SW Test & Evaluation Engineer

DCS Corporation; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

DCS Corporation is seeking a SW Test & Evaluation Engineer to support AFRL programs in the Dayton area. You will shape next-generation software and hardware capabilities, working hands-on with multidisciplinary teams on national security missions.

Ideal candidates have a BS in engineering/science, 8+ years of experience, and a Secret clearance. You will lead testing, CI/CD security, and DevSecOps efforts across DoD programs, ensuring robust, validated solutions for air and space domains.

Qualifications

• BS degree in engineering or science with 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience in system/software test & evaluation.
• Strong object-oriented programming experience.
• CI/CD pipeline automation with embedded security checks.
• U.S. citizenship and an active security clearance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Test, evaluate, and push forward complex software and hardware systems.
• Explore performance envelopes of cutting-edge capabilities in DoD-relevant environments.
• Prototype and research performance-enhancing technologies for AFRL programs.
• Provide technical direction to development teams for near-term and long-term goals.
• Strengthen system reliability with DevSecOps practices and cybersecurity compliance.
• Document innovations and develop user manuals for deployment.
• Collaborate with SMEs and mission partners to co-create impactful solutions.
• Contribute to mission systems used by the Air Force and interface with operators.

Skills

U.S. citizenship

Secret clearance

Object-oriented programming

CI/CD with security checks

Independent & collaborative

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/science

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

DoD/IC tools

Job description

Join a mission-driven engineering team operating at the cutting edge of U.S. Defense, Aerospace, Human Factors, and Security innovation. As a SW Test & Evaluation Engineer, you will help shape nextgeneration software and hardware capabilities supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). DCS is an employee owned organization where bold ideas, technical rigor, and creative problemsolving fuel real-world impact.

This role places you right in the center of hightempo R&D efforts - working hands-on with advanced tools, multidisciplinary experts, and emerging technologies to evaluate, refine, and enhance systems critical to national security. If you love transforming complex technical challenges into validated, highperformance solutions, this is your arena.

Essential Job Functions:

• You won't just test systems - you'll push them forward.
• Evaluate cutting-edge software and hardware capabilities and explore their performance envelope in real research environments.
• Research & prototype new performance-enhancing technologies to improve existing platforms.
• Design and develop forwardleaning capabilities for AFRL programs that directly support DoD missions.
• Guide development teams with technical direction that influences both near-term deliverables and long-term architecture.
• Strengthen system reliability through DevSecOps updates, cybersecurity compliance, vulnerability scans, and ATO-supporting activities.
• Document innovations and build user-ready manuals that help deploy new capabilities with clarity and confidence.
• Collaborate across engineering teams, SMEs, and mission partners to co-create solutions that matter.
• Your contributions will shape mission systems used by the Air Force - and improve how operators interact with and rely on emerging technologies.

Required Skills:

• Due to the sensitivity of customer related requirements, U.S. Citizenship
• Must have an active Secret (or higher) clearance
• BS degree (or higher) in engineering/science + 8 years of relevant experience
• Proven experience in system/software test & evaluation
• Strong objectoriented programming experience
• CI/CD pipeline automation with embedded security checks
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Excellent written & verbal communication skills

Desired Skills:

• AFRL system familiarity
• Experience with sensing, tracking, or fusion algorithms
• 5+ years in SW/HW T&E
• Cloud expertise (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• DoD/IC tool knowledge
• Advanced STEM degree preferred
• Team leadership & mentoring capability

Why Join DCS:

You’ll be part of a powerful, multidisciplinary ecosystem where innovation is expected, ideas matter, and your technical influence has tangible impact on DoD mission success. Employee ownership means your success is tied to the organization's success - and your work contributes to advancing national defense across air and space domains.