Test & Evaluation Mission Engineer

AI Signal Research, Inc.; Virginia, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

AI Signal Research, Inc. (ASRI) seeks an experienced Test & Evaluation Mission Engineer to support the Potomac River Test Range contract at NSWCDD. The role leads multidisciplinary test planning, coordinates with government customers, and executes open-air and field-based testing.

Hands-on field work and travel are required. Ideal candidates have 5+ years in engineering or test planning, with ability to translate requirements into actionable test activities and manage resources within schedule

Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant engineering, test, mission planning, systems integration, or technical project experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain security clearance.
• Experience translating requirements into executable project or test activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Mission Lead for Broad Ocean Area Data Collection test and evaluation activities.
• Coordinate with government customers and technical stakeholders to understand mission needs, test objectives, operational requirements, and expected outcomes.
• Decompose high-level customer and system requirements into actionable engineering, test, instrumentation, and mission requirements.
• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of open-air, indoor, maritime, and field-based test activities.
• Develop and coordinate mission plans, technical approaches, schedules, resource requirements, and execution strategies.
• Coordinate personnel, equipment, instrumentation, facilities, range assets, and other resources required to successfully execute test missions.
• Participate in pre-mission planning meetings, technical reviews, readiness reviews, and post-test discussions.
• Provide technical leadership during test execution and help resolve real-time engineering, operational, or scheduling issues.
• Monitor mission progress and ensure test activities remain aligned with technical requirements, schedule, budget, safety requirements, and customer expectations.
• Support test data collection activities and coordinate with engineering and technical teams responsible for instrumentation, sensors, communications, tracking, telemetry, or other data acquisition systems.
• Identify technical and programmatic risks and work with the project team to develop mitigation strategies.
• Maintain effective communication between government customers, engineering teams, field personnel, subcontractors, and program leadership.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, technical documentation, mission documentation, status reports, and other program deliverables.
• Support future mission planning by identifying lessons learned, resource needs, technical improvements, and opportunities to improve test execution.
• Provide clear written and verbal technical briefings to internal and external stakeholders.
• Perform hands-on field work as required in support of test and evaluation operations.
• Travel approximately 25% in support of mission planning and test execution.

Skills

Mission planning

Systems integration

Technical project management

Analytical thinking

Customer communication

Education

Bachelor of Science in engineering or technical discipline

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Test & Evaluation Mission Engineer

Full Time Dahlgren, Virginia, Dahlgren, VA, US

Potomac River Test Range (PRTR) | Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division

Position Summary

AI Signal Research, Inc. (ASRI) is seeking an experiencedTest & Evaluation Mission Engineer to support the Potomac River Test Range (PRTR) contract at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD).

This position supports non-explosive open-air and indoor test, evaluation, and experimentation activities for theTest and Evaluation Division (E40) within the Gun and Electric Weapons Department.

The selected candidate will serve as atechnical and mission lead for the Broad Ocean Area Data Collection team, working directly with government customers, engineers, range personnel, and other technical stakeholders to define mission requirements, develop test objectives, coordinate resources, and lead the planning and execution of complex test events.

This is a hands‑on engineering position for someone who enjoys working across bothtechnical planning and field operations. The ideal candidate will have experience supporting military or government test programs, translating customer requirements into executable test plans, coordinating multidisciplinary engineering activities, and leading missions from initial planning through execution and completion.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as aMission Lead for Broad Ocean Area Data Collection test and evaluation activities.

Work directly with government customers and technical stakeholders to understand mission needs, test objectives, operational requirements, and expected outcomes.

Decompose high-level customer and system requirements into actionable engineering, test, instrumentation, and mission requirements.

Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of open‑air, indoor, maritime, and field‑based test activities.

Develop and coordinate mission plans, technical approaches, schedules, resource requirements, and execution strategies.

Coordinate personnel, equipment, instrumentation, facilities, range assets, and other resources required to successfully execute test missions.

Participate in pre‑mission planning meetings, technical reviews, readiness reviews, and post‑test discussions.

Provide technical leadership during test execution and help resolve real‑time engineering, operational, or scheduling issues.

Monitor mission progress and ensure test activities remain aligned with technical requirements, schedule, budget, safety requirements, and customer expectations.

Support test data collection activities and coordinate with engineering and technical teams responsible for instrumentation, sensors, communications, tracking, telemetry, or other data acquisition systems.

Identify technical and programmatic risks and work with the project team to develop mitigation strategies.

Maintain effective communication between government customers, engineering teams, field personnel, subcontractors, and program leadership.

Develop and maintain project schedules, technical documentation, mission documentation, status reports, and other program deliverables.

Support future mission planning by identifying lessons learned, resource needs, technical improvements, and opportunities to improve test execution.

Provide clear written and verbal technical briefings to internal and external stakeholders.

Perform hands‑on field work as required in support of test and evaluation operations.

Travel approximately25% in support of mission planning and test execution.

Required Qualifications

Must possess or be able to obtain and maintain the security clearance required for the position.

Minimum offive (5) years of relevant engineering, test, mission planning, systems integration, or technical project experience.

Working knowledge of engineering principles within one or more of the following areas:

Mechanical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Experience translating technical or operational requirements into executable project or test activities.

Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple aspects of a technical project, includingtechnical performance, schedule, resources, and budget.

Ability to communicate effectively with customers to define test requirements, objectives, priorities, and mission expectations.

Experience working independently in dynamic technical or operational environments.

Strong analytical thinking, troubleshooting, and problem‑solving skills.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

High attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

Willingness and ability to perform hands‑on field work.

Education

A Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college or university in an engineering, scientific, or technical discipline is desired.

Relevant technical, military, test and evaluation, or engineering experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Preferred Qualifications

PreviousU.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps experience.

Experience supporting the Department of Defense, Navy laboratories, warfare centers, military test ranges, or similar government engineering organizations.

Previous experience withTest & Evaluation (T&E), Developmental Test & Evaluation (DT&E), range operations, field testing, or experimentation.

Experience supporting open‑air, maritime, or range‑based test activities.

Experience with mission planning, test planning, requirements