Senior Systems Engineer

Socket.dev; Oklahoma; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Professional development assistance

Referral program

Vision insurance

Job summary

McBride Consulting seeks a Senior Systems Engineer to support AFLCMC/HBS/WIW AWACS modernization efforts at Tinker AFB, OK. You will lead system-level reviews, document requirements, and drive engineering analyses across lifecycle stages.

The role requires DoD experience, strong systems engineering skills, and collaboration with IPTs across government and industry partners. Hybrid work arrangement at Tinker AFB with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and 12 years of experience in the respective technical/professional discipline, five of which must be in the DoD.
• Alternatively, 15 years of directly related experience, eight of which must be in the DoD.

Responsibilities

• Conduct program portfolio reviews to evaluate plans, enhance engineering processes, manage baselines, and design system-level tests.
• Review and evaluate plans, designs, and test results for compliance with specifications.
• Prepare technical documentation defining system/subsystem characteristics and management reports.
• Perform system validations and develop criteria and procedures.
• Provide engineering support across acquisition, development, integration, sustainment, deployment, and operations.
• Support risk management activities following AF SEAM processes.
• Conduct formal trade studies on performance, cost, risk, and schedule.
• Offer technical recommendations to IPTs through reviews, audits, and analyses.
• Analyze proposals to compare technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness.

Skills

Systems engineering

DoD standards

Cybersecurity policies

Modeling & simulation

Technical documentation

Agile tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Job description

McBride Consulting has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Systems Engineerproviding support to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/Airborne Warning and Control System (AFLCMC/HBS/WIW). The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Division, has the collective Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) mission responsibility to deliver airborne Battle Management Command & Control (BMC2) capabilities that support joint, allied, coalition, humanitarian, and homeland defense operations. Modernization efforts enable continued involvement with worldwide operations by revitalizing legacy mission systems, replacing aging computer architectures, integrating multi‑sensor data fusion, and improving global expeditionary readiness and availability. Additionally, the Division assists in the planned divestiture of the E‑3 platform and in shaping development of follow‑on capabilities for future airborne C2 systems.

This is a full time Hybrid position located at Tinker AFB, OK.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive program portfolio reviews to evaluate and recommend alternative plans, enhance systems engineering processes, manage and sustain technical baselines, and design/perform system-level tests to ensure subsystem and system performance aligns with approved specifications.
• Review and evaluate alternative plans, systems engineering programs, designs, and test results to verify subsystem and system performance compliance with program specifications.
• Prepare technical documentation defining and recommending system/subsystem characteristics, management reports, and technical presentations for planning, implementation, and corrective actions, applying engineering economy principles.
• Perform system validations, including criteria and procedure development, and analyze/evaluate major engineering system results.
• Provide engineering, technical support, and training for programs/initiatives, including acquisition, development, integration, sustainment, evolution, deployment, fielding, installation, and operations oversight.
• Support risk management activities in alignment with Air Force Systems Engineering Assessment Model (AF SEAM) processes.
• Conduct formal trade studies considering engineering performance, effectiveness, cost-performance balance, lifecycle cost, reliability, maintainability, risk, and schedule.
• Offer technical recommendations through reviews, studies, audits, evaluations, analyses, procedural guidance, and documentation, supporting engineering Integrated Product Teams (IPTs).
• Analyze proposals to compare and quantify technical feasibility, compatibility, and cost-effectiveness of proposed systems and components.

Concepts and Requirements Analysis:

• Review and analyze key documents, including Initial Capabilities Documents (ICDs), Capability Development Documents (CDDs), Capability Production Documents (CPDs), and Analyses of Alternatives (AoAs).
• Conduct assessments of military utility, operational concepts (CONOPs), technology development strategies, functional configuration audits (FCAs), physical configuration audits (PCAs), and technology standards profiles.
• Analyze system concepts and user requirements entered into system requirements baselines (functional, allocated, and product).

Engineering Process Support:

• Assist in material solution analysis, technology development, engineering, manufacturing, production, deployment, and operations support.
• Provide support for engineering technical processes, including version/configuration control, requirements analysis, architecture design, implementation, integration, verification, validation, and decision analysis.
• Perform risk, configuration, technical data, and interface management, as well as technical planning and assessments.

Technical Reviews and Documentation:

• Support planning and execution of technical reviews (e.g., System Requirements Review, Technology Readiness Assessments) and develop associated documentation (e.g., Systems Engineering Plan, Risk Management Plan).
• Develop systems engineering documentation, ensuring understanding of systems‑of‑systems interactions, configuration management, technical data packages, and acquisition/sustainment engineering processes.

Requirements

Citizenship: Must be a US citizen

Clearance: Must have an Secret Clearance

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Education:Bachelor's degree in a related field and 12 years of experience in the respective technical/professional discipline being performed, five of which must be in the DoD OR

• • 15 years of directly related experience, eight of which must be in the DoD

Preferred Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Prepare and review system and subsystem technical documentation, requirements, and engineering analyses for E‑3/E‑7 AWACS platforms.
• Develop and recommend system characteristics, interface definitions, and technical approaches aligned with DoD and Air Force engineering and cybersecurity policies.
• Support modeling and simulation activities, including Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), Systems Engineering Plans (SEP), and architecture documentation for planned and existing systems.
• Produce technical presentations, engineering reports, and corrective‑action documentation applying established engineering economy principles.
• Conduct system capability evaluations, performance analyses, and subsystem studies to inform government decision‑making.
• Utilize Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Agile collaboration tools to manage engineering data, documentation, and workflow.
• Review requirements for compliance with system, cybersecurity, and Air Force policy deliverables, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

Interpersonal Skills

• Collaborate effectively with government personnel, military members, and multiple major defense contractors supporting AWACS modernization.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly in briefings, presentations, and stakeholder discussions.
• Work independently as a self‑starter while contributing meaningfully to a dynamic, fast‑changing engineering environment.
• Demonstrate strong teamwork skills when coordinating with the E‑7 engineering team on modeling, simulation, and requirements development.
• Apply sound judgment and problem‑solving skills when evaluating system issues and recommending corrective actions.
• Manage time effectively, balancing documentation, requirements analysis, and engineering support tasks across geographically distributed teams.
• Engage constructively with diverse stakeholders, fostering productive communication across technical, programmatic, and contractor groups.

Additional Information

Location: Tinker AFB

Travel: 20% (Hanscom, Seattle)

Remote, Onsite, or Hybrid: Hybrid

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Vision insurance