Associate Staff - Engineering

MIT Lincoln Laboratory; Lexington (MA); Hybrid; USD 116,400 - 182,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Pension plan

401K

Paid leave

Tuition reimbursement

Mentorship programs

Work-life balance

Job summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, is seeking an Associate Staff member to blend analytical work with prototype systems engineering for space domain awareness and space control missions.

The role involves developing analytical tools, simulations, and performance models to inform requirements, architecture trades, and risk reduction, while supporting rapid prototype maturation and integration with interdisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• MS degree in a technical field or BS with 5+ years experience
• Experience with modeling, simulation, or quantitative analysis of aerospace or sensing systems
• Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, Simulink, STK, GMAT or similar
• Strong communication skills and ability to explain complex results to mixed audiences

Responsibilities

• Develop modeling, simulation, and analysis tools for multi-domain space concepts
• Derive system requirements, performance metrics, and trade criteria
• Characterize system performance and perform architecture trades across sensing, trajectory, and design
• Support rapid space prototypes: CONOPS, interfaces, integration, and test
• Present results and recommendations to sponsors and interdisciplinary teams

Skills

Analytical problem solving

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Strong communication

Systems thinking

Education

MS in Aerospace Engineering

MS in Systems Engineering

MS in Physics

BS with 5+ years experience

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Simulink

STK

GMAT

Job description

Date: Jul 5, 2026

Location: Lexington, MA, US

Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Overview

The Advanced Capabilities and Technologies Group in MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Space Division pioneers high-risk, high-reward solutions at the forefront of space innovation. We explore and develop novel mission concepts spanning multiple domains - from very low orbit to cislunar space, including dynamic space operations, autonomous systems, and next-generation passive and active sensing. Our work integrates rigorous mission analysis with early-stage concept development to rapidly assess and mature transformative ideas that address emerging national security challenges. We seek engineers, mathematicians, and physicists who are motivated to tackle technically complex problems, operate across disciplines, and help shape the future of space capabilities from first principles through prototype realization.

Position Summary

Group 91 is seeking an Associate Staff member to serve in a hybrid analyst and prototype systems engineer role supporting multi-domain, space domain awareness, and space control missions. The successful candidate will develop analytical tools, simulations, and performance models that inform requirements definition, system characterization, architecture trades, and technical risk reduction for advanced sensing and space mission concepts. This role also offers the opportunity to support systems engineering for rapid space prototypes, including concept maturation, interface definition, integration planning, test campaign support, and performance assessment in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply modeling, simulation, and analysis tools to assess multi-domain, space domain awareness, and space control mission concepts.
• Derive system requirements, performance metrics, and trade criteria from mission needs.
• Characterize system performance and execute architecture trades across sensing, trajectory, operations, command and control, and platform design.
• Support systems engineering for rapid space prototypes, including CONOPS development, interface definition, integration and test, and verification planning.
• Present analysis results, technical recommendations, and prototype findings to interdisciplinary teams and government sponsors through briefings, reports, and technical discussions.

Required Qualifications

• M.S. required in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
  • A B.S. in one of the above fields of study with 5+ years of experience will also be considered.
• Experience with modeling, simulation, or quantitative analysis of complex aerospace, defense, or sensing systems.
• Demonstrated ability to build and use technical tools in MATLAB, Python, Simulink, STK, GMAT, or similar environments.
• Strong analytical problem‑solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work across disciplines in both analytical and prototype‑oriented efforts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to explain technical findings to mixed technical and non‑technical audiences and to deliver technical briefings to sponsors and collaborators.

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic or professional background in astrodynamics, spacecraft systems, orbital operations, remote sensing, estimation, controls, mission analysis, or systems engineering.
• Experience supporting requirements development, performance characterization, or architecture trades for defense or national security systems.
• Familiarity with space mission design, prototype development, integration and test, or field/flight test activities.
• Experience working on interdisciplinary teams that span analysis, hardware, software, integration, and test campaigns.
• Willingness to travel to sponsor sites.

Salary Range

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-but 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

• 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!

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre‑employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

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.