Mid-Level Communications Standards Engineer

The Marlin Alliance • San Diego, CA

31d • $110,000 - $150,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Marlin Alliance, Inc. is seeking a Mid-Level Communications Standards Engineer to work in San Diego, CA. The successful candidate will bring a solid technical foundation in communications systems, software engineering, or systems engineering, combined with hands-on proficiency in modern tools and technologies. This role is ideal for an engineer who thrives at the intersection of established DoD tactical communications practices and emerging technology areas, and who is eager to grow domain expertise while contributing meaningfully to complex interoperability and integration challenges across the joint force. Established in 2002, The Marlin Alliance is a woman-owned small business (WOSB) seeking to hire highly skilled individuals to support mission critical projects within the Navy. We are looking for motivated individuals to lead and support digital transformation, data science and analytics, and automation projects for variety of Navy clients. Individuals must be able to function in a fast-paced work environment and able to adapt quickly to rapidly changing requirements and technologies. Using your comprehensive knowledge of various technologies, you will design, develop, and implement solutions to support Navy mission owners in their digital transformation journey. Location: San Diego, CA - Hybrid 3 day's/week on-site NAVWAR Clearance: Active DoD Secret clearance, with the ability to obtain Top Secret/SCI clearance Travel : Up to 25% travel may be required

Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline.
• Four (4) to seven (7) years of experience in DoD communications, software engineering, or systems engineering, with exposure to one or more of the following: software-defined radios (SDRs), military communications waveforms, communications standards, or C4ISR systems.
• Familiarity with open architecture frameworks for communications systems.
• Ability to analyze technical integration challenges and contribute to effective solutions in a team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and possess an active DoD Secret security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Masters degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Hands-on experience applying modern tools and technologies to engineering workflows, such as AI/ML for analysis or automation, scripting languages (e.g., Python), model-based systems engineering (MBSE), containerization, CI/CD pipelines, or modern data serialization formats (e.g., Protobuf, JSON, XML).
• Experience with or knowledge of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) concepts and relevant industry standards or consortia (e.g., SOSA, CMOSS, FACE).
• Familiarity with emerging technology domains relevant to the joint force, such as Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), artificial intelligence / machine learning (AI/ML), tactical data links, or communications for autonomous systems.
• Awareness of cybersecurity considerations for tactical communications systems.
• Experience participating in technical working groups or collaborative engineering efforts.
• INCOSE Associate Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) or equivalent certification.
• Ability to obtain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support technical analysis and engineering efforts related to tactical communications standards, waveforms, software-defined radio (SDR) architectures, and systems integration.
• Assist in analyzing system-of-systems interoperability challenges, focusing on interfaces, data exchange formats, and network integration patterns, and contribute to the development of technical solutions and recommendations.
• Participate in technical working groups, industry consortia, and stakeholder engagements alongside senior team members.
• Support the development, review, and modernization of technical specifications, interface standards, and reference implementations, including applying modern data serialization and middleware technologies to update legacy interfaces and APIs.
• Contribute to technical analyses, architectural assessments, integration guides, and written recommendations that support government decision-making.
• Apply modern tools and technologies, including AI/ML, scripting and automation, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), and contemporary software development practices, to accelerate engineering analysis and improve team processes.
• Support technical collaboration among diverse government and industry stakeholders in a vendor-neutral capacity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level