Parsons

Senior DSP Engineer - TS/SCI

Parsons$112K — $196K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
  • 8 years of relevant experience required.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Active Top Secret / SCI clearance necessary.
  • Ten or more years of DSP algorithm development in digital communications or SIGINT applications.
  • Deep knowledge in communications theory including modulation, coding, and detection.
  • Hands-on experience with communications waveforms in multiple environments.

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement DSP pipelines for signal detection and classification.
  • Develop algorithms for synchronization, equalization, and demodulation of various waveforms.
  • Recover payload bits and reconstruct data links across multiple communication methods.
  • Create processing designs for advanced spectrum management.
  • Mitigate real-world signal impairments in communication systems.
  • Conduct SOI development and waveform discovery for evolving signals.
  • Optimize algorithms in C/C++ and Python, integrating them with SDR systems.

Benefits

  • Mentorship opportunities for junior engineers and design review involvement.
  • Contribution to lab, ground, and field test events for practical application experiences.
  • Documentation responsibilities for algorithm and performance sustainability.
  • Engagement with end-to-end integration across diverse systems.
Full Job Description

Job Description:

Seeking a Senior DSP Engineer to design, implement, and field advanced processing chains for communications signals of interest (SOIs) across terrestrial, airborne, maritime-surface, and space segments. The role centers on detection, characterization, demodulation, and exploitation of tactical and strategic data-bearing waveforms in congested, contested, and degraded electromagnetic environments. Work spans algorithm development through operational software deployed against collected I/Q from wideband receivers and software-defined radios.

Responsibilities

  • Architect and implement DSP pipelines for detection, classification, parameterization, and tracking of communications signals across HF through Ka-band collections.
  • Develop synchronization, carrier and symbol recovery, equalization, and demodulation algorithms for both well-documented and poorly characterized waveforms, including frequency-hopped, spread-spectrum, and low-probability-of-intercept / low-probability-of-detection constructions.
  • Recover payload bits and reconstruct higher-layer structure from tactical and strategic data links, including line-of-sight, beyond-line-of-sight, and satellite communications carriers (protected and commercial).
  • Design multi-rate channelizers, polyphase filter banks, and wideband front-end processing suitable for high-occupancy spectrum and mixed narrowband / wideband collections.
  • Characterize and mitigate real-world impairments typical of long-range and over-water paths: Doppler from moving platforms, multipath, co-channel interference, phase noise, IQ imbalance, and low SNR.
  • Perform SOI development and waveform discovery against unidentified or evolving communications systems; produce reusable signal models, feature sets, and processing recipes.
  • Implement and optimize algorithms in C/C++ and Python on Linux, with GPU/CUDA or equivalent acceleration where throughput or latency requires it; integrate with SDR hardware and existing mission processing frameworks.
  • Validate processing chains against laboratory-generated and field-collected I/Q using quantitative metrics (detection probability, false-alarm rate, EVM, BER, protocol decode success).
  • Support end-to-end integration with RF front ends, collection systems, and downstream analytic or C2 consumers; contribute to lab, ground, and occasional field test events.
  • Mentor junior engineers, review designs, and translate operational collection needs into technical requirements and processing architectures.
  • Document algorithms, interfaces, and performance so capabilities can be sustained and transitioned.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degreein Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline;Master’s degree preferred. Equivalent experience may be consideredin lieu ofa degree.
  • 8 years of experience required
  • U.S. citizenship
  • An active Top Secret / SCI clearance
  • Ten or more years of professional experience developing DSP algorithms for digital communications, COMINT, or closely related SIGINT applications.
  • Deep working knowledge of communications theory: modulation and coding, multiple access, synchronization, estimation and detection, channel models, and link-budget fundamentals.
  • Hands-on experience demodulating and exploiting communications waveforms used for command-and-control and data exchange among surface, airborne, and space assets96not limited to a single band or access method.
  • Proficiency in implementing signal processing in C/C++ and Python in Linux environments; version control with Git.
  • Experience with at least one mission-relevant framework or environment such as MATLAB, GNU Radio, or X-Midas.
  • Demonstrated ability to work from raw I/Q through bits and recoverable protocol structure under operationally realistic impairments.

Security Clearance Requirement:

An active Top Secret SCI security clearance is required for this position.

This position is part of our Federal Solutions team.

Salary Range: $112,200.00 - $196,400.00

About Parsons

Parsons Corporation is a technology-driven engineering services firm with more than 70 years of experience in the engineering, construction, technical, and professional services industries. The corporation is a leader in many diversified markets with a focus on infrastructure, defense, security, and construction. Parsons delivers design/design-build, program/construction management, systems design/engineering, cyber/converged security, and other professional services packaged in innovative alternative delivery methods to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. Parsons is a leader in many diversified markets with a focus on infrastructure, defense, security, and construction. Parsons delivers design/design-build, program/construction management, systems design/engineering, cyber/converged security, and other professional services packaged in innovative alternative delivery methods to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide.
Learn more about Parsons
Size
15,500 employees
Market Cap
$4.7 billion
Industry
Net Income
$98.5 million
Founded
1944
5 Year Trend
+3.8%
Revenue
$3.9 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Senior DSP Engineer - TS/SCI jobs: