Airborne Testbed Engineer-Associate Staff

MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Tactical Defense Systems Group drives innovation in air defense to enhance the effectiveness of U.S. Air Force (USAF) operations. Our team addresses critical challenges in air vehicle survivability, vulnerabilities to advanced weapons systems, electronic countermeasure development, testing infrastructure, and air surveillance for homeland defense. By combining cutting-edge technology with creative problem-solving, we shape the future of air defense through impactful solutions.

We conduct flight, field, and laboratory testing to understand USAF and adversary air defense systems. Our team designs and develops specialized instrumentation and prototype systems to support these initiatives. Each year, we carry out major field-testing campaigns using a fleet of highly instrumented aircraft and advanced ground systems, while local testing ensures flight readiness and system validation. We analyze data collected during testing and compare it with sophisticated models in collaboration with the Systems and Analysis Group. These efforts deliver precise answers to critical questions from Air Force partners.

About the role

The Tactical Defense Systems Group is seeking an engineer to develop, integrate, operate, and sustain mission systems aboard the group's airborne testbeds. These systems include RF and infrared sensing systems, avionics interfaces, mission computing, networking, data recording, and supporting software. This hands-on, applied role requires close collaboration with researchers, pilots, flight test engineers, aircraft maintenance personnel, and sponsors to prepare systems for test events and execute airborne experiments. The successful candidate will also serve as a mission systems operator or test director during flights and support periodic travel and deployments for field-test campaigns. Due to the hands-on nature of the role, at least 80% on-site presence is required.

Responsibilities

• Integrate, test, modernize, and sustain mission systems on airborne test platforms, to include sensors and associated computing, network infrastructure, and data recording equipment.
• Coordinate with software development team to resolve mission systems anomalies and ensure systems are thoroughly tested to the extent practical before installing in the testbed aircraft.
• Develop and troubleshoot hardware and software interfaces between aircraft systems and experimental payloads.
• Serve as a mission systems operator during flight-test missions, with growth opportunity to become an airborne test director.
• Support pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight activities, including system checkout, data collection, troubleshooting, and anomaly resolution.
• Perform technical evaluation of system performance and test results using laboratory measurements, flight test data, and model predictions.
• Develop procedures, checklists, and technical documentation for the operation of mission systems.
• Coordinate with pilots, maintainers, researchers, flight test engineers, and sponsors to safely accomplish test objectives.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• In lieu of a Master’s degree, a Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of relevant experience in airborne systems integration, flight testing, or mission systems engineering will be considered.
• Experience participating in aircraft flight test programs in a technical capacity (e.g., systems integration, instrumentation, test execution, or data analysis).
• Experience integrating and troubleshooting complex hardware/software systems in laboratory, field, or operational environments.
• Experience with IP network configuration and troubleshooting.
• Experience with one or more of the following: RF sensing systems, infrared sensing systems, avionics, mission computing, communications, data acquisition, or embedded systems.
• Experience developing software, scripts, or automation tools using Python, C++, MATLAB, C#, or similar languages.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Willingness and ability to serve as a mission systems operator aboard crewed airborne test platforms. Includes the ability to meet medical requirements for participation in crewed flight operations.
• Willingness and ability to travel (estimated as 3-4 deployments per year, 1-2 weeks each) in support of flight-test activities and field campaigns.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance (TS//SCI).

Pay

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $116,400 - $140,000

Experienced Hiring Range: $116,400 - $182,200

Final salary offered will depend on various factors, including—but not limited to—the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations, and applicable legal requirements.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
• Mentorship programs
• A range of work-life balance options
• Additional voluntary benefits, discounts, and perks available to MIT employees