Signals Intelligence Officer Team Lead

Nightwing; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 99,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

401k plan

PTO

Holidays

Additional insurances

Job summary

Nightwing in Northern Virginia seeks an experienced and cleared Signals Intelligence Officer (SIO) Team Lead to direct a 24/7 operations center. The role requires hands-on SIGINT experience on ground or airborne platforms and the ability to lead technical personnel under pressure.

You will coordinate with mission managers, target officers, and partners to align collection activity with priority goals, review reporting, and ensure timely delivery of analyses.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance on day one or eligibility for crossover.
• Minimum 2 years as a Signals Intelligence Officer on this program.
• 8+ years of relevant professional experience in SIGINT/ELINT or related fields.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise a team of SIOs across rotating shifts in a 24/7 operations center; manage scheduling and coverage.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for SIGINT collection equipment and procedures on the program.
• Plan and oversee multi-mode SIGINT and electronic warfare collection operations in support of missions.
• Coordinate with mission managers, targeting officers, and partners to align collection with priorities and timelines.

Skills

TS/SCI clearance

SIO leadership

SIGINT experience

Shift work 24/7

Team training

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SIGINT equipment

Geospatial tools

Job description

Nightwing provides technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers’ most demanding challenges. Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software modernization. Nightwing brings disruptive technologies, agility, and competitive offerings to customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets.

Nightwing is seeking an experienced and cleared Signals Intelligence Officer (SIO) Team Lead in the Northern Virginia area. This position requires work in a secure, mission-focused operations environment. Rotating shift work may include nights, weekends, holidays, and surge support based on mission requirements. This position may require travel as determined by the Customer.

Position Summary

The SIO Team Lead leads a team of Signals Intelligence Officers executing SIGINT collection operations supporting high-priority national security missions. Serving as the senior technical authority and first-line lead for SIOs within a multi-disciplinary 24/7 operations center, this role owns shift coverage, team readiness, qualification, and the quality of collection output. The Team Lead plans and oversees multi-mode SIGINT and electronic warfare collection, directs triage of time-sensitive signals for exploitation, and ensures collection results reach analysts, targeting officers, and mission partners in time to matter.

The successful candidate will bring demonstrated performance as a SIO on this program, deep hands-on SIGINT experience on ground or airborne platforms, and the ability to lead technical personnel under pressure. This role requires the ability to coordinate with mission managers and targeting officers, manage taskings across organizations, liaise with military and Intelligence Community counterparts, and communicate complex technical information clearly to program and customer leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise a team of SIOs across rotating shifts in a 24/7 intelligence operations center, including shift scheduling, task assignment, and coverage planning.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for SIGINT collection equipment, tradecraft, and procedures on the program.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee the execution of multi-mode SIGINT and electronic warfare collection operations supporting tactical and strategic missions.
• Coordinate with mission managers, targeting officers, and mission partners to align collection activity with mission priorities and decision timelines.
• Direct real-time triage of collected signals and ensure time-sensitive material reaches exploitation.
• Review and approve SIGINT reporting, technical assessments, and shift turnover materials produced by the team.
• Manage taskings and information flow across multiple organizations, serving as the program's primary SIO liaison to military and Intelligence Community elements.
• Own SIO training, qualification, and certification, including delivery of customer-specific and on-the-job training.
• Evaluate team performance, provide feedback and mentoring, and support hiring and onboarding of new SIOs.
• Identify equipment, procedural, and staffing issues, and drive corrective actions and technical improvements with program and customer leadership.
• Ensure collected data is handled, secured, and manipulated in accordance with customer policy, and that team members comply.
• Brief program and customer leadership on collection status, team readiness, and operational risks.
• Support domestic and international travel, exercises, or short-duration deployments as required.
• Perform other leadership, technical, or operational support duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph on day one of employment, and eligibility for clearance crossover.
• Minimum of two years of experience as a Signals Intelligence Officer (SIO) on this program.
• 8+ years of relevant professional experience, or equivalent combination of education, training, military, or operational experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in SIGINT, ELINT, electronic warfare, or other wireless technical collection in support of operational missions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, train, and evaluate technical personnel in an operational environment.
• In-depth knowledge of SIGINT collection equipment, including experience configuring, operating, and maintaining multi-mode collection systems on ground or airborne platforms.
• Experience directing real-time triage and processing of time-sensitive collection for exploitation.
• Working knowledge of RF and wireless communications technologies, including push-to-talk radio, cellular (2G through 5G), and Wi-Fi.
• Experience integrating SIGINT reporting with geospatial analysis and disseminating products to diverse mission partners.
• Understanding of national intelligence priorities and collection management processes.
• Experience managing taskings and information flow across multiple organizations, including liaison with military and Intelligence Community counterparts.
• Military SIGINT background or equivalent operational experience.
• Ability to work rotating shifts in a 24/7 operations center, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, including the ability to explain technical collection issues to non-technical leadership.
• High school diploma or GED.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, information technology, intelligence studies, or a related field.
• Master's degree in a relevant discipline.
• Prior formal supervisory, team lead, or watch-floor leadership experience.
• Experience developing training curricula, qualification standards, or standard operating procedures for SIGINT operators.
• Experience integrating collection payloads onto customer platforms or supporting equipment test and evaluation.
• Technical competency in additional disciplines such as ELINT analysis, electronic warfare, cryptologic linguistics, radio operations, cybersecurity, or network engineering and security.
• Current amateur radio license.
• Experience supporting domestic or international deployments, exercises, or field-based collection operations.
• Valid driver's license and REAL ID, if required for site access or mission travel.

Applicable Military Occupational Codes

• Marine Corps: 2600, 2611, 2621, 2629, 2631, 2651
• Army: 35N, 35P, 35S
• Navy: CTI, CTN, CTR, CTT
• Air Force: 1N1, 1N2, 1N3

Work Environment

This role operates in a mission-critical 24/7 environment requiring rotating shift work, technical precision, sound judgment, and the ability to lead under pressure. Customer-specific and on-the-job training is provided. Candidates may support nights, weekends, holidays, surge operations, domestic travel, international travel, exercises, or short-duration deployments depending on mission requirements.

Salary & Benefits

The salary associated with this position ($99,000-$206,000) is commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications, years of relevant experience, and demonstrated level of expertise. Compensation will be determined based on these factors to ensure alignment with skills, responsibilities, and market standards.

Nightwing offers medical, vision and dental insurance coverage in addition to a 401k plan, PTO, Holidays, and additional insurances.

Nightwing is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.