Lead Maritime Test and Evaluation Director

STR; Arlington, Northern (VA, KY); On-site; USD 147,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Restaurant or on-site amenities

Competitive salary and benefits

Job summary

STR’s Sensors Division in Arlington, VA seeks a Lead Maritime Test and Evaluation Director to own the end-to-end testing lifecycle for advanced undersea systems. You will define test strategies, set standards, assess readiness, and brief senior leadership to determine readiness for progression.

As the final authority on system readiness, you will collaborate with military and government stakeholders, drive cross-program TE activities, and oversee major qualification campaigns across software,

Qualifications

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance and U.S. citizenship.
• Exceptional military operational leadership may substitute for a degree.
• BS with 8+ years of relevant Mechanical or Ocean Engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience in developmental testing, system integration (HIL/SIL), and environmental/structural testing.
• Knowledge of software-intensive systems testing, autonomy, AI/ML model validation, or sensor fusion.
• Experience with compliance frameworks and quality control outcomes.
• Ability to influence outcomes through credibility and communication rather than command.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end Test and Evaluation lifecycle and master plans.
• Independently assess technical risk and determine system readiness as final authority.
• Serve as primary technical advisor across a portfolio of undersea systems and signal processing.
• Drive standardization of TE architectures, methodologies, and acceptance criteria.
• Coordinate TE efforts across programs to accelerate reuse and efficiency.
• Provide oversight of major qualification campaigns and developmental test programs.
• Lead technical reviews (TRRs, CDRs, PDRs) and milestone gates with independent risk assessment.

Skills

Technical leadership

Risk assessment

Stakeholder communication

T&E process development

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering or Ocean Engineering

Job description

Lead Maritime Test and Evaluation Director

Arlington, VA

About the Team:

The Sensors Division within STR focuses on the development and analysis of advanced sensor systems in the RF, acoustic, and electro-optical domains. This includes the design and development of novel sensors and advanced information processing techniques from ideation to prototype implementations. The Ocean Technologies & Acoustic Systems (OTAS) Group develops and delivers advanced undersea sensors, payloads, and signal processing systems for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications.

The Role:

In this role, you will own the end-to-end testing lifecycle. You will establish test strategy, govern testing standards, independently determine system readiness, provide objective assessments of testing risk, and be final authority determining when a system under test is ready to move forward. You will also interface directly with company leadership, military and government stakeholders, and serve as the final authority on system readiness.

What You Will Do:

• Test and Evaluation Program Ownership reporting directly to the group lead - Define, execute, and oversee the Test and Evaluation master plans
• Independently assesses technical risk and system readiness, serving as the final authority for test readiness, execution, and procedural compliance
• Serve as a primary technical advisor, owning a cross-program view of T&E readiness, risk, and capability gaps across a portfolio of future undersea systems and advanced signal processing algorithms
• Drive standardization of test architectures, methodologies, and acceptance criteria across software, hardware, and system-level testing—ensuring consistency without sacrificing development speed
• Act as connective tissue between multiple T&E efforts: identify where one program’s test infrastructure, tooling, or lessons learned can accelerate another, and drive reuse
• Drive hands-on technical oversight of major qualification campaigns and developmental test programs
• Direct the T&E organization in technical reviews (e.g., TRRs, CDRs, PDRs) and program milestone gates through ownership of independent technical assessment and risk characterization

Who You Are:

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is needed by the U.S. Government
• Exceptional military operational leadership will be considered in lieu of degree
• BS with 8+ years relevant experience in Mechanical Engineering or Ocean Engineering (equivalent experience considered)
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and hands-on experience in developmental testing, system integration (HIL/SIL), environmental/structural testing, and instrumentation, developmental testing, maritime or autonomous systems, software-intensive systems, and operational test experience
• Working knowledge of software-intensive system testing, including autonomy, AI/ML model validation, sensor fusion, or similar disciplines
• Working knowledge of relevant compliance frameworks and repeatable quality control outcomes
• Proven ability to operate effectively without positional authority—influencing outcomes through technical credibility, relationships, and clear communication rather than org-chart power
• Strong track record of independently assessing technical risk, determining system readiness, briefing senior leadership, influencing engineering teams through technical credibility, and developing repeatable T&E processes

Even Better:

• Breadth of experience operating and testing systems in forward, limited-access environments
• Direct experience testing or operating autonomous systems, robotics, unmanned systems, counter-UAS systems, weapon systems, or integrated hardware/software defense platforms

Prior military operational service, or in test, range operations, fires, air defense, special operations support, or unmanned systems roles

Experience supporting U.S. government exercises and evaluations, foreign military sales demonstrations, or international partner field events

Experience serving as the responsible technical authority for testing

Experience leading root‑cause investigations and corrective actions following test failures

Experience balancing technical rigor, schedule, mission objectives, and program risk

Experience planning and executing operational demonstrations, fleet experimentation, or government evaluations

Willingness to travel to test events and field demonstrations

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $147,000 - $200,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Carlsbad, CA. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STRis committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us atwww.str.us for more info.

STRis an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us [e-mail] and provide your contact info.

Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.