Interdisciplinary Engineer/Scientist

Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD); Ridgecrest (CA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 161,000; Full time

Job summary

Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) seeks a Lead Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership across the full system lifecycle, combining systems engineering with software development and data analysis to support modeling and decision-making.

The role requires evaluating system requirements, guiding performance improvements, and coordinating with sponsors and contractors to resolve complex problems. Travel to partner commands may be involved.

Qualifications

• 4-7 years of experience in systems engineering or related field.
• Experience leading engineering teams on complex programs.
• Ability to develop plans and procedures for new ideas and projects.

Responsibilities

• Leads system-level design and interface development across the full lifecycle.
• Provides technical leadership and mentoring to the engineering team.
• Communicates program status, risks, and technical challenges to stakeholders.

Skills

Systems engineering

Software development

Data analysis

Technical leadership

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Position Description

The Engineer provides technically sound advice and guidance to managers, supervisors, peers, and sponsors on specific technical aspects of systems or concept development. In many instances experimental data is nonexistent and the Engineer is required to develop plans and procedures to extend existing knowledge/tests to account for newly emerging ideas and projects. Concepts are often controversial and the Engineer, as a specialist, is called upon to technically defend and support his/her ideas and proposals. Technical contributions are recognized by management and peers as having significant impact on projects.

He/she may also function as a Project Leader or Program Manager for small to medium projects/programs requiring services of Level II and III employees and/or contractors. As a program/project manager, the Engineer formulates approaches using knowledge or related projects to resolve a variety of nonrecurring technological problems. Some work may require state-of-the-art design to take advantage of new concepts in the development of advanced systems. The program/project manager may review proposals for expanded or alternative work proposed by other employees or contractors and make decisions on major issues and controversies by directing what work will be performed and what compromises can be accepted. The program/project manager is often the activity's primary contact point with contractors, other managers, and sponsors for specific projects. In this capacity, the Engineer develops plans and makes written and oral presentations to various interested personnel (i.e., contractors, sponsors, and managers) on program status, technical problems, scheduling, and costs.

Engineering assignments may include major portions of large scale projects or consist of entire projects of a medium scale. Assignments are of such breadth that they may encompass several phases of the development process. The Engineer is expected to carry out work that may have little or no precedent and provides leadership in resolving major technical and administrative problems. The Engineer may lead a team to develop engineering criteria; analyze technical problems that are controversial; and, in general, extend the state-of-the-art in his/her specialty. Assignments normally include travel to other commands, universities, contractor plants, and sponsor headquarters to discuss and resolve difficult problems, assist in determining the direction of the project, and provide advice on new and emerging technologies.

The supervisor assigns work by outlining overall objectives and available resources. The employee and supervisor, in consultation, discuss scope of the assignment, approaches, time frames, and possible execution phases. The employee is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment; resolving most conflicts independently; coordinating the work with others as necessary; interpreting policy and regulatory requirements in terms of established objectives; keeping the supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial problems, concerns, issues, or other matters; developing changes to plans and/or methodology; and providing recommendations for improvements in order to meet program objectives. The supervisor may review completed work for effectiveness in meeting requirements or producing expected results, the feasibility of recommendations, and adherence to requirements.

At this level, the Engineer is considered to be a specialist both by the organization and his/her peers. He/she has extensive specialized training or experience in a subject matter or functional area. The incumbent is especially versatile and innovative in adapting, modifying, or making compromises in meeting project needs which contain a combination of complex features. The Engineer may be called upon to provide training and/or mentoring to other personnel.

Since technology transfer is a NAVAIR strategic thrust and is required by law,

the Engineer promotes the spin-off/transfer of federally owned or originated technology, as appropriate, to state and local governments and to the private sector to help strengthen the U.S. industrial base.

Experience Required

4-7 Years

Position Duties/Responsibilities

Serves as the Lead Systems Engineer for the TPO program, providing technical leadership across the full system lifecycle with a focus on system performance, capability development, and integration of emerging technologies. Combines systems engineering expertise with hands-on software development and data analysis to support system modeling, performance assessment, and decision-making. Ensures system requirements are defined, managed, and achieved while driving improvements in capability, cost, and operational readiness.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads system-level design and integration activities, ensuring solutions are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with mission objectives. Defines and manages system performance requirements and develops software-based tools, scripts, and analytical models (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or similar) to evaluate system behavior, process test data, and identify performance gaps. Applies coding skills to automate workflows, analyze large datasets, and improve efficiency in test, integration, and evaluation activities.
• Provides leadership and mentorship to the engineering team, fostering collaboration across systems, software, and test disciplines. Bridges the gap between software development and systems engineering by translating operational needs into technical solutions and executable analysis tools. Works with the Chief Engineer (CHENG) to assess processes, identify gaps, and establish priorities for both engineering and data-driven analysis efforts.
• Communicates program status, risks, and technical challenges to stakeholders, using data-driven insights and software-enabled analysis to inform decisions. Prepares and delivers technical briefings, reports, and documentation, ensuring traceability between system requirements, analytical results, and operational outcomes.

Minimum Salary

$104,349

Maximum Salary

$161,313