Communications Engineer

MITRE; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 156,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

MITRE is seeking a skilled engineer for its National Security Sector in a role requiring on-site work in the San Diego area. The position focuses on communications engineering, systems architecture, and software principles across geographically dispersed teams to solve national security challenges.

Candidates should have 8+ years of related experience with relevant degrees or a PhD with 3+ years, and must hold a Secret clearance with TS/SCI eligibility.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related degree, or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years’ experience; or equivalent.
• Possess active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Familiarity with Link-16 and Link-22 network designs and configurations
• Familiarity with product lifecycle, trade studies, requirements, and interface definitions
• Familiarity with tactical data link interfaces into shore-based, terrestrial networks.
• Strong communication (verbal, written, and presentation) and interpersonal skills
• This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

Responsibilities

• Analyzing complex communications, networking and data link systems and provide recommendations to US Naval sponsors.
• Defining capability and interoperability gaps, overlaps, opportunities, and constraints.
• Work in partnership with multiple stakeholders to develop optimal solutions accounting for various perspective and variables.

Skills

Clearance

Engineering

Communication

Independence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

PhD with 3 years’ experience

Job description

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future.

The MITRE National Security Sector (MNS) and its National Security Engineering Center (NSEC) FFRDC are dedicated to solving the nation’s most complex security challenges—spanning the Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community, interagency partners, industry, and international allies. As a trusted systems engineering and integration partner, NSEC bridges organizational boundaries to enable cross-cutting solutions, proactively assessing capability gaps and focusing on mission outcomes rather than isolated systems or processes.

This position requires creative problem solving through novel applications of communications engineering, systems architecture, and software principles in collaboration with diverse and geographically dispersed teams.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Analyzing complex communications, networking and data link systems and provide recommendations to US Naval sponsors
• Defining capability and interoperability gaps, overlaps, opportunities, and constraints
• Work in partnership with multiple stakeholders to develop optimal solutions accounting for various perspective and variables

Basic Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related degree, or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Possess active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Familiarity with Link-16 and Link-22 network designs and configurations
• Familiarity with product lifecycle, trade studies, requirements, and interface definitions
• Familiarity with tactical data link interfaces into shore-based, terrestrial networks.
• Possess the familiarity with communications engineering processes required to provide unbiased advice, formulate courses of action, analyze programs, and make recommendations
• Proven ability to work independently to learn new technologies, techniques, processes, software languages, platforms, and systems
• Strong communication (verbal, written, and presentation) and interpersonal skills to interact with technical peers and government sponsors
• This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications

• An active TS/SCI clearance
• Five years’ experience as a certified Joint Interface Control Officer (JICO)
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-6016 and MIL-STD-6017 messaging
• Familiarity with Joint Range Extension (JRE) systems and MIL-STD-3011 protocols (JREAP–A, JREAP-B and JREAP-C)
• Analysis of operational mission sets/threads to inform network requirements
• Ability to capture information exchange requirements (IERS) for Link-16 missions
• Familiarity with Naval C4I & Space systems from technical and/or operational perspectives

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

Secret

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Top Secret/SCI

Salary compensation range and midpoint:

$156,400 - $195,500 - $234,600 Annual

Work Location Type:

Onsite

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

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