Senior Staff Systems Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 30, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 25, 2026. Twenty-Six Defense scores B on the Alion truth index.
Job Summary: The Senior Staff Systems Engineer – Seeker SME serves as the technical authority for the design, development, integration, testing, verification, and validation of Semi-Active Laser (SAL), Imaging (EO/IR), and RF seekers for precision-guided weapon systems. This role leads the development of seeker algorithms, performance-simulation models, and end-to-end terminal-guidance behaviors for all-up rounds. The Seeker SME partners closely with cross-functional teams - optical, software, electrical, mechanical, GNC, and production - to transition designs into production-ready seekers.
As the primary subject-matter expert, this position requires regular customer interaction and close collaboration with business development to shape technical roadmaps aligned with emerging needs. The ideal candidate has deep experience in laser-seeker physics, RF radar/seeker architectures, signal processing, algorithm development, and full weapon-system integration and test, including ground, captive-carry, and flight testing.
Responsibilities and Tasks:
Technical Leadership & SME Responsibilities
Serve as the primary technical authority for SAL, Imaging (EO/IR), and RF seeker technologies internally and with customers.
Lead seeker architecture definition, requirements decomposition, and technical trade studies across optical, RF, electronic, mechanical, software, and GNC domains.
Design, Development & Integration
Lead design, development, integration, testing, verification, and validation activities for SAL and Imaging seekers, with added responsibility for RF seeker system analysis and architecture.
Develop seeker performance simulation models for SAL, Imaging, and RF domains.
Guide development of algorithms for target detection, tracking, angle estimation, filtering, countermeasure rejection, and terminal guidance performance.
Hands On Test, Calibration & Verification
Support customer field test events and provide expert guidance on test planning and execution.
Conduct seeker calibration and verification using laser tables, IR collimators, optical benches, and RF target simulators.
Generate test scripts to automate calibration and verification workflows.
Cross Functional Engineering Collaboration
Partner with optical, electrical, software, mechanical, RF, and GNC engineering teams to drive robust, integrated seeker designs.
Recommend and document seeker design updates to improve performance, robustness, manufacturability, and resilience in contested environments.
Customer Interaction & Roadmap Development
Communicate technical concepts, risks, and decisions clearly to customers and senior leadership.
Work closely with business development to shape seeker technical roadmaps aligned to customer needs, future mission profiles, and competitive landscape.
Continuous Improvement & Industry Awareness
Maintain awareness of industry trends, threat evolution, seeker technology advancements, and emerging algorithmic/processing techniques in SAL, RF, and Imaging domains.
Education, Experience, License, or Certification:
BS + 12 years of relevant experience; MS + 9 years of relevant experience; PhD + 7 years of relevant experience
Advanced technical expertise in seeker technologies, including AESA and phased-array radars, monopulse angle-tracking techniques, millimeter-wave (MMW) seekers, multimode RF/SAL/Imaging seekers, and hybrid guidance architectures.
Experience with optical phenomena relevant to SAL and Imaging seekers, including radome effects, optical/IR propagation, laser energy degradation through atmospherics, boresight alignment, optical distortion, and backscatter impacts.
Proficiency with advanced modeling and simulation tools, including MATLAB/Simulink, Python-based analysis environments, RF target simulators, optical simulation tools, and seeker end-to-end performance modeling frameworks.
Hands-on experience with HWIL/SWIL test environments, RF target emulators, laser test benches, IR collimators, motion platforms, optical alignment tools, and automated calibration/verification equipment.
Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), including SysML/Cameo for system architecture, requirements modeling, behavioral diagrams, interface definition, and verification planning.
Knowledge of weapon-system environmental qualification, including ESS, vibe, thermal cycling, shock, EMI/EMC, and real-world seeker survivability considerations.
Experience supporting ground, captive-carry, and flight test campaigns, including test planning, instrumentation, on-range troubleshooting, and quick-look analysis of seeker telemetry data.
Background in countermeasure environments, including ECM/ECCM, SAL countermeasure rejection techniques, clutter-suppression filtering, false-target discrimination, target reacquisition logic, and terminal-engagement robustness.
Strong understanding of embedded software/firmware integration, digital signal processing chains, FPGA-based seeker implementations, and high-rate data-path design.
Prior customer-facing engineering experience, proposal support, technical roadmap development, and collaboration with business development on future seeker architectures.
Travel/Physical Requirements:
25-50% travel to be expected based on production needs.