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Lead Wireless Communications Systems Engineer with Security Clearance

MITRE CorporationMcLean, VA🇺🇸United StatesPosted 29 Aug 2026

Why This Role Stands Out

As a Lead Wireless Communications Systems Engineer at MITRE, you'll drive the design and development of critical communication systems, making a significant impact on national security while enjoying a competitive salary and exceptional professional development. This role is perfect for a mid-senior engineer with a security clearance who thrives on technical excellence and collaborative problem-solving within a mission-driven, not-for-profit environment. Apply to join a team dedicated to tackling complex challenges and fostering innovation.

Quick Overview

Salary
$156.4k - $195.5k/yr
Seniority
Mid Senior
Employment type
Internship/Student
Work mode
On Site
Location
McLean, VA, United States
Posted
2 weeks ago

Job Description

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We're a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies - collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation's health, security, and prosperity.

Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose - and help shape the future.

Department Summary

MITRE's Technology & Engineering Organization has an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic technical team having a substantial impact on the design and development of communications systems in support of various U.S. Government agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration, and others.

Our sponsors rely on a wide range of wireless communications systems, including commercial radios, cellular technologies, satellite communications, tactical data links, and other mission-critical systems. We assess, design, analyze, prototype, and test advanced communications technologies to further the public good. We are seeking Lead Communications Systems Engineers with knowledge of Military Communications to lead the specification development, integration, and test strategies of next generation Military Communications systems.

This is an opportunity for a Communications Systems Engineer who is highly motivated, innovative and proactive. This position provides challenging opportunities to apply and expand one's systems architecture, modeling and trade space analysis skills.

Job Responsibilities Include

  • Performing systems engineering analysis for requirement trades, design and integration trades, end-to-end performance analysis, and identifying risk mitigation approaches
  • Articulating major uncertainties associated with systems architectures, defining risks and opportunities associated with the uncertainties.
  • Communicating work program uncertainties, risks and opportunities with department leadership and Sponsors
  • Leading the development, decomposition, and review system requirements
  • Supporting requirements management, interface management and architecture change management processes
  • Translating analysis results into actionable recommendations for the US Government agencies
  • Tasks may include leading working groups or studies covering multiple engineering domains while interfacing and collaborating across multiple stakeholders to create timely and actionable recommendations.
  • Tasks may also include hands-on prototyping, integration, and testing activities.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree and 8 years of related experience; or Master's degree and 6 years; or a PhD and 3 years with relevant experience.
  • Demonstrated proficiency and strength in verbal and written communication skills.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in virtual and live presentation of complex technical issues.
  • Experience with planning, executing and presenting complex trade studies.
  • Experience in systems engineering with expertise across the development lifecycle from concept development, through requirements definition, system development and integration, and into verification.
  • Experience in leading multiple engineering disciplines to provide solutions to complex problems that require unified software, hardware, mechanical and reliability approaches while balancing cost and schedule constraints.
  • Experience in leading the evaluation and testing of complex systems.
  • Strong social skills to effectively collaborate across multiple organizations and engineering disciplines.
  • Active Secret Clearance with ability to obtain DoD TS/SCI clearance.
  • Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance.
  • This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced degree in technical field of study with 10 years of experience and leadership experience
  • Candidates that possess a current/active DoD Top Secret/SCI clearance are preferred.
  • Familiarity with Military Communications, especially familiarity with EHF and AEHF SATCOM and associated Satellite Communications terminals (MILSTAR, FAB-T, FET, SMART-T, SCAMP)
  • Familiarity with Tactical and Airborne Communication Systems.
  • Familiarity with acquisition strategy including DODD 5000.01 and Middle Tier Acquisition (Section 804)
  • Experience with multi-disciplinary modeling and simulation (physics-level, engineering-level and/or operational-level)
  • Documented success applying modern system engineering methods including MBSE.
  • Experience with capabilities trade analysis, mission analysis, information assurance, systems integration, and understanding of the relationships between operational, technical, and system's architecture.
  • Familiarity with Resilient and Survivable Communications This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):
Secret This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):
Top Secret/SCI Salary compensation range and midpoint:
$156,400 - $195,500 - $234,600 Annual Work Location Type:
Onsite It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Commitment to Non-Discrimination All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law. MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE's employment process, please email for general support and for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply. Benefits information may be found here . Copyright © 1997-2026, The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved. MITRE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. Material on this site may be copied and distributed with permission only.

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