Combat and Strategic Systems Engineer

Description

We are seeking a highly skilled Test & Evaluation Engineer to support the Expeditionary Electronic Warfare Division (MXQ) at NSWC Crane. This vital mission-support role requires an engineer with a strong foundation in applied physics, radio frequency (RF) engineering, wireless communications, signal analysis, and rigorous RF test methods to advance Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS) capabilities.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide RF engineering and applied physics support for CUAS test and evaluation activities.
• Support planning, development, execution, and analysis of CUAS laboratory, field, over-the-air, and hardware-in-the-loop test events.
• Analyze RF communications, signal characteristics, propagation effects, antenna performance, interference, and electromagnetic environment conditions.
• Support evaluation of CUAS systems, EW systems, RF sensors, RF defeat capabilities, communication links, transmitters, receivers, antennas, and supporting test infrastructure.
• Assist in developing test objectives, test plans, test procedures, data collection plans, test cards, and post-test analysis products.
• Operate and configure RF test equipment, including spectrum analyzers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, receivers, software-defined radios, antennas, data acquisition systems, and related instrumentation.
• Collect, process, and analyze RF test data to assess system performance, detection capability, signal effectiveness, link behavior, waveform characteristics, receiver sensitivity, transmit power, timing, and environmental impacts.
• Support RF modeling and simulation activities, including RF coverage analysis, antenna placement assessments, signal propagation assessments, model validation, and correlation of model results with test data.
• Support CUAS technique evaluation, including assessment of RF effects, communications behavior, signal interactions, and system performance against representative threat systems.
• Assist with hardware-in-the-loop testing to evaluate output waveforms, RF characteristics, technique performance, threat/mission load behavior, and system response.
• Identify test limitations, data gaps, anomalies, equipment issues, and technical risks that may impact test validity or mission conclusions.
• Provide engineering recommendations to improve test rigor, data collection quality, RF measurement methods, repeatability, and test efficiency.
• Support test readiness reviews, technical interchange meetings, Integrated Product Teams, daily test briefs, post-test debriefs, and lessons learned activities.
• Coordinate with field test teams to ensure RF equipment, antennas, sensors, targets, data collection tools, and support assets are properly configured and ready for test execution.
• Support evaluation of wireless communication protocols, advanced communication threats, software-defined radio technologies, digital signal processing applications, and RF-enabled CUAS capabilities.
• Develop and review technical reports, test reports, engineering summaries, RF analysis products, briefings, and recommendations for Government review.
• Ensure test data, analysis products, and technical documentation are properly marked, controlled, and handled in accordance with applicable security, CUI, OPSEC, and classification requirements. 

Qualifications

Education Requirements: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Communications Engineering.

Job Requirements:

• Zero (0) to three (3) years of professional experience in RF, microwave, or electronic systems engineering with preference in defense systems.
• Experience supporting RF engineering, communications engineering, spectrum analysis, EW systems, CUAS systems, or test and evaluation activities.
• Knowledge of RF fundamentals, including propagation, antennas, modulation, bandwidth, gain/loss, link budgets, receivers, transmitters, interference, noise, and signal characterization.
• Experience using RF test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, etc.
• Relevant RF, communications, military, or test experience may be considered in lieu of degree depending on customer requirements.
• Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain interim Secret clearance to start. Final Secret Clearance is required.