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 carry out 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 address complex problems, advance innovations in national security, and accelerate your career in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
The Tactical Defense Systems Group is seeking an engineer to develop, integrate, operate, and sustain mission systems aboard the group's airborne testbeds. These systems include RF and infrared sensing systems, avionics interfaces, mission computing, networking, data recording, and supporting software.
This hands-on, applied role requires close collaboration with researchers, pilots, flight test engineers, aircraft maintenance personnel, and sponsors to prepare systems for test events and execute airborne experiments. The successful candidate will also serve as a mission systems operator or test director during flights and support periodic travel and deployments for field-test campaigns. Due to the hands-on nature of the role, at least 80% on-site presence is required.
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:
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: 43193
MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center chartered to apply advanced technology to problems of national security. Research and development activities focus on long-term technology development as well as rapid system prototyping and demonstration. These efforts are aligned within key mission areas. The Laboratory works with industry to transition new concepts and technology for system development and deployment.
