MDA Division Chief Engineer

MITRE; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 226,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

MITRE seeks a Division Chief Engineer to lead the MDA/GDA Integration Division, delivering technical excellence and mission impact across multiple defense domains. You will shape strategy, steward labs and capabilities, and mentor senior technical leaders.

Expect high-level collaboration with sponsors and centers, executive communication, and a requirement to work on-site at least four days per week while guiding complex, multidisciplinary programs.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressively responsible technical leadership experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 12 years with a master’s; or 10 years with a PhD.
• Demonstrated success leading large, multidisciplinary engineering or scientific organizations delivering mission impact.
• Recognized technical leader with deep systems engineering expertise in defense domains.
• Experience shaping organizational strategy, investment, and high-value programs.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance required; U.S. citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the division chief engineer council and coordinate with senior technical staff.
• Steward laboratory facilities, software tools, and corporate capability development.
• Guide talent, workforce planning, and leadership development across the division.
• Advise sponsors and represent MITRE in executive forums and communities.
• Ensure technical quality, schedule delivery, and budget compliance.

Skills

Technical leadership

Systems engineering

Defense mission domains

Cross-organizational collaboration

Executive communication

Agency sponsor engagement

Security clearance TS/SCI

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

PhD with 10+ 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 Missile Defense Agency (MDA) & Golden Dome for America (GDA) division within MITRE's National Security Sector partners with senior leadership to address the nation's most complex missile defense modernization challenges. The division provides objective, system-level technical solutions across command-and-control and fire control, sensors, resilient digital infrastructure and cyber assurance, modeling and simulation, architecture design, open systems modularity and interoperability, and novel acquisition and sustainment.

Job Description

The MDA and GDA Integration Division Chief Engineer serves as the senior technical leader for the division and is accountable for technical excellence, and mission impact across the portfolio. As a member of the division leadership team, the Chief Engineer provides technical leadership by shaping technical quality and execution, stewarding technical capabilities and laboratories, and guiding technical workforce development.

The role requires exceptional technical credibility, the ability to influence across organizational boundaries, and a demonstrated record of leading large, multidisciplinary technical organizations. The Chief Engineer works closely with Division and Center leadership, Chief Engineers across MITRE, MITRE Technology and Engineering (MTE), sponsors, and external mission partners to align and leverage corporate capabilities with evolving national security priorities.

Roles & Responsibilities

Technical Quality & Execution

• Lead technical quality and peer review across the division to include appropriate scoping to deliver technical products within schedule and budget.
• Establish processes for planning, executing, and monitoring the work, defined in the Division’s Technical Quality Plan (TQP) and ensure compliance and usage with corporate, sector, and center processes to include Mission Value Chain (MVC).
• Lead the peer review of key technical products.

Chief Engineering Council

• Lead the division chief engineer council with the department chief engineers and other senior technical staff.
• Represent the division to center/sector councils and participate in as-requested corporate councils, boards, and other special assignments aligning to CE responsibilities.

Laboratory and Capability Stewardship

• Steward the development of laboratory facilities, software tools, and other resources critical to execute the work program.
• Lead the stewardship and development of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense corporate capability through the alignment of MDA division specific capability areas and related work programs across the Army, Department of the Air Force, OUSW, Intelligence Community, and civil partners such as the FAA
• Develop and execute the division’s IR&D strategy.

Talent & Organizational Development

• Provide direct mentorship of senior technical leaders.
• Assess organizational capabilities and inform workforce planning, hiring, and development decisions.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative technical culture.

Sponsor Engagement & External Leadership

• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to senior MDA leaders.
• Represent MITRE in executive forums, technical communities, and strategic sponsor engagements.

Basic Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressively responsible technical leadership experience with a bachelor's degree; or 12 years and a master’s degree; or a PhD with 10 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Demonstrated success leading large, multidisciplinary engineering or scientific organizations delivering mission impact.
• Recognized technical leader with deep expertise in systems engineering and one or more defense mission domains.
• Experience integrating capabilities across multiple organizations and complex stakeholder environments.
• Established reputation as a thought leader within the national security community.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with and serve as a trusted advisor to government sponsors.
• Experience shaping organizational strategy, technical investment, and high-value work programs.
• Exceptional collaboration skills with the ability to lead through influence across organizational boundaries.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills are appropriate for executive and sponsor audiences.
• Must have an active Top Secret/SCI U.S Government issued Security Clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI w/SAP U.S. Government issued Security Clearance. Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
• Must have a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top-Secret/SCI + Special Program Access
• Broad understanding of acquisition, research and engineering, digital modernization, operational analysis, test and evaluation, and emerging technologies.
• Deep understanding of FFRDC responsibilities, sponsor relationships, and independent technical advising.

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

Top Secret/SCI

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

SAP, Top Secret/SCI

Salary compensation range and midpoint

$226,400 - $283,000 - $339,600 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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