Senior System Engineer for Special Operations

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

23d•Onsite

About The Position

Our team provides creative solutions and systems for Special Operations missions in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community. We are seeking a senior systems engineer to join the Signals Exploitation Group within the Asymmetric Operations Sector. Our team focuses on advanced hardware and software in the electromagnetic domain to establish a dominant intelligence advantage in noisy and complex signal environments. By exploiting radio frequency and optical signals and data, we are able to detect, enhance, create, and suppress signatures used to find targets of interest. The technical competencies required include integrated circuit design, RF electronics, device manufacturing, materials, embedded software, signal processing, laser optics, machine learning, image analysis, and many related disciplines. QP has deep experience in developing, testing, and rapidly fielding operational systems that function in a wide variety of environments, providing critical and timely information, intelligence, and situational awareness. Rigorous systems engineering provides the foundation for all of these activities Your contributions will be key to advancing nationally important defense programs and providing critical contributions to strategic weapon systems.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, physics or another field relevant to the duties as described above
5+ years of relevant experience performing systems engineering in the design, development or evaluation of complex systems.
Highly skilled in early concept development, requirements analysis, design, and risk assessment.
Experience supporting test and evaluation activities, such as developing test plans, participating in field tests for data collection, conducting analysis for requirements verification, and writing test reports.
Especially strong verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrate strong critical thinking skills.
Shown the ability to interact effectively with and lead teams, including industry and government sponsors.
Willing and able to travel periodically, including short duration visits to sponsor offices and supporting contractor sites.
Hold an active Secret security clearance and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree in systems engineering.
Highly skilled in systems engineering for electromagnetic systems.
Demonstrated mission engineering expertise.
Experience guiding the execution of Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition processes.
Experience supporting special operations activities.
Experience employing systems engineering software, especially model based systems engineering tools like Cameo Enterprise Architecture.
Hold an active Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

Provide systems engineering thought leadership and expertise, in combination with system technical design knowledge and operational context, to cross functional teams, focusing on requirements analysis, concept/technology development, risk assessments and test & evaluation for strategic deterrent systems.
Define, coordinate, and, when required, lead integration activities across multiple technical and programmatic domains, ensuring coherence across system elements, organizations, and program phases. This includes participation in, and, as required, presentations at program technical reviews and acquisition milestone events.
Use tools, processes, methodologies, and prime contractor-generated design artifacts, test data and analysis results to evaluate system fulfillment of stakeholder needs and government requirements, and develop future weapon system requirements. As required, participate in system requirement and design reviews.
Work with system prime contractors and other industry partners to advise, review, and contribute to assessments systems engineering execution.
Support and guide program-level decision making by developing and communicating technical positions, risk assessments, and trade-offs to senior government and program leadership.
Deliver formal engineering artifacts to sponsors and supporting contractors, and effectively communicate proposed concepts/solutions and analysis results. Produce reports that bring together concept definitions, requirements, analysis results, and technical recommendations.