RF Communications System Analyst-Technical Staff

Job Overview

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Technical Staff provide critical through expert multi-domain or new-domain innovative research supporting the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype state-of-the-art technology solutions and engage across the program lifecycle, leading projects or major/multiple technical workstreams in partnership with project, program and team/Group leaders.

The Strategic and Long-Range Communications Group is seeking creative and enthusiastic candidates to develop and analyze current and future RF system concepts and algorithms.  Typical activities include communication systems research; and simulation of modulation, coding, machine learning, and link layer algorithms as they apply to unique military communication scenarios. As a Technical Staff member, you will lead complex technical efforts requiring deep expertise, sound judgment, with the ability to successfully navigate technical complexity. Depending on the level, you will lead projects, major workstreams, complex programs, multi-program initiatives, or technical portfolios on extraordinary technology prototype efforts and creative new ideas and approaches that support critical mission needs. Depending on the level, you will translate broad Group strategy into clearly defined research or executional deliverables. Through integrating your deep technical expertise across disciplines, you consistently drive high-quality mission outcomes. 

Additional Job Overview Details

The Group is seeking creative and enthusiastic candidates to develop and analyze current and future RF system concepts and algorithms.  Typical activities include communication systems research; and simulation of modulation, coding, machine learning, and link layer algorithms as they apply to unique military communication scenarios.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead projects, complex programs, major technical workstreams, multi-program initiatives, or technical portfolios involving multidisciplinary development, analysis, prototyping, integration, testing, evaluation, and technology transition. 
• Apply deep technical expertise and systems-level judgment to highly complex and ambiguous problems, evaluating alternatives, trade-offs, risks, stakeholder needs, and mission implications. 
• Translate broad or unclear objectives into actionable technical plans and influence program direction, architectures, systems, priorities, and roadmaps across teams, Groups, or mission areas. 
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, sponsors, mission partners, and internal leaders to align priorities, resolve dependencies, and guide decisions and deliverables. 
• Assess and improve technical tools, processes, methods, documentation, execution practices, and organizational capability. 
• Serve as a technical resource and mentor by reviewing work, framing trade-offs and risks, and developing staff and emerging leaders. 
• Contribute substantially to papers, reports, presentations, proposals, grants, roadmaps, and other materials that advance mission outcomes and technical direction. 

Day to day activities include

• Design innovative adaptive RF systems focused primarily at physical and link layers
• Analyze RF communications systems scenarios and identify key trends and opportunities for improvement
• Develop novel ideas for next generation DoD RF communications
• Perform link budget calculations; identify and account for key environmental characteristics that will drive performance, and
• Devise and coordinate laboratory and field experiments that measure and demonstrate novel capabilities.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates will be considered for the appropriate level based on their education, experience, demonstrated technical expertise and breadth, leadership responsibilities, and the scale and complexity of programs or technical efforts they have led. 

Level 5 – Technical Staff 

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 6+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 4+ years of relevant experience; or PhD and typically 0+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Diverse technical expertise with demonstrated ability to adapt that expertise to unfamiliar or emerging disciplines, systems, mission areas, or methods. 
• Established education, skills, and experience demonstrating the ability to apply significant technical judgment to broad challenges requiring integration across related systems or methods. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects or major workstreams and deliver complex technical outcomes. 
• Experience evaluating trade-offs, recommending paths forward, and adapting technical approaches to evolving project needs. 
• Demonstrated mentorship, collaboration, and ability to communicate recommendations, risks, and technical findings to varied audiences. 
• Experience contributing to technical reports, papers, presentations, proposals, or other formal technical deliverables. 

Level 6 – Technical Staff 

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 8+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 6+ years of relevant experience; or PhD and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Deep and diverse technical expertise with demonstrated ability to integrate knowledge across domains and establish direction in evolving systems or mission areas. 
• Established education, skills, and experience demonstrating the ability to incorporate technical judgment, program context, and stakeholder input to solve broad technical challenges. 
• Proven experience leading complex programs, significant program elements, or multi-team technical efforts. 
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate alternatives, manage technical ambiguity, and influence decisions across teams or stakeholder groups. 
• Strong record of mentorship, collaboration, technical communication, and contribution to team or Group capability development. 
• Experience contributing to proposals, publications, technical reports, presentations, or other materials that shape program direction or technical initiatives. 

Additional Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated background in a relevant field and strong interest and motivation to apply their skills to problems in communications
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team and set priorities
• Strong problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using MATLAB, Python, or similar numerical analysis tool
• Experience with communication systems, information theory, and/or detection and estimation theory
• Background in statistical inference, numerical linear algebra and optimization methods, data processing and scientific computing.