Lead Maritime Test and Evaluation Director

About the Team

The Sensors Division within STR focuses on the development and analysis of advanced sensor systems in the RF, acoustic, and electro-optical domains. This includes the design and development of novel sensors and advanced information processing techniques from ideation to prototype implementations. The Ocean Technologies & Acoustic Systems (OTAS) Group develops and delivers advanced undersea sensors, payloads, and signal processing systems for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications.

STR is seeking a Maritime Test and Evaluation Director with a highly operational centric undersea-warfare background to manage the testing of a multi-disciplinary portfolio of programs focused on future maritime and undersea systems and advanced signal processing.

Responsibilities

• Test and Evaluation Program Ownership reporting directly to the group lead - Define, execute, and oversee the Test and Evaluation master plans
• Independently assess technical risk and system readiness, serving as the final authority for test readiness, execution, and procedural compliance
• Serve as a primary technical advisor, owning a cross-program view of T&E readiness, risk, and capability gaps across a portfolio of future undersea systems and advanced signal processing algorithms
• Drive standardization of test architectures, methodologies, and acceptance criteria across software, hardware, and system-level testing—ensuring consistency without sacrificing development speed
• Act as connective tissue between multiple T&E efforts: identify where one program’s test infrastructure, tooling, or lessons learned can accelerate another, and drive reuse
• Drive hands-on technical oversight of major qualification campaigns and developmental test programs
• Direct the T&E organization in technical reviews (e.g., TRRs, CDRs, PDRs) and program milestone gates through ownership of independent technical assessment and risk characterization

Requirements

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is needed by the U.S. Government
• Exceptional military operational leadership will be considered in lieu of degree
• BS with 8+ years relevant experience in Mechanical Engineering or Ocean Engineering (equivalent experience considered)
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and hands-on experience in developmental testing, system integration (HIL/SIL), environmental/structural testing, and instrumentation, maritime or autonomous systems, software-intensive systems, and operational test experience
• Working knowledge of software-intensive system testing, including autonomy, AI/ML model validation, sensor fusion, or similar disciplines
• Working knowledge of relevant compliance frameworks and repeatable quality control outcomes
• Proven ability to operate effectively without positional authority—influencing outcomes through technical credibility, relationships, and clear communication rather than org-chart power
• Strong track record of independently assessing technical risk, determining system readiness, briefing senior leadership, influencing engineering teams through technical credibility, and developing repeatable T&E processes

Preferred Qualifications

• Breadth of experience operating and testing systems in forward, limited-access environments
• Direct experience testing or operating autonomous systems, robotics, unmanned systems, counter-UAS systems, weapon systems, or integrated hardware/software defense platforms
• Prior military operational service, or in test, range operations, fires, air defense, special operations support, or unmanned systems roles
• Experience supporting U.S. government exercises and evaluations, foreign military sales demonstrations, or international partner field events
• Experience serving as the responsible technical authority for testing
• Experience leading root-cause investigations and corrective actions following test failures
• Experience balancing technical rigor, schedule, mission objectives, and program risk
• Experience planning and executing operational demonstrations, fleet experimentation, or government evaluations
• Willingness to travel to test events and field demonstrations

Pay

Full-Time Salary Range: $147,000 - $200,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.