Lead Wireless Communications Systems Engineer

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

Job summary

MITRE Corporation in the United States is seeking a Lead Communications Systems Engineer to advance next‑generation military communications. You will lead specification development, integration, and test strategies across DoD and IC programs.

The role emphasizes MBSE, systems architecture, trade studies, and cross‑discipline leadership, with on‑site work and active security clearances.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of related experience, or Master’s with 6 years, or PhD with 3+ years relevant experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency in verbal and written communication.
• Experience presenting complex technical issues verbally and in writing.
• Experience planning, executing and presenting complex trade studies.
• Experience in systems engineering across development lifecycle from concept to verification.
• Experience leading multiple engineering disciplines to provide integrated solutions.

Responsibilities

• Perform systems engineering analysis for requirement trades, designs, integration trades, end-to-end performance analysis, and risk mitigation.
• Articulate uncertainties in systems architectures, defining risks and opportunities.
• Communicate uncertainties, risks and opportunities with leadership and Sponsors.
• Lead development, decomposition, and review of system requirements.
• Support requirements management, interface management and architecture change management.
• Translate analysis results into actionable recommendations for US Government agencies.
• Lead cross-disciplinary groups and studies, interfacing with multiple stakeholders for timely recommendations.
• Possibly engage in hands-on prototyping, integration, and testing activities.

Skills

Systems engineering

Trade studies

Verbal and written communication

Leadership across disciplines

Requirement decomposition

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

PhD

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.

Department Summary:MITRE’s Technology & Engineering Organization has an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic technical team having a substantial impact on the design and development of communications systems in support of various U.S. Government agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, and others. Our sponsors rely on a wide range of wireless communications systems, including commercial radios, cellular technologies, satellite communications, tactical data links, and other mission-critical systems. We assess, design, analyze, prototype, and test advanced communications technologies to further the public good.

We are seeking Lead Communications Systems Engineers with knowledge of Military Communications to lead the specification development, integration, and test strategies of next generation Military Communications systems. This is an opportunity for a Communications Systems Engineer who is highly motivated, innovative and proactive. This position provides challenging opportunities to apply and expand one’s systems architecture, modeling and trade space analysis skills.

Job Responsibilities Include:

• Performing systems engineering analysis for requirement trades, design and integration trades, end-to-end performance analysis, and identifying risk mitigation approaches
• Articulating major uncertainties associated with systems architectures, defining risks and opportunities associated with the uncertainties.
• Communicating work program uncertainties, risks and opportunities with department leadership and Sponsors
• Leading the development, decomposition, and review system requirements
• Supporting requirements management, interface management and architecture change management processes
• Translating analysis results into actionable recommendations for the US Government agencies
• Tasks may include leading working groups or studies covering multiple engineering domains while interfacing and collaborating across multiple stakeholders to create timely and actionable recommendations.
• Tasks may also include hands‑on prototyping, integration, and testing activities.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of related experience; or Master’s degree and 6 years; or a PhD and 3 years with relevant experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency and strength in verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in virtual and live presentation of complex technical issues.
• Experience with planning, executing and presenting complex trade studies.
• Experience in systems engineering with expertise across the development lifecycle from concept development, through requirements definition, system development and integration, and into verification.
• Experience in leading multiple engineering disciplines to provide solutions to complex problems that require unified software, hardware, mechanical and reliability approaches while balancing cost and schedule constraints.
• Experience in leading the evaluation and testing of complex systems.
• Strong social skills to effectively collaborate across multiple organizations and engineering disciplines.
• Active Secret Clearance with ability to obtain DoD TS/SCI clearance.
• Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on‑site

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in technical field of study with 10 years of experience and leadership experience
• Candidates that possess a current/active DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance are preferred.
• Familiarity with Military Communications, especially familiarity with EHF and AEHF SATCOM and associated Satellite Communications terminals (MILSTAR, FAB‑T, FET, SMART‑T, SCAMP)
• Familiarity with Tactical and Airborne Communication Systems.
• Familiarity with acquisition strategy including DODD 5000.01 and Middle Tier Acquisition (Section 804)
• Experience with multi-disciplinary modeling and simulation (physics‑level, engineering‑level and/or operational‑level)
• Documented success applying modern system engineering methods including MBSE.
• Experience with capabilities trade analysis, mission analysis, information assurance, systems integration, and understanding of the relationships between operational, technical, and system’s architecture.
• Familiarity with Resilient and Survivable Communications

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

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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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