Department Chief Engineer – NORAD/NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, and STRATCOM

The MITRE Corporation•Bellevue Second I Precinct, NE

10d•$190,000 - $285,000•Onsite

About The Position

MITRE is seeking a strategic, technically accomplished, and operationally focused Department Chief Engineer (CE) for its NORAD/NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, and STRATCOM (N558) Department. This leadership role is critical in shaping and advancing a growing work program and MITRE technical staff, reinforcing MITRE’s position as a trusted partner in homeland defense, strategic deterrence, and Western Hemisphere security. The CE will align MITRE’s technical expertise, innovation investments, and mission-focused solutions with sponsor priorities, enabling operational success today while addressing emerging challenges of the future. As a member of the NORAD/NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, and STRATCOM leadership team, the CE will collaborate with geographically distributed staff across MITRE to address complex security challenges. Working in partnership with the U.S. Department of War (DoW), interagency organizations, and international partners, the CE will apply advanced technologies, engineering expertise, and mission-driven innovation to real-world operational needs. The role also requires a strategic perspective to position sponsors to meet evolving threats and long-term defense challenges across the homeland, the Western Hemisphere, and the global strategic environment.

Requirements

Typically requires a minimum of 12 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 10 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 7 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience
Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline, such as Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Computer), Computer Science, or related fields.
Must have held a Project Leader, Group Leader, Technical Integrator position (or equivalent experience)
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop technical talent and multidisciplinary teams to achieve solutions to complex technical challenges.
Demonstrated ability to exemplify cultural drivers - operates with speed, urgency, and decisiveness; takes appropriate risks and bold actions; demonstrates adaptability and seeks out the hardest challenges; demonstrates collaboration, grace, and respect
Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and successfully solve complex technical challenges across business lines and stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to apply conceptual and innovative thinking to develop multidisciplinary solutions.
Success developing strategic relationships with senior leaders and sponsors – and converting those into impactful outcomes on critical national security initiatives, technical challenges, and priorities.
Demonstrated ability to lead complex programs and synthesize how disparate activities support a strategic mission objective or outcome.
Demonstrated ability to communicate highly complex technical challenges effectively.
Demonstrated ability to work across stakeholders and resolve complex issues.
Understanding of national security priorities and intelligence community organizational policies, priorities, and missions.
Active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance.
U.S. Citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MS/MEng) in engineering, science, mathematics, computer science, or other related fields.
Five or more years of experience with command-and-control (C2) processes, architectures, and systems.
Experience serving as an enterprise architect or systems-of-systems integrator.
Current knowledge of Joint Staff and or Combatant Command (ideally NORAD/NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, and/or STRATCOM) missions, priorities, and challenges.
Experience with and/or understanding of the Nuclear NC2/NC3 enterprise
Familiarity with the Southern Border Mission (JTF-Southern Border), SOUTHCOM Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC), Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S), and/or Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel (JIATF-CC)
Familiarity with MITRE project management processes, capabilities, and supporting tools.
Demonstrated strategic planning skills and the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans for government sponsors.
This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s): Top Secret/SCI
This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s): Top Secret/SCI

