What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Optics/Directed Energy Engineer position at Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.?
Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) is seeking a Principal Optics/Directed Energy Engineer with strong experience in the development and production of directed energy systems. In this role, you will provide highlevel engineering and acquisition support for advanced weapons, sensor systems, and cuttingedge technologies. You will support the Missile Defense Agency's Advanced Technology Division at Von Braun III on Redstone Arsenal, working across a diverse community of science and technology partners from multiple government agencies.
This position provides the opportunity to influence nextgeneration missile defense capabilities by exploring emerging concepts, assessing breakthrough technologies, and shaping riskbased development and integration strategies. The ideal candidate is highly analytical, collaborative, and comfortable leading technical efforts in a fastpaced program environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Identify and prioritize future missile defense technologies that close critical capability gaps, with an initial focus on directed energy, and document them in Agencylevel Science & Technology roadmaps.
- Evaluate the feasibility and systemlevel benefit of integrating new technologies and concepts from across the DoD into the missile defense architecture.
- Support special study efforts, including concept feasibility experiments, analysis, data integration, and software development for communication technologies.
- Develop riskreduction approaches for a broad portfolio of advanced concepts to accelerate stateoftheart capabilities within current and future missile defense architectures.
- Lead and foster collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders.
- Coordinate inputs from Chief Technology Officers and identify opportunities for impactful technology development.
- Prepare and deliver clear, accurate briefings and reports for senior leadership across the Services, OSD, and other DoD organizations.
- Provide Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis support for directed energy systems.
- Deliver metricbased analysis products and executivelevel presentations.
- Provide excellent customer support and communicate effectively with all levels of leadership.
Required Qualifications:
- US citizenship and an active TS/SCI SAP clearance.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, optics, or a related technical field.
- 15 years of professional experience, including 5 years in DoD acquisition, engineering, test, or technical management.
- Experience supporting classified and special access programs.
- Background in R&D, technology maturation and insertion, analysis, testing, and systems engineering.
- Selfmotivated and proactive in researching and learning new technologies.
- Demonstrated ownership of complex projects with successful outcomes.
- Ability to multitask, handle quickturn requests, and produce highquality work with minimal oversight.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for producing clear, concise business communications and recommendations.
- Proven success working in a deadlinedriven, serviceintensive environment.
- Ability to build strong relationships and leverage insights across multiple stakeholder groups.
- Strong leadership, organizational, relationshipbuilding, and negotiation skills.
- Effective working independently or as part of a development team.
Desired Skills and Experience:
- MS or PhD preferred.
- Experience developing or managing directed energy technologies and prototype systems.
- Experience with hypersonic advanced concepts or strategic mission areas.
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- Interesting Work: Our co-workers support some of the most important and critical programs to our national defense and security.
- Values: Our first core value is that employees come first. We challenge our co-workers to provide the highest level of support and service, and reward them with some of the best benefits in the industry.
- 100% Employee Owned: We have a stake in each other's success, and the success of our customers. It's also nice to know what's going on across the company; we have company wide town-hall meetings three times a year.
- Great Benefits - Most Full-Time Staff Are Eligible for:
- Starting PTO accrual of 20 days PTO/year 10 holidays/year
- Flexible schedules
- 6% 401k match with immediate vesting up to $9k annually
- Semi-annual bonus eligibility (July and December)
- Company funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - a separate qualified retirement account
- Up to $10,000 in annual educational reimbursement
- Other company funded benefits, like life and disability insurance
- Optional zero deductible Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance plan
- Track Record of Success: We have grown every year since our founding in 1993.
Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI) is a 100% employee-owned engineering services and solutions company that provides high-demand technical expertise in Digital Transformation, Modeling and Simulation, Rapid Capability Development, Test and Evaluation, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, Cybersecurity and Mission Assurance
MTSI delivers capabilities to solve problems of global importance. Founded in 1993, MTSI today has employees at over 20 offices and field sites worldwide.
For more information about MTSI, please visit www.mtsi-va.com
MTSI embraces nine core values including our first core value of Employees come first. Consistent with our Core Values, we are committed to Equal Opportunity, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, military/veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. MTSI is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with physical and/or mental disabilities.
MTSI is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Salary : $9,000 - $10,000