Associate Staff 3/4 - Engineering

The Advanced Capabilities and Technologies Group in MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Space Division pioneers high-risk, high-reward solutions at the forefront of space innovation. We explore and develop novel mission concepts spanning multiple domains – from very low orbit to cislunar space, including dynamic space operations, autonomous systems, and next-generation passive and active sensing. Our work integrates rigorous mission analysis with early-stage concept development to rapidly assess and mature transformative ideas that address emerging national security challenges. We seek engineers, mathematicians, and physicists who are motivated to tackle technically complex problems, operate across disciplines, and help shape the future of space capabilities from first principles through prototype realization. 91: Assoc Staff - Analysis and Engineering

The Advanced Capabilities and Technologies Group in MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Space Division pioneers high-risk, high-reward solutions at the forefront of space innovation. We explore and develop novel mission concepts spanning multiple domains – from very low orbit to cislunar space, including dynamic space operations, autonomous systems, and next-generation passive and active sensing. Our work integrates rigorous mission analysis with early-stage concept development to rapidly assess and mature transformative ideas that address emerging national security challenges. We seek engineers, mathematicians, and physicists who are motivated to tackle technically complex problems, operate across disciplines, and help shape the future of space capabilities from first principles through prototype realization.

Position Summary

Group 91 is seeking an Associate Staff member to serve in a hybrid analyst and prototype systems engineer role supporting multi-domain, space domain awareness, and space control missions. The successful candidate will develop analytical tools, simulations, and performance models that inform requirements definition, system characterization, architecture trades, and technical risk reduction for advanced sensing and space mission concepts. This role also offers the opportunity to support systems engineering for rapid space prototypes, including concept maturation, interface definition, integration planning, test campaign support, and performance assessment in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.

Job Overview

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Associate Staff provide critical multi-domain through expert multi-domain innovative research supporting the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype state-of-the-art technology solutions and engage in many steps of a program lifecycle with increasing independence and responsibility. As an Associate Staff member, you will contribute independently to multidisciplinary efforts, contribute to sponsor briefings, write test plans and reports, and apply complex and creative solutions to solving technical problems. You may own discrete project/program components or lead complex workstreams and small teams.

As a successful candidate, you will bring solid to strong technical depth, broaden your understanding across adjacent disciplines, and adapt approaches where precedent is limited. You will integrate technical inputs, contribute to program documentation and reporting, and collaborate with interdisciplinary project/program teams supporting projects that may range from rapid, high-risk efforts to longer-term mission programs. Your work will include multiple activities such as hardware and software development, systems analysis, data analysis, component fabrication, system integration, testing, and documentation.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Own or lead design, development, data analysis, programming, modeling, simulation, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and technical evaluation activities within broader project or program efforts.
• Apply technical depth and judgment to less-defined and complex problems, identifying appropriate methods, adapting established approaches, and evaluating trade-offs.
• Contribute to or lead system-, subsystem-, or component-level work spanning multiple disciplines, mission needs, products, or technical focus areas.
• Develop, review, and integrate technical documentation, analyses, design materials, program reporting, presentations, papers, and other deliverables.
• Coordinate milestones, assumptions, dependencies, quality expectations, and risks and present findings, recommendations, and alternatives to appropriate audiences.
• Provide technical guidance, review, feedback, and mentorship while continuing to deepen mission-aligned expertise.

Additional Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and apply modeling, simulation, and analysis tools to assess multi-domain, space domain awareness, and space control mission concepts.
• Derive system requirements, performance metrics, and trade criteria from mission needs.
• Characterize system performance and execute architecture trades across sensing, trajectory, operations, command and control, and platform design.
• Support systems engineering for rapid space prototypes, including CONOPS development, interface definition, integration and test, and verification planning.
• Present analysis results, technical recommendations, and prototype findings to interdisciplinary teams and Government sponsors through briefings, reports, and technical discussions.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates will be considered for the appropriate level based on their education, experience, demonstrated technical capabilities, leadership responsibilities, and the scope and complexity of their prior work.

Level 3 – Associate Staff

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 0+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Solid technical depth in a primary engineering, research, or other technical domain, with the ability to apply knowledge independently.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and manage components of project work.
• Experience contributing to technical documentation, analyses, reports, presentations, or project deliverables.
• Ability to collaborate across project teams and communicate technical information clearly to appropriate audiences.
• Emerging ability to guide less experienced colleagues and contribute to team capability development.

Level 4 – Associate Staff

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 4+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; a PhD may be considered; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong technical depth in a primary domain with emerging breadth across related engineering, research, technical disciplines, or mission areas.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and lead components of projects or technical workstreams.
• Experience managing milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables for assigned project areas.
• Ability to communicate complex information to varied audiences and collaborate with project teams, sponsors, and internal partners.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor others, review work, and contribute to team technical capability.

Additional Minimum Qualifications

• M.S. required in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• A B.S. in one of the above fields of study with 5+ years of experience will also be considered.
• Experience with modeling, simulation, or quantitative analysis of complex aerospace, defense, or sensing systems.
• Demonstrated ability to build and use technical tools in MATLAB, Python, Simulink, STK, GMAT, or similar environments.
• Strong analytical problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work across disciplines in both analytical and prototype-oriented efforts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to explain technical findings to mixed technical and non-technical audiences and to deliver technical briefings to sponsors and collaborators

Preferred Qualifications

• Academic or professional background in astrodynamics, spacecraft systems, orbital operations, remote sensing, estimation, controls, mission analysis, or systems engineering.
• Experience supporting requirements development, performance characterization, or architecture trades for defense or national security systems.
• Familiarity with space mission design, prototype development, integration and test, or field/flight test activities.
• Experience working on interdisciplinary teams that span analysis, hardware, software, integration, and test campaigns.
• Willingness to travel to sponsor sites

Associate Staff 3: $114,000-$148,000

Associate Staff 4: $124,000-$164,000

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: 43645