Programming-Associate Staff
Date: Feb 19, 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.
- The candidate will support the group’s software development team to include development planning and support of multiple (RF and IR) sensors and platforms
- Develop in integrate multi-threaded object-oriented C++ radar signal processing algorithms which perform noise mitigation, target detection, and tracking functionality utilizing boost and Qt
- The candidate will be expected to instruct and enable complex software development across diverse teams
- The candidate will develop a detailed understanding of the sensors by working closely with technical staff members and participating during test execution, and collecting critical test data
- The candidate will be expected to help integrate cross-platform code where applicable to increase efficiency and support technical staff perform detailed analysis on the collected test data
- Create dashboard GUIs which provide the ability to control system software, display current system status, record and playback data
- 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.
- Develop innovative solutions for testing challenges, improving methodologies and systems.
- Promote mentorship and inclusion, encouraging diverse perspectives and a positive team culture.
- Participation in test planning and field test operations, as well as analysis and presentation of data collected during field tests
- The ideal candidate is self-driven, has effective communication skills, and is comfortable working with fellow engineers to implement complex software projects
- Some domestic travel to support field and flight test campaigns will be required
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, 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 software development experience with RF, IR, radar or optical sensors
- Understand interfaces between hardware and software systems
- Understanding design of engineering-oriented user interfaces
- Experience with data collection systems in the RF, radar or optical domains is desire
- Knowledge of software design tools to include software engineering languages such as C++, and Matlab is required
- Ability to demonstrate effective oral and written communications skills is essential
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: 42708
Nearest Major Market: Boston
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