FAST Labs Systems Engineering Product Line Discipline Lead

About the role

Join our dynamic team of innovators and shape the future of technology with us. We're on the hunt for curious and driven individuals who thrive in collaborative environments and are passionate about harnessing the power of optical sensing technology to drive meaningful operational impact for our country's warfighters. If you're a creative problem-solver, a lifelong learner, and a team player who is always looking for ways to improve and innovate, we'd love to meet you. Our ideal candidate is someone who is proactive, adaptable, and excited about tackling new challenges head-on. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting your journey, if you're eager to learn, grow, and make a real difference, we want to hear from you.

We are looking for a strong systems engineering Product Line Discipline Lead (PLDL) in our FAST Labs Business Area. As a member of the engineering leadership team interfacing with one of our FAST Labs product lines, you will have the opportunity to team with product line leadership, people managers, program engineering managers, and research scientists to ensure that the systems discipline operates with the latest tools, skills, and technology.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior systems engineering technical leader for a FAST Labs product line.
• Act as the product‑line’s systems engineering partner for bid and proposal work, providing systems engineering expertise and driving program‑level execution.
• Serve as the primary liaison aligning staffing resources with product‑line needs.
• Partner with Product Engineering Management (PEM), Functional Managers (FMs), and Business-Area Discipline Leads (BADLs) to identify, prioritize, and fill staffing requirements for the product line.
• Serve as the system engineering subject matter expert for new business capture: influence technical baselines and scope, develop cost estimates, identify technical risks, and suggest mitigation strategies.
• Participate in system engineering discipline hiring pipeline activities and competency reviews to ensure critical skills and staff development align with product line needs.
• Ensure all product line system research and development activities adhere to an appropriate level of process and are well matched to the scope of the efforts.
• Ensure system engineering development activities follow best-practice engineering methods while driving agile process refinements, capturing lessons learned, and championing “One-Team” culture across our FAST Labs product lines.
• Support development and execution of system engineering discipline and technology roadmaps.
• Promote program use of innovative infrastructures such as Model Based Engineering, DevSecOps, Agile Methodologies, and AI powered tools as identified by the engineering disciplines and the business area.

Work Environment

• This role requires 100% on-site work at a BAE Systems facility due to the need for consistent, in-person collaboration and secure access to sensitive information.
• Occasional domestic travel may be required to support programmatic or technical events.
• We believe that a healthy work-life balance is essential to your success and well-being.

Requirements

• Active Department of Defense (DoD) Secret clearance with ability to obtain Top Secret, SAP, and SCI.
• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline with 10+ years of related experience; OR a master’s degree with 8+ years of experience; OR a PhD degree with 6+ years of experience.
• Hands-on experience in system engineering activities including concept development, architecture definition, requirements allocation, laboratory integration, and field testing.
• Experience in systems engineering leadership positions.
• Experience supporting business development activities, including proposal development and generation of engineering cost and schedule estimates.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and motivate high-performing technical teams.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly present complex technical information both verbally and in writing.
• Proficient in cross-functional collaboration and customer engagement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active DoD Top Secret clearance with ability to obtain SAP and SCI.
• Expertise in one or more of these critical areas:
  • RF System Architecture and Design: Definition, design, and analysis of RF front-ends, including antennas, LNAs, mixers, and ADCs for radar, EW, or communication applications.
  • Signal Processing: Analyzing, modifying, and synthesizing signals to extract, enhance, and interpret information.
  • Algorithm Development and Implementation: Translate algorithms from initial concepts through design, modeling, simulation and verification.
  • EO/IR Imaging: Design, integration, and calibrate state-of-the-art EO/IR cameras, hyperspectral imagers, and LiDAR for DoD applications.
• Experience with modern engineering techniques, such as DevSecOps and Model-Based Engineering.
• Experience in systems engineering functional management.
• Experience in engineering management or project leadership.
• Current or recent experience with FAST Lab Product Line efforts.

Pay

Full-Time Salary Range: $149,603 – $254,317

Individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including business considerations, local market conditions, internal equity, and candidate qualifications such as skills, education, and experience.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts.
• 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; life and accident insurance.
• Employee assistance program; legal plan; discounts on home, auto, and pet insurance.
• Leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, paid parental, military, and bereavement leave, and applicable federal and state sick leave.
• Company recognition program with monetary or non-monetary awards.
• Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.