Systems Engineering Methods & Innovation Capability Chief Engineer

The Mitre Corporation•Huntsville, AL

5d•$190,000 - $285,000•Onsite

About The Position

MITRE’s Systems Engineering Division is seeking a visionary technical leader to serve as Systems Engineering Methods & Innovation Capability Chief Engineer (CCE). The CCE works with division leadership, department managers, peer CCEs, and technical leaders to define and drive technical strategy, execution, and application of systems engineering methods and innovation. The position advances engineering practices through a coherent portfolio of methods, techniques, tools, model-based and digital approaches, modeling and simulation, experimentation, executable evidence, AI-enabled engineering, automation, and decision support. The CCE ensures no single method or tool is treated as synonymous with systems engineering, and brings technical expertise, leadership, creativity, and adaptability across diverse problem sets. The CCE collaborates across MITRE to bring division capabilities to federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) work programs. In coordination with the Division Chief Engineer, the CCE is accountable for the utility and quality of supported capabilities, including relevant physical and virtual lab infrastructure, shared frameworks, methods, and technical approaches. This is not a formal people-management role, but includes staff development and technical mentorship. The CCE engages with MITRE’s internal research and development program to influence research priorities, shape programs, and mentor staff from concept development through proposal and project execution. The role also provides senior-principal-level technical support directly to MITRE work programs, with sponsor contributions focused on systems engineering methods and innovation. The position requires at least four days per week onsite. Candidates must have an active Top Secret U.S. Government-issued security clearance and be U.S. citizens to be eligible for a clearance. Salary range: $190,000–$285,000 annually, with a midpoint of $237,500.

Requirements

At least 12 years of systems engineering methods or related technical experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 10 years with a master’s degree; or 7 years with a Ph.D.; or an equivalent combination of related systems engineering education and work experience.
Deep technical expertise and recognition in systems engineering methods, analysis, and evidence-driven engineering practice.
Demonstrated ability to influence strategic decisions in complex, multi-stakeholder, collaborative environments.
Demonstrated ability to learn about and rapidly respond to new problems across a variety of domains.
Experience selecting, adapting, integrating, and evaluating systems engineering methods according to the mission problem, available evidence, lifecycle context, and decision need.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain challenging technical concepts to expert and non-expert audiences.
Mentoring experience in formal or informal roles across a range of staff experience levels and team sizes.
Proficiency in virtual and live presentations of complex technical issues.
Technical expertise and influence to improve mission outcomes in alignment with division and department strategies and in coordination with the Systems Engineering Chief Engineer.
Active Top Secret U.S. Government-issued security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required for security-clearance eligibility.
Ability to work onsite at least four days per week.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in systems engineering, operations research, computer science, applied mathematics, engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.
Experience developing, validating, or scaling systems engineering methods and translating research into repeatable sponsor practice.
Experience with model-based systems engineering, digital engineering, digital threads, systems engineering software, or relevant modeling languages.
Experience using modeling and simulation, executable models, prototypes, experimentation, or test evidence to evaluate alternatives and support decisions.
Experience applying AI-enabled engineering, data-driven techniques, automation, software, or computational workflows to systems engineering problems.
Track record of building strong internal and external partnerships and contributing to professional communities through publications, conferences, open-source work, or standards activities.
Experience designing decision-support approaches that connect technical evidence, uncertainty, risk, cost, schedule, and mission outcomes.

Responsibilities

Lead technical quality efforts and contribute to developing and adopting technical quality standards within key work programs, labs, and capabilities.
Drive technical quality in systems engineering methods and innovation through capability development, strategic investment recommendations, infrastructure stewardship, and technical development and mentorship opportunities.
Collaborate with the Division Chief Engineer, peer CCEs, and partners in MNS and MPS to shape technical products and reviews, set expectations for current and future work, and apply systems engineering foundations, evidence-based practice, and state-of-the-art knowledge.
Execute and evolve division technical strategy in alignment with MITRE’s S&T strategy.
Identify opportunities to advance methods, techniques, tools, model-based and digital approaches, modeling and simulation, experimentation, AI-enabled engineering, automation, and decision support.
Identify innovation opportunities for work programs and internal research and development, and propose or lead initiatives that translate promising research and technology into usable systems engineering practice.
Develop and maintain relationships with technical leaders across MITRE program divisions, internal research and development, and external partners.
Coordinate technical outreach to industry, academia, government communities, and other stakeholders so relevant research, standards, tools, and practices inform technical products.
Lead cross-department or cross-division technical initiatives as needed, coordinating with enterprise technical leadership when decisions or scope extend beyond the division.
Evaluate the health and quality of capabilities, including staff skills, reusable methods, modeling and simulation environments, digital infrastructure, toolchains, reference implementations, and evidence of sponsor utility.
Recommend to division leadership the establishment, sustainment, integration, or retirement of methods, tools, infrastructure, platforms, and frameworks.
Mentor and develop technical staff and cultivate career paths that combine systems engineering judgment with expertise in methods, modeling, experimentation, software, data, or AI.
Provide input to talent assessment and staff development planning.
Make differentiated technical contributions directly to sponsors and internal customers, with measurable impact in systems engineering methods and innovation.