NORAD & USNORTHCOM Task Lead

The Mitre Corporation • Colorado Springs, CO

3d • $146,400 - $219,600 • Onsite

About The Position

MITRE is seeking an experienced technical and mission leader to support its NORAD & USNORTHCOM work program. The Task Lead will work closely with the NORAD & USNORTHCOM Project Leader and Deputy Project Leader to integrate work across the portfolio, strengthen sponsor relationships, shape project activities, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and translate complex mission challenges into actionable MITRE work.

The role operates at the intersection of sponsor engagement, project execution, mission analysis, and technical integration. It requires sufficient systems- and mission-engineering experience to understand and connect technical efforts, with its primary emphasis on integrating people, projects, mission needs, and MITRE capabilities rather than serving as the portfolio’s principal engineering authority.

Requirements

• Typically, at least 8 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree, 6 years with a master’s degree, or 3 years with a PhD, or an equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, systems engineering, computer science, operations research, data science, national security, international relations, public policy, or a related field, with experience commensurate with MITRE Lead career-level requirements.
• Demonstrated experience leading projects, major tasks, or multidisciplinary teams supporting complex government missions.
• Experience working directly with senior government sponsors to understand mission needs, shape work, and deliver products informing operational, technical, or strategic decisions.
• Ability to integrate technical, operational, organizational, and policy considerations into coherent project activities and recommendations.
• Working knowledge of systems thinking, systems engineering, mission engineering, architecture, cybersecurity, operational analysis, or related disciplines sufficient to collaborate effectively with technical teams.
• Ability to lead across organizational boundaries and coordinate geographically distributed or multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing and presenting material for senior government and MITRE leaders.
• Ability to build trusted sponsor relationships and work effectively with senior military, civilian, interagency, and technical stakeholders.
• Active Top Secret clearance with eligibility for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information.
• Ability to work onsite in Colorado Springs and travel as required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting a Combatant Command, joint organization, defense agency, homeland-security organization, aviation or aerospace mission, or other complex federal mission environment.
• Direct experience as a project lead, deputy project lead, task lead, outcome lead, group lead, or in a comparable technical or project leadership role.
• Experience partnering with SES, GO/FO, or other senior government leaders.
• Experience shaping new work, developing follow-on activities, or connecting sponsor needs with organizational capabilities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams including engineers, analysts, operators, policy specialists, data scientists, cybersecurity professionals, or other technical disciplines.
• Familiarity with homeland defense, aerospace warning and control, Arctic security, command and control, cybersecurity, border security, interagency operations, or related NORAD & USNORTHCOM mission areas.
• Experience applying systems engineering, mission engineering, structured analytic frameworks, digital engineering, cybersecurity, or systems-of-systems thinking to complex mission problems.
• Experience developing frameworks, taxonomies, roadmaps, mission analyses, or other products that create common understanding across diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success building sponsor relationships and converting emerging mission needs into executable work.
• TSSCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support the NORAD & USNORTHCOM Project Leader and Deputy Project Leader in planning, integrating, and executing sponsor-funded and internally funded work.
• Partner with sponsor leaders and MITRE teams to understand mission challenges, clarify desired outcomes, and translate sponsor needs into defined project tasks and deliverables.
• Integrate activities across multidisciplinary teams and projects, identifying dependencies, gaps, collaboration opportunities, and MITRE capabilities that can address cross-cutting mission needs.
• Lead selected project tasks, studies, technical exchanges, or cross-project initiatives involving technical staff, operational subject-matter experts, and sponsor stakeholders.
• Apply systems thinking, mission engineering, and structured analytic methods to frame complex mission problems and connect technical work to operational and strategic outcomes.
• Support development of project strategies, work plans, sponsor engagements, technical reviews, briefings, and senior-leader decision products.
• Build and maintain trusted working relationships across NORAD & USNORTHCOM, subordinate and supporting organizations, interagency partners, and relevant MITRE organizations.
• Mentor staff and emerging task leaders and strengthen collaboration, technical integration, and project leadership across the NORAD & USNORTHCOM team.

What This Job Offers

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