LEAD ENGINEER - SR. RESEARCH ENGINEER - Electronics Radiation Hardening Engineer - Oklahoma City, OK

Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute seeks a senior engineer to lead nuclear hardening efforts for aerospace electronics, defining requirements, roadmaps, and verification strategies for mission-critical systems.

You will translate threat environments and platform requirements into practical hardening solutions, review designs, and guide teams across bomber, missile, and other DoD programs. Security clearance and US citizenship are typical prerequisites.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's or a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Physics Electronics Nuclear Engineering or related engineering discipline with senior-level radiation hardening experience.
• 5-12 years: Proven aerospace experience developing or supporting nuclear hardening requirements, roadmaps, analysis, testing, shielding, and survivability strategies for electronics.
• 5+ years: Demonstrated experience supporting B-52, B-1, B-2, ICBM, or other strategic DoD platforms involving nuclear effects, hardening, survivability, or mission assurance.
• 5+ years: Strong ability to lead technical teams, create requirements, conduct design reviews, interpret test and analysis data, and communicate complex hardening issues clearly.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and maintain nuclear hardening requirements, design criteria, verification plans, and technical roadmaps for aerospace electronic systems.
• Evaluate electronic hardware, circuit card assemblies, LRUs, cables, enclosures, and shielding concepts for radiation hardness, survivability, and integration risks.
• Lead technical reviews with systems, electrical, mechanical, test, cyber, and program teams to assess hardening approaches and resolve design or verification issues.
• Provide mentoring, technical guidance, and subject matter expertise to engineering teams supporting bomber, missile, strategic deterrence, and classified aerospace programs.

Skills

Nuclear engineering

Radiation hardening

Systems engineering

Leadership

Education

Electrical Engineering

Nuclear Engineering

Job description

Who We Are:

The Nuclear Systems Engineering Section in the Strategic Aerospace Department provides an array of engineering support for several US Air Force Global Strike Command and Department of Defense programs. We provide engineering services to projects involving the design, development and maintenance of hardware and software systems for the strategic aerospace community, including aircraft and ground support equipment ranging from microcircuits to major subsystems.

Objectives of this Role:

Lead nuclear hardening engineering efforts for aerospace electronics by developing requirements, roadmaps, design guidance, and verification strategies for mission-critical systems.Define and mature radiation hardening approaches for avionics, electronic assemblies, LRUs, SRUs, sensors, processors, power systems, and mission hardware.Support nuclear systems engineering activities by translating threat environments, survivability needs, and platform requirements into practical hardening solutions.Perform technical reviews of electronic designs, shielding strategies, component selections, layouts, and test approaches to identify radiation hardness risks and design gaps.Support strategic aerospace programs involving B-52, B-1, B-2, ICBM, and related DoD platforms by providing senior-level hardening expertise and technical leadership.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Develop, review, and maintain nuclear hardening requirements, design criteria, verification plans, and technical roadmaps for aerospace electronic systems.Evaluate electronic hardware, circuit card assemblies, LRUs, cables, enclosures, and shielding concepts for radiation hardness, survivability, and integration risks.Lead technical reviews with systems, electrical, mechanical, test, cyber, and program teams to assess hardening approaches and resolve design or verification issues.Support trade studies, test planning, analysis reviews, and customer briefings related to nuclear effects, shielding, component selection, and mission survivability.Provide mentoring, technical guidance, and subject matter expertise to engineering teams supporting bomber, missile, strategic deterrence, and classified aerospace programs.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors or a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Physics Electronics Nuclear Engineering or related engineering discipline with senior-level radiation hardening experience.Radiation/EMP Hardening Training and/or certifications preferred.
• 5-12 years: Proven aerospace experience developing or supporting nuclear hardening requirements, roadmaps, analysis, testing, shielding, and survivability strategies for electronics.
• 5+ years: Demonstrated experience supporting B-52, B-1, B-2, ICBM, or other strategic DoD platforms involving nuclear effects, hardening, survivability, or mission assurance.
• 5+ years: Strong ability to lead technical teams, create requirements, conduct design reviews, interpret test and analysis data, and communicate complex hardening issues clearly.
• 5+ years: Ability to present to upper management direction on nuclear efforts.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements:

Work assignment is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

Job Locations: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Or San Antonio, Texas

For more information about this division, visit the Defense & Intelligence Solutions home page.

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.