Responsibilities

Partnering with the Department Manager and Project Leaders to ensure the execution of a high-quality, high-impact technical work program that achieves sponsor mission outcomes.
Serving as a key member of the NORAD/NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, and STRATCOM Leadership Team and working closely with N550 Division leadership to guide the technical direction, quality, and impact of current work; shape future opportunities; and support workforce growth and development.
Collaborating with Project Leaders across the department, providing technical leadership, strategic guidance, and significant individual contributions to advance capability development, innovation, and mission impact.
Leading the Department’s Technical Quality Program, participating in deliverable reviews, and partnering across MITRE National Security (MNS), MITRE Public Sector (MPS), and MITRE Technology and Engineering (MTE) to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of N558’s delivery to sponsors.
Establishing and sustaining strategic partnerships within MITRE and with external organizations to strengthen workforce capabilities, enhance technical quality, and leverage MITRE’s full range of expertise and resources in support of solving sponsors’ most challenging problems.
Advancing MITRE’s Strategy, Vision, and Mission by translating MITRE’s strategy, vision, and mission into technical direction, execution priorities, and measurable outcomes that deliver mission impact.
Driving Strategic Outcomes by partnering with organizational and sponsor leadership to shape, refine, and execute sponsor, corporate, and functional strategies, ensuring technical efforts align with enterprise and mission priorities.
Defining and Overseeing the Right Work by leading the development, prioritization, and oversight of the technical work program, ensuring work is mission –driven, technically sound, innovative, and aligned with sponsor needs and MITRE objectives.
Developing and Empowering People by building technical talent through identifying, mentoring, coaching, and developing staff; fostering an inclusive, high –performing environment that enables growth, collaboration, and technical excellence.
Building Trusted Strategic Relationships by establishing and sustaining strong relationships with sponsors, partners, and key stakeholders; serving as a trusted technical advisor on major initiatives, policy matters, complex challenges, and strategic priorities.
Upholding the MITRE Brand by ensuring the highest standards of technical quality, integrity, innovation, and impact across products, programs, and deliverables, consistent with MITRE’s reputation and values.
Steward Resources Responsibly by partnering with leadership to manage resources effectively, including people, funding, and organizational capacity, to maximize mission value, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
Leading and maturing the Department’s Technical Quality Program by establishing, implementing, and continuously improving technical quality standards, review processes, and expectations across mission functions, technical disciplines, and work programs.
Strengthening a culture of technical excellence by driving rigorous technical reviews, promoting continuous improvement, and engaging senior technical talent to contribute to and independently assess key products, solutions, and deliverables.
Partnering with business and people leadership to build organizational technical strength by assessing and influencing workforce planning, hiring, staff development, and training priorities needed to sustain critical capabilities and advance technical excellence.
Ensuring technical rigor, consistency, and quality across execution by providing oversight of project activities, technical products, and mission outcomes, and by addressing quality risks early and effectively.
Serving as the senior technical authority for the organization by setting expectations for engineering excellence, guiding resolution of complex technical issues, and ensuring alignment between technical work, sponsor needs, and MITRE standards.
Improving technical quality and organizational effectiveness over time by using reviews, lessons learned, feedback, and performance indicators to identify gaps, strengthen practices, and increase mission impact.
Leading and supporting project leaders and staff in Technical Quality, Technical Impact, Strategy Development, Staff Development, and Partnerships and Initiatives.
Building and sustaining trusted relationships with senior DoW and international military leaders, engineers, other FFRDCs and UARCs, commercial executives, and managers to advance sponsor priorities and mission outcomes.
Partnering across MITRE to bring relevant capabilities, prior work, and technical expertise to sponsors, strengthening sponsor impact and enterprise value.
Enabling effective senior-level engagement by shaping strategic interactions and positioning MITRE leadership to deepen sponsor relationships and influence key decisions.
Serving as a proactive team member and trusted leader, partnering closely with senior military leaders and action officers to identify operational and engineering challenges, develop potential solutions, and clearly communicate project goals, impacts, and outcomes.
Fostering a collaborative team environment that leverages a broad network of MITRE and external professional relationships.
Engaging effectively with engineers, planners, subject matter experts, international programs (including Foreign Military Sales), and defense acquisition professionals.
Continuing to leverage MITRE Technology & Engineering (MTE) expertise, MITRE Platform capabilities, and research and development efforts from the MITRE Innovation Program (MIP) to support project execution and mission delivery.
Adjusting priorities, approaches, and technical focus in response to evolving sponsor needs, mission demands, and operational conditions.
Leveraging MITRE’s enterprise reach-back capabilities to connect the right expertise to the right mission challenges at the right time, improving responsiveness and mission impact.