The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

Principal Digital Signal Processing System Engineer

Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field; advanced degree preferred.
  • 10+ years of experience in Radio Frequency or Communications Engineering or related field for candidates with a doctorate, or 15+ years post-masters experience.
  • Strong knowledge of RF systems, architectures, and electrical engineering fundamentals.
  • Hands-on experience with RF instrumentation and software tools.
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

  • Design RF and communications systems to address complex challenges.
  • Manage engineering projects effectively in a fast-paced environment.
  • Develop and sustain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Conduct analysis and modeling of intricate RF systems.
  • Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in RF and communications technology.
  • Proactively identify and mitigate technical risks in projects.
  • Lead customer engagement to define needs and develop robust technical requirements.

Benefits

  • Work-life balance programs including flexibility and workshops for health and finance.
  • Employee clubs and social events for team-building and engagement.
  • Discounts for local museums and cultural activities.
  • Opportunity to work at a prestigious R&D innovation company.
Full Job Description
Job Description Summary:
As Principal Signal Processing System Engineer you will work directly with customers and program managers to create innovative, multidisciplinary technical solutions, for a broad range of highly-complicated mission needs.

You will perform highly-competent analysis of the core system at a post-graduate level, consistently exhibiting good judgement for which problems must be solved, and which may be delegated or deferred.

You will have hands-on engagement with prototype development, which may include software or firmware coding, test equipment operation and programming, integration and validation, and field tests and customer demonstrations.

As a leader in the signal processing organization your advice will be sought for business development, IR&D strategy, hiring strategy and execution, and university engagements.

Due to the nature of our customers' missions, this position is necessarily performed onsite in our recently-renovated Cambridge facility and laboratories. Typical candidates have ten years of relevant experience beyond the doctorate, or 15 years of relevant experience post masters degree.

Job Description:

Duties/Responsibilities
  • Designs RF and Communications systems that solve challenging problems.
  • Manages complex engineering projects in a fast-paced environment.
  • Develops and maintains effective internal/external relationships.
  • Performs analysis and modeling of complex radio frequency systems.
  • Subject Matter Expert (SME) in RF and Communications systems.
  • Independently drives solutions to complex problems-develops requirements, proposes ways forward when customer requirements are unclear or incomplete, and adapts appropriately to changes in requirements.
  • Able to analyze Draper strategy and work with management to build capabilities in key areas to help sustain business growth.
  • Capable of helping customers shape their needs and develop requirements for programs that solve their most challenging technical problems.
  • Focuses on advancing State of the Art (SOA) solutions and techniques in their field.
  • Contributes to capability expansion, talent acquisition and mentoring graduate students.
  • Assembles and delivers customer presentations that inspire a high degree of confidence in Draper and our work.
  • Able to provide insights and suggest design modifications based on analysis outcomes, and to apply analysis techniques across a range of technical disciplines.
  • Identifies program/system-level technical risks and develops and executes mitigation strategies for them.
  • Develops, documents, and teaches best practices to less experienced engineers.
  • Demonstrates strong organization, planning, and time management skills to achieve program goals.
  • Ability to lead cross functional teams.
  • Supports business development activities including leading the development of proposals and engaging with sponsors.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.


Skills/Abilities
  • Knowledge of RF systems and architectures.
  • Knowledge of fundamental of electrical engineering.
  • Skills with RF and Communications software tools.
  • Hands on experience with instrumentation for RF measurements.
  • Strong problem solving skills.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability and willing to work in highly collaborative team environment.
  • Excellent management and organizational skills: proven ability to meet deadlines, task prioritization and attention to details.


Education

Requires bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field. Advanced degree preferred.

Experience

Requires 10+ years experience in Radio Frequency or Communications Engineering or related field.

Additional Job Description:

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a US government security clearance.

Job Location - City:
Cambridge

Job Location - State:
Massachusetts


The US base salary range for this full-time position is
$95,000.00 - $245,000.00
Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and does not include bonuses or benefits.

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

About The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

Draper Laboratory is an American non-profit research and development organization, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts; its official name is The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. The laboratory specializes in the design, development, and deployment of advanced technology solutions to problems in national security, space exploration, health care and energy. The laboratory was founded in 1932 by Charles Stark Draper at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop aeronautical instrumentation, and came to be called the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory. During this period the laboratory is best known for developing the Apollo Guidance Computer, the first silicon integrated circuit based computer. It was renamed for its founder in 1970, and separated from MIT in 1973 to become an independent, non-profit organization. The expertise of the laboratory staff includes the areas of guidance, navigation, and control technologies and systems; fault-tolerant computing; advanced algorithms and software systems; modeling and simulation; and microelectromechanical systems and multichip module technology.
Learn more about The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Principal Digital Signal Processing System Engineer jobs: