Lead Embedded Software Engineer

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.

MITRE’s Electronic Systems Development Department is seeking exceptional PNT Systems engineers to help solve some of the nation’s most challenging technical problems. Our engineers work at the forefront of microelectronics innovation, developing advanced prototypes and proof-of-concept systems that directly support national security and critical government missions.

As part of a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary team, you will contribute to groundbreaking research and development efforts spanning advanced semiconductor technologies, embedded systems, communications, sensing, and signal processing. Our diverse sponsor portfolio provides exposure to a broad range of impactful technical challenges, including:

Highly integrated, low Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) platforms for mission-critical applications

Real-time communication, sensing, and navigation systems utilizing cutting-edge FPGA and Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies

Advanced architectures for high-throughput signal processing and embedded computing

Collaboration with world-class engineers and researchers on projects of national importance

Roles & Responsibilities:

Our team specializes in the rapid design, development, and deployment of advanced embedded systems for sensing, communications, and navigation applications. In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

Architect, implement, test, document, and debug embedded software systems (primarily C/C++)

Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to define requirements and set technical direction for software development efforts

Establish and reinforce best practices for software design, implementation, integration, and verification

Integrate and troubleshoot hardware/software interfaces across embedded platforms and RF/SDR-connected systems

Implement and optimize advanced algorithms in hardware and software on embedded platforms

Lead project teams and mentor junior engineers

Interface with sponsors and build relationships for future programs and task

Evaluate and incorporate emerging technologies into next-generation prototype systems

Basic Qualifications:

Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.

Experience leading technical efforts and small engineering teams

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Technical expert-level proficiency in high-performance programming languages (e.g., C, C++, Rust), as well as other high-level languages (e.g., Python) and strong understanding of embedded systems, hardware interfacing

Experience with implementation best practices, modern design methods and software development flows including git

Demonstrated experience as task leader on high-performing multidisciplinary teams, with proven ability to architect solutions and implement components of embedded systems

Understanding and experience with low-level processor architectures, operating system design, and hardware interfacing

Experience with at least one of the following: real-time operating systems, POSIX interfaces, Linux/BSD user and kernel environments

Willingness to mentor and develop junior engineers

Must have an active Secret U.S Government issued Security 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 3 days per week on-site

Preferred Qualifications:

Active secret (or higher) security clearance

Experience with Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), RF communications, radar/sensor systems or signal processing concepts

Experience with Xilinx SoC FPGAs, RFSoCs, or Direct-RF devices.

In-depth experience with software systems, systems architecture, and system-of-systems architecture

Advanced degree in Computer Engineering, Systems Architecture, or related field

Excellent interpersonal skills, judgment, discretion, and tact

Demonstrated technical leadership shaping large projects and aligning operational needs, engineering reality, and programmatic execution

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):

Secret

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.

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