UAV/Sensor Development, Prototyping, and Testing-Associate Staff

MIT Lincoln Laboratory; Lexington (MA); On-site; USD 116,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Pension

401K

Paid leave

Tuition reimbursement

Mentorship program

Work-life balance

Job summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA is seeking highly motivated engineers to join the Advanced Capabilities & Systems Group to develop new low-cost sensors across modalities (RF, EO/IR, acoustic) and to advance uncrewed vehicles (UAV/USV/UUV).

You will work in teams to rapidly prototype, integrate, and test complete systems for transition to U.S. service members, with opportunities to present to customers and contribute to team and project management.

Qualifications

• MS degree in engineering, CS, mathematics, or related field; BS with related experience considered.
• Experience with sensor development and integration (radar, RF, EO/IR, acoustics).
• Hands-on design, prototyping, and field-testing air/ground/sea/underwater vehicles.
• Strong ability to present technical materials to varied audiences.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop new low-cost sensors across modalities (RF, EO/IR, acoustic).
• Develop EA/EP systems and UAVs/USVs/UUVs.
• Work in teams to rapidly develop, integrate, prototype, and test complete systems for use by U.S. service members.
• Deliver customer presentations and demonstrations; contribute to team/project management.

Skills

Sensor integration

Technical presentations

Teamwork

Education

MS degree in engineering or related

BS with related experience considered

Job description

UAV/Sensor Development, Prototyping, and Testing-Associate Staff

Date: Oct 7, 2026

Location: Lexington, MA, US

Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Position Description

The Advanced Capabilities and Systems Group is an agile, innovative, multi-disciplinary team developing novel system and technology concepts that address the nation's critical security challenges. The Group leverages focused analysis to understand solutions to defense and intelligence problems and then develops the solutions in a fast cycle of experimentation, prototyping, and testing. The Group supports the Army, Air Force, Navy, Special Operations Forces, the Intelligence Community, and other government agencies in a wide variety of prototyping efforts. The Group consists of talented technical staff with expertise in electromagnetics, signal processing, radio frequency systems, antenna design, acoustics, EO/IR imaging, statistics, optimization, machine learning, UAS development, autonomous control, flight testing, software engineering, and embedded systems.

The Advanced Capabilities & Systems Group is seeking highly motivated engineers to join our team to develop new low-cost sensors across different modalities (RF, EO/IR, acoustic, etc.), electronic attack/protections (EA/EP) systems, and uncrewed airborne/surface/underwater vehicles (UAV/USV/UUV). Successful candidates will work in teams to rapidly develop, integrate, prototype, and test complete systems to be transitioned for use by U.S service members. Additional responsibilities include customer presentations/demonstrations and team/project management.

The Advanced Capabilities & Systems Group works on innovative and fast-paced sensor development and uncrewed autonomous system programs (such as the Perdix micro UAS) from concept through operational prototype. Technical staff have the opportunity to work closely with service members to develop impactful solutions to some of the government's most challenging problems.

Minimum Qualifications

• MS degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, or related degree; BS candidates with additional related experience will be considered
• Experience with sensor development and integration including radar, passive RF receivers, EO/IR cameras, or acoustics
• Hands on experience designing, prototyping, and field-testing air, ground, surface, or underwater vehicles.
• Candidates should have strong skills in the development and presentation of technical materials to varied audiences.
• Candidates should demonstrate strong teamwork skills with the ability to work productively and collaboratively with other team members
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance required

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $116,400 - $140,000
Experienced Hiring Range: $116,400 - $182,200

Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including-but not limited to-the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.

At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
• Mentorship programs
• A range of work-life balance options
• ... and much more!

Please visit our Benefits page for more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage of other voluntary benefits, discounts and perks.

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.

Requisition ID:43427

Nearest Major Market: Boston

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