Senior Systems Engineer

McBride Consulting

$110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • US citizenship required
  • Active Secret Clearance required
  • Bachelor's degree in a related field with 12 years experience, or 15 years related experience with 8 in DoD
  • Proficient in preparing and reviewing technical documentation
  • Experience with E-3/E-7 AWACS platforms preferred
  • Strong interpersonal skills for collaboration and communication
  • Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.

Responsibilities

  • Conduct program portfolio reviews to evaluate and recommend enhancements
  • Prepare technical documentation for system characteristics and management reports
  • Perform system validations and analyze major engineering results
  • Support engineering and technical training for program initiatives
  • Conduct formal trade studies on engineering performance and compatibility
  • Analyze proposals for technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness
  • Support engineering processes including risk and configuration management.

Benefits

  • 401(k)
  • Health insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Vision insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Professional development assistance
  • Referral program
Full Job Description
Job Description
McBride Consulting has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Systems Engineer providing support to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/Airborne Warning and Control System (AFLCMC/HBS/WIW). The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Division, has the collective Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) mission responsibility to deliver airborne Battle Management Command & Control (BMC2) capabilities that support joint, allied, coalition, humanitarian, and homeland defense operations. Modernization efforts enable continued involvement with worldwide operations by revitalizing legacy mission systems, replacing aging computer architectures, integrating multi-sensor data fusion, and improving global expeditionary readiness and availability. Additionally, the Division assists in the planned divestiture of the E-3 platform and in shaping development of follow-on capabilities for future airborne C2 systems.

This is a full time Hybrid position located at Tinker AFB, OK.

Responsibilities:

Duties include, but not limited to:

  • Conduct comprehensive program portfolio reviews to evaluate and recommend alternative plans, enhance systems engineering processes, manage and sustain technical baselines, and design/perform system-level tests to ensure subsystem and system performance aligns with approved specifications.
  • Review and evaluate alternative plans, systems engineering programs, designs, and test results to verify subsystem and system performance compliance with program specifications.
  • Prepare technical documentation defining and recommending system/subsystem characteristics, management reports, and technical presentations for planning, implementation, and corrective actions, applying engineering economy principles.
  • Perform system validations, including criteria and procedure development, and analyze/evaluate major engineering system results.
  • Provide engineering, technical support, and training for programs/initiatives, including acquisition, development, integration, sustainment, evolution, deployment, fielding, installation, and operations oversight.
  • Support risk management activities in alignment with Air Force Systems Engineering Assessment Model (AF SEAM) processes.
  • Conduct formal trade studies considering engineering performance, effectiveness, cost-performance balance, lifecycle cost, reliability, maintainability, risk, and schedule.
  • Offer technical recommendations through reviews, studies, audits, evaluations, analyses, procedural guidance, and documentation, supporting engineering Integrated Product Teams (IPTs).
  • Analyze proposals to compare and quantify technical feasibility, compatibility, and cost-effectiveness of proposed systems and components.

Concepts and Requirements Analysis:

  • Review and analyze key documents, including Initial Capabilities Documents (ICDs), Capability Development Documents (CDDs), Capability Production Documents (CPDs), and Analyses of Alternatives (AoAs).
  • Conduct assessments of military utility, operational concepts (CONOPs), technology development strategies, functional configuration audits (FCAs), physical configuration audits (PCAs), and technology standards profiles.
  • Analyze system concepts and user requirements entered into system requirements baselines (functional, allocated, and product).

Engineering Process Support:

  • Assist in material solution analysis, technology development, engineering, manufacturing, production, deployment, and operations support.
  • Provide support for engineering technical processes, including version/configuration control, requirements analysis, architecture design, implementation, integration, verification, validation, and decision analysis.
  • Perform risk, configuration, technical data, and interface management, as well as technical planning and assessments.

Technical Reviews and Documentation:

  • Support planning and execution of technical reviews (e.g., System Requirements Review, Technology Readiness Assessments) and develop associated documentation (e.g., Systems Engineering Plan, Risk Management Plan).
  • Develop systems engineering documentation, ensuring understanding of systems-of-systems interactions, configuration management, technical data packages, and acquisition/sustainment engineering processes.


Requirements

Qualifications:

Citizenship: Must be a US citizen

Clearance: Must have an Secret Clearance

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field and 12 years of experience in the respective technical/professional discipline being performed, five of which must be in the DoD OR

    • 15 years of directly related experience, eight of which must be in the DoD

Preferred Qualifications

Technical Skills

  • Prepare and review system and subsystem technical documentation, requirements, and engineering analyses for E-3/E-7 AWACS platforms.
  • Develop and recommend system characteristics, interface definitions, and technical approaches aligned with DoD and Air Force engineering and cybersecurity policies.
  • Support modeling and simulation activities, including Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), Systems Engineering Plans (SEP), and architecture documentation for planned and existing systems.
  • Produce technical presentations, engineering reports, and corrective-action documentation applying established engineering economy principles.
  • Conduct system capability evaluations, performance analyses, and subsystem studies to inform government decision-making.
  • Utilize Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Agile collaboration tools to manage engineering data, documentation, and workflow.
  • Review requirements for compliance with system, cybersecurity, and Air Force policy deliverables, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

Interpersonal Skills

  • Collaborate effectively with government personnel, military members, and multiple major defense contractors supporting AWACS modernization.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts clearly in briefings, presentations, and stakeholder discussions.
  • Work independently as a self-starter while contributing meaningfully to a dynamic, fast-changing engineering environment.
  • Demonstrate strong teamwork skills when coordinating with the E-7 engineering team on modeling, simulation, and requirements development.
  • Apply sound judgment and problem-solving skills when evaluating system issues and recommending corrective actions.
  • Manage time effectively, balancing documentation, requirements analysis, and engineering support tasks across geographically distributed teams.
  • Engage constructively with diverse stakeholders, fostering productive communication across technical, programmatic, and contractor groups.


Additional Information

Location: Tinker AFB

Travel: 20% (Hanscom, Seattle)

Remote, Onsite, or Hybrid: Hybrid

Benefits

  • 401(k)
  • Dentalinsurance
  • Healthinsurance
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Professionaldevelopment assistance
  • Referralprogram
  • Visioninsurance

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