FAST Labs Hardware Engineering Lead

BAE Systems•Merrimack, NH

4d•$153,377 - $260,743•Onsite

About The Position

FAST Labs™ is a world-class research and microelectronics production organization focused on fearless innovation and tackling unprecedented challenges. We believe in collaboration, learning, and driving impact through innovation. FAST Labs, at the heart of BAE Systems Electronic Systems (ES), develops next-generation technology across defense and commercial portfolios, including advanced electronics, EW, sensors and processing, AI, autonomy, RF, EO/IR, and cyber. We foster a broad innovation ecosystem with internal and external partners. Our strategy of Mission Campaigning emphasizes a continuous path from early science to end-user capability, solving warfighter problems and enabling rapid fielding and scaling. As part of this, the FAST Labs Sensing Technologies (ST) product line is seeking project hardware engineering leads to guide teams through R&D programs and technology transitions. These leads will own the technical, cost, and schedule aspects of projects, shaping teams of electrical, mechanical, optical, and firmware engineers. The ST product line specializes in lasers, precision optical pointers, advanced multi-model seekers, and underwater sensors, serving Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force missions. The role involves being a senior technical leader, supporting business capture through proposal activities, providing hardware-engineering technical-architecture expertise, and driving project execution. This role requires a commitment to best-practice engineering, hardware-engineering input for new business capture, serving as a subject-matter expert on proposal teams, partnering with management for staffing, ensuring adherence to R&D processes, and driving agile process refinements and a "One-Team" culture. Due to the need for consistent, in-person collaboration and the nature of the work, this position will be performed 100% onsite at a BAE Systems facility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering discipline and 12+ years of progressive experience in a related field.
Active DoW Secret clearance
10+ years of hands-on experience in hardware design, including laboratory troubleshooting, technical problem-solving, and field testing.
4+ years of experience leading hardware engineering teams on development programs, including responsibility as a Lead Hardware Engineer and Control Account Manager (CAM).
Experience supporting business development activities, including proposal development and generation of hardware engineering cost and schedule estimates.
Proven ability to build, lead, and motivate high-performing project technical teams.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly present complex technical information both verbally and in writing.
Proficient in cross-functional collaboration and customer engagement.
Commitment to continuous learning, innovation, and thought leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience with cutting-edge engineering techniques, including Model-Based Engineering, Agile, and Digital Engineering, to solve complex challenges with efficiency.
Expertise in RF Systems: Design and analyze RF front-ends, including antennas, LNAs, mixers, and ADCs.
Expertise in Signal Processing: Master spectrum management, modulation/demodulation, and RF signal characterization.
Expertise in Algorithm Implementation: Translate algorithms into high-performance, low-latency hardware pipelines.
Expertise in Advanced Computing: Leverage heterogeneous computing platforms (GPU, FPGA, ASIC, neuromorphic chips).
Expertise in EO/IR Imaging: Design, integration, and calibrate state-of-the-art EO/IR cameras, hyperspectral imagers, and LiDAR.
Expertise in Optical Engineering: Optomechanical and Electrical architectures, detector physics, radiometry and image quality metrics.
Expertise in Laser Systems: Knowledge of Laser system hardware components, subsystems, building blocks and architectures.

Responsibilities

Ensure designs follow best-practice engineering methods
Provide hardware-engineering input for new-business capture – influence technical baselines, develop cost estimates, identify technical risks, and suggest mitigation strategies
Serve as the hardware subject-matter expert on proposal teams, helping shape technical scopes and pricing models
Partner with Product Engineering Management (PEM), and Functional Managers (FMs), to identify, prioritize, and fill staffing requirements on your hardware development projects
Ensure all hardware R&D activities adhere to an appropriate level or research and development processes and are well matched to the scope of the efforts
Drive agile process refinements, capture lessons learned, and champion “One‑Team” culture across your project