Associate Staff
Date: Feb 12, 2026
Location: Lexington, MA, US
Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
The 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 lead 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 (109). These efforts deliver precise answers to critical questions from Air Force partners. Join the Tactical Defense Systems Group to tackle meaningful challenges, drive innovation in national security, and accelerate your career in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
Position Description
The Tactical Defense System Group is seeking candidates to join our team as an Associate Staff. You will play a key role in advancing cutting-edge sensor technologies through hands-on testing, analysis, and system development. This position offers the opportunity to collaborate with a team of engineers to design, execute, and analyze data from laboratory, field, and flight tests of advanced radio-frequency (RF), infrared (IR), and optical sensors.
- Develop expertise in sensor systems to operate them during tests and collect critical data.
- Plan and execute laboratory, field, and flight tests of advanced RF, IR, and optical sensors, ensuring high-quality data collection.
- Analyze test data and collaborate with the team to produce actionable reports.
- Support design, integration, and verification of testbeds, radars, and sensors for future testing.
- Participate in test planning, operations, and data analysis, presenting findings to stakeholders.
- Mentor junior staff and interns, providing technical guidance and fostering professional growth.
- Communicate effectively with teams and stakeholders to refine methodologies and share results.
- Demonstrate curiosity and initiative, exploring new technologies to enhance testing capabilities.
- Collaborate with engineers and scientists to troubleshoot and create end-to-end systems.
- Travel domestically to support field and flight tests, adapting to dynamic environments.
- Develop innovative solutions for testing challenges, improving methodologies and systems.
- Promote mentorship and inclusion, encouraging diverse perspectives and a positive team culture.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
- In lieu of a Master’s degree, a Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of directly applicable experience will be considered
- Practical test experience with RF, IR, radar or optical sensors and data analysis
- Proven ability to demonstrate effective oral and written communications skills
- Knowledge of automated design tools, software engineering languages such as C/C++, or experience with data analysis tools such as MATLAB
- Design and assembly of hardware or software systems, experience with embedded systems, signal/image processing or data collection systems in the RF/IR/optical domains is desired
Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $116,400 - $140,000
Experienced Hiring Range: $116,400 - $182,200
Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate 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. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.
At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:
- 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
- ... and much more!
Please visit our Benefits page for more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage of other voluntary benefits, discounts and perks.
Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.
Requisition ID: 42706
Nearest Major Market: Boston
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