Senior Undersea Systems Engineer

MITRE; McLean (VA); Hybrid; USD 121,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

MITRE seeks a Senior Undersea Systems Engineer to lead undersea warfare analysis and systems integration efforts. You will guide multidisciplinary teams, coordinate with government sponsors, and deliver decision-quality recommendations across the lifecycle of naval capabilities.

The role requires an active security clearance (Top Secret/SCI) and the ability to work on-site up to three days per week, with a hybrid work model in McLean, VA.

Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance with ability to obtain Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Experience applying systems engineering to naval undersea missions.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage sponsor-facing tasks.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical task leader for undersea systems engineering efforts.
• Lead cross-disciplinary teams across engineering, operations, and intelligence.
• Coordinate with government sponsors to define objectives and deliverables.
• Translate complex analyses into actionable recommendations for senior decision makers.
• Manage risk, schedules, and quality across task execution.

Skills

Security clearance

Leadership

Systems engineering

Communication skills

Independent work

Education

Bachelors degree in a technical field

Relevant work experience

Master/PhD preferred

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 Naval Integration & Operations Department provides systems engineering, analysis, research, and technical advisory support for challenging naval missions across the maritime and joint domains. The Naval Integration & Operations Department is seeking a Senior Undersea Systems Engineer to serve as a technical task leader, guiding multidisciplinary teams through the analysis, development, integration, and delivery of engineering solutions for undersea warfare and naval capabilities.

The task leader will work directly with sponsors, lead technical execution, coordinate contributors across MITRE, establish technical direction, manage task-level risks and dependencies, and translate complex engineering analysis into actionable recommendations for senior government decision makers.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical task leader for undersea systems engineering efforts, establishing task objectives, technical approach, priorities, schedules, and deliverables.
  • Lead multidisciplinary teams conducting systems engineering, operational analysis, requirements development, architecture assessments, technology evaluations, and capability assessments supporting undersea warfare missions.
  • Engage directly with government sponsors to understand mission needs, shape analytical questions, develop courses of action, and guide task execution toward useful operational outcomes.
  • Integrate technical contributions across engineering, operations, intelligence, communications, sensing, combat systems, and other relevant disciplines into coherent recommendations and decision products.
  • Manage task execution, including technical reviews, work planning, risk identification, issue resolution, dependencies, and quality of deliverables.
  • Apply systems engineering principles across the lifecycle of naval capabilities, including requirements, design, development, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment.
  • Communicate complex technical findings and recommendations through concise written products, briefings, working sessions, and direct engagement with sponsors and senior stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Communications Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related technical field and 5 years of relevant experience, or a master's degree and 3 years of relevant experience, or a PhD with relevant experience sufficient to immediately contribute at the Senior career step.
  • Active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
  • Knowledge of naval undersea operations and undersea warfare missions.
    • Experience with one or more of the following areas: Submarine Operations
    • Theater Undersea Warfare Operations
    • Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3)
    • Undersea threat systems.
    • Joint and maritime undersea operations and intelligence analysis.
  • Demonstrated experience applying systems engineering processes to formulate courses of action, evaluate technical alternatives, assess programs or capabilities, and develop recommendations.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical work, coordinate multidisciplinary contributors, establish priorities, and deliver results against defined objectives.
  • Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Ability to work independently, learn new technologies and processes, and contribute effectively within geographically dispersed teams.
  • Ability to support a minimum of 3 days on-site presence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Communications Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related technical field.
  • Active TS/SCI clearance.
  • Experience with naval mission systems from technical and/or operational perspectives.
  • Experience leading systems engineering activities across multiple lifecycle phases, including requirements, design, development, integration, test, deployment, and sustainment.
  • Experience with undersea combat systems, communications systems, sensing systems, weapon systems, or their operational employment.
  • Experience with submarine systems or undersea communications.
  • Experience supporting the U.S. Intelligence Community.
  • Demonstrated experience leading sponsor-facing technical tasks, managing multidisciplinary teams, and delivering decision-quality technical recommendations.
  • Experience mentoring engineers and developing technical staff through task execution, peer review, and sponsor engagement.

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

Top 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

$121,200 - $151,500 - $181,800 Annual

Work Location Type

Hybrid

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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