Air Traffic Communications Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Parsons Corporation•Washington, DC

About The Position

Parsons is looking for an amazingly talented Air Traffic Communications Subject Matter Expert (SME) to join our team! T5 Program Summary: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the Technical Support Services Contract 5 (T5) to Parsons in April 2023. Parsons is the prime contractor. This $1.8+ billion contract has a 4-year base period with two 3-year options. The statement of work includes a variety of activities that support the FAA’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP) and certain reimbursable programs, the FAA NextGen Program, national security programs, and aviation safety. Specifically, work includes site selection and engineering, construction, environmental and fire/life safety, equipment installation and testing, drafting, contract surveillance, and other technical services as required. Work is performed across the nation in each of the FAA’s nine regions as well as the Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey and in several U.S. territories. An average staff of 500 with a peak staff over 650 supports this contract, in addition to those subcontractors who perform construction work. The Air Traffic Communications Subject Matter Expert (SME) serves as a senior technical advisor to program leadership, providing expert guidance on the design, integration, modernization, and transition of voice communication systems that support safe and reliable air traffic management within the National Airspace System (NAS). This role ensures that current and next-generation voice capabilities meet FAA mission needs, including operational continuity, safety, cybersecurity, and compliance with national and international standards. The SME provides authoritative insight into system architecture, human factors, and interoperability with automation and surveillance platforms to support FAA leadership in critical decision-making.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree and minimum of and at least 15 years of related professional experience.
Recognized expertise in ATC voice communications systems with direct experience supporting FAA or equivalent aviation authority programs.
Strong knowledge of NAS voice infrastructure and VoIP technologies.
Familiarity with human factors, safety assurance, and integration of communications with ATC automation and surveillance systems.
Demonstrated ability to provide authoritative technical advice and influence FAA program outcomes.
Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and problem-solving skills.
Security Clearance Requirement: None

Responsibilities

Advise program leadership on voice communications modernization strategies, transition planning, and technical risks.
Provide subject matter expertise on legacy and advanced systems such as Voice Switching and Control Systems (VSCS), Voice over IP (VoIP), and related communications technologies.
Review and evaluate contractor designs, proposals, and test results for compliance with FAA requirements, ICAO standards, and NAS architecture.
Conduct independent assessments of voice system performance, resiliency, latency, and interoperability with ATC automation platforms.
Support requirements development, system engineering reviews, verification/validation, and operational readiness assessments.
Address cybersecurity, spectrum management, and resilience considerations for voice communications infrastructure.
Facilitate knowledge transfer, stakeholder engagement, and training to support FAA adoption of new voice technologies.