleet of highly instrumented aircraft and advanced ground systems, while local testing ensures flight readiness and system validation. We analyze data collected during testing and compare it with sophisticated models in collaboration with the Systems and Analysis Group (109). These efforts deliver precise answers to critical questions from Air Force partners. Join the Tactical Defense Systems Group to address complex problems, advance innovations in national security, and accelerate your career in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.

Position Description

The Tactical Defense Systems Group is seeking an engineer to develop, integrate, operate, and sustain mission systems aboard the group's airborne testbeds. These systems include RF and infrared sensing systems, avionics interfaces, mission computing, networking, data recording, and supporting software.

This hands‑on, applied role requires close collaboration with researchers, pilots, flight test engineers, aircraft maintenance personnel, and sponsors to prepare systems for test events and execute airborne experiments. The successful candidate will also serve as a mission systems operator or test director during flights and support periodic travel and deployments for field-test campaigns. Due to the hands‑on nature of the role, at least 80% on‑site presence is required.

Responsibilities

• Integrate, test, modernize, and sustain mission systems on airborne test platforms, to include sensors and associated computing, network infrastructure, and data recording equipment.
• Coordinate with software development team to resolve mission systems anomalies and ensure systems are thoroughly tested to the extent practical before installing in the testbed aircraft.
• Develop and troubleshoot hardware and software interfaces between aircraft systems and experimental payloads.
• Serve as a mission systems operator during flight-test missions, with growth opportunity to become an airborne test director.
• Support pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight activities, including system checkout, data collection, troubleshooting, and anomaly resolution.
• Perform technical evaluation of system performance and test results using laboratory measurements, flight test data, and model predictions.
• Develop procedures, checklists, and technical documentation for the operation of mission systems.
• Coordinate with pilots, maintainers, researchers, flight test engineers, and sponsors to safely accomplish test objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline
• In lieu of a Master's degree, a Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of relevant experience in airborne systems integration, flight testing, or mission systems engineering will be considered.
• Experience participating in aircraft flight test programs in a technical capacity (e.g., systems integration, instrumentation, test execution, or data analysis).
• Experience integrating and troubleshooting complex hardware/software systems in laboratory, field, or operational environments.
• Experience with IP network configuration and troubleshooting.
• Experience with one or more of the following: RF sensing systems, infrared sensing systems, avionics, mission computing, communications, data acquisition, or embedded systems.
• Experience developing software, scripts, or automation tools using Python, C++, MATLAB, C#, or similar languages.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Willingness and ability to serve as a mission systems operator aboard crewed airborne test platforms. Includes the ability to meet medical requirements for participation in crewed flight operations.
• Willingness and ability to travel (estimated as 3-4 deployments per year, 1-2 weeks each) in support of flight-test activities and field campaigns.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance (TS//SCI).

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $116,400 - $140,000

Experienced Hiring Range: $116,400 - $182,200

Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including - not limited to - the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.

Benefits offered to employees include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
• Mentorship programs
• A range of work-life balance options
• ... and much more!

Please visit our Benefits page for more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage of other voluntary benefits, discounts and perks .

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret level security clearance with compartmented program eligibility.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.

Requisition ID: 43193