Systems Analyst

Job Overview

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Level 5 Technical Staff provide critical multi-domain or new domain innovative research to the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype solutions for state-of-the art technology and engage across the program lifecycle, leading projects or major technical workstreams in partnership with project and team leaders. As a successful Level 5 Technical Staff candidate, you will lead projects or major technical workstreams requiring deep expertise and sound judgment, with the ability to successfully navigate technical complexity. You will perform independent research to solve complex problems, manage programs and/or lead teams on extraordinary technology prototype efforts, and develop creative new ideas and approaches that support critical mission needs. 

As a successful Level 5 Technical Staff, you will have deep technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to lead through ambiguity. You will, with ease, effectively connect your technical depth with the Laboratory’s broader program objectives. Working across multi-disciplinary teams and sponsor-driven efforts, you will efficiently help develop and execute programs, create briefings and reports, and often interface with sponsors. In this role, you are a technical leader, mentoring others, and continuously improving practices within an applicable Group or mission area. You will also guide and mentor Associate Technical Staff, Assistant Technical Staff, and other technical support personnel. 

Additional Job Overview Details

The Group is seeking a Systems Analyst (Technical Staff) to contribute to multidisciplinary teams carrying out high-visibility studies and to routinely convey research in a clear, concise manner to a wide spectrum of audiences.  The candidate hired will gain experience analyzing all aspects of defensive systems, including sensors (e.g., radar, infrared, etc.), platforms (e.g., undersea, airborne, space-based, etc.), and algorithms (e.g., for detection, tracking, identification, etc.), as well as learn to assess the impact of adversary systems and actions on U.S. defenses.  We are looking for candidates with a demonstrated ability in a technical research area and we will provide training in the above defense concepts and systems.  After gaining experience, the hired candidate will begin to lead major analyses and brief senior leaders.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Leads projects or major workstreams involving multi-disciplinary design, development, data analysis, programming, prototyping, integration, testing, or transition activities. 
• Applies extensive technical expertise to solve significantly complex problems while effectively evaluating alternative approaches, trade-offs, risks, and mission-driven implications. 
• Within assigned projects or mission areas, consistently influences the technical approach towards mission research, systems/ subsystems, architecture design and integration. 
• Structures and manages execution of ambiguous work, concisely translating project objectives into actionable technical plans based on nuanced policies and procedures. 
• Mentors others within the Group by consistently reviewing work and providing constructive feedback, offering technical guidance, and helping them to develop and hone their judgment and problem-solving skills. 
• Proactively identifies opportunities to improve tools, processes, methods, documentation, or execution practices within the Group. 
• Substantively contributes to engineering or scientific papers, technical reports, presentations, and, where applicable, proposal or grant materials. 

Minimum Qualifications

• 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 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 educational, skill, and experience levels that demonstrate an ability to apply significant technical judgment to solve broad technical challenges that require 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. 

Additional Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to learn new technical areas quickly and apply that knowledge effectively to solve challenging mission problems
• Ability to present technical concepts clearly to a wide spectrum of audiences
• Proficiency with programing languages for computer modeling (e.g. Matlab, Python, C)
• Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, Applied Math, Astronomy, or related field.  In lieu of a Doctorate, a Master’s degree with at least 5 years of technical experience will be considered.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:
• Missile defense, electronic warfare, or undersea systems
• Sensors or signal processing for radio frequency, optical, or infrared systems
• Directed energy or hypersonic technologies