Senior Test & Evaluation Systems Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

F&A Technologies LLC, an emerging Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, is seeking a Senior Test & Evaluation Engineer in Washington, DC (near Navy Yard) to provide Engineering Support Services to Engineers and Subject Matter Experts in support of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) Program under the Department of Navy. The position is hybrid, onsite with occasional telework each week. The candidate will be supporting multiple engineering disciplines such as the following, but not limited to: Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Information Systems, Navigation, Flight Software, Industrial, Re-entry hardware, and Flight Termination Systems. This candidate will provide more strategic support to the engineering team and leadership.

Candidate must have Test & Evaluation (T&E) Engineering experience

• Understands the purpose of a System Engineering Technical Review (SETR) series (formal, event-driven reviews that assess a system's technical health, design maturity, risks, and readiness to proceed through a program's acquisition lifecycle)
• Understands the purpose of the Test & Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) or Master Test Strategy (MTS)
• Technical support for hardware testing, software testing, modeling and simulation, and flight testing. 
• Support the entire test cycle from test planning, security, execution, analysis, and reporting to ensure tests are conducted effectively.
• Support component testing for flight systems, platform systems, and integration testing to ensure components work together for the weapon system.
• Support subsystem and system-level testing, and the development and execution of capability validation plans, to include, reporting on the program's phase of development and status towards verifying achievement of Weapon System Requirements.
• Test engineering services to assist in the planning and execution of government test events, support the oversight of contractor developmental testing, and conduct assessments and provide recommendations regarding test and modeling activities. 
• Prepare studies, plans, and analysis in support of government test and engineering efforts.
• Deliver monthly reports to include:
  • Scientific and technical reports
  • Technical reports- study services
  • Revisions to existing government documents

Program Office Experience – knowledge of the role of an acquisition program office

• Understands the purpose of an acquisition program (to develop (or acquire), sufficiently characterize, and sustain a weapon system and provide it to the Fleet so Sailors can employ it successfully)
• Understands the acquisition life cycle (the five phases of the acquisition path)
• Preferably has a DAWIA, INCOSE, or similar certification or is working toward certification
• Can describe the System Engineering “V” (the graphical model of the system development lifecycle that illustrates the relationship between development phases and testing phases, forming a "V" shape)
• Understands the purpose of a System Engineering Technical Review (SETR) series (formal, event-driven reviews that assess a system's technical health, design maturity, risks, and readiness to proceed through a program's acquisition lifecycle)
• General understanding of how the internal codes/offices support one another
• Understands the purpose of the Test and Evaluation group
• Understands the purpose of the Test & Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) or Master Test Strategy (MTS)
• Understands what an Integrated Evaluative Framework is
• Understands what configuration management is
• Has interacted with OPTEVFOR and DOT&E more than just email
• General understanding of the cycle the Financial Management group follows
• Has some experience in the VV&A process of M&S (maybe been part of a simulation control panel or more…)
• Has experience in writing a test plan (or reviewing one)
• Has participated in a data analysis working group to review test data and assist in developing conclusions
• Worked on a missile program

Field Activity – knowledge of roles and specialties of the various field activities (NSWCs, NAWCs)

1. How field activities support the Program Office
2. How are they funded
3. FFRDCs, UARCs, and National Labs
4. Awareness of general purpose and support provided 

Critical competencies

Communication

• Articulate thoughts and ideas (written and oral) to effectively exchange information
• Actively listens to others (rather than just waiting for the other person to finish so they can continue talking)
• Ability to write succinctly
• Ability to describe an issue/concept in a sentence or two adjusted to their audience

Time management

• Ability to prioritize tasks
• Ability to complete multiple tasks on or ahead of schedule

Problem solving - process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles

• Ability to understand the objective and the steps to achieve the objective
• Ability to generate and evaluate solution(s) within scope of available resources
• Able to anticipate challenges/problems

Teamwork - seamlessly work within a team to achieve common goals.

• Work cooperatively with others towards a common goal.
• Collaboration, communication, and mutual support to others with different and possibly opposing approaches

Critical thinker

• Analytical reasoning
• Ability to analyze information, identify biases, evaluate evidence
• Open-mindedness
• Open to considering different perspectives
• Tolerate ambiguity

Self-motivated

• Inner drive
• Requires little to no prompting
• Focused with attention to tasks

Required skills:

• Must have one of the following:
  • A bachelor's degree in a relevant field and 5 years of professional/internship engineering experience, OR 
  • A master's degree in a relevant field and at least 3 years of professional experience
• Must have an active Secret-level clearance 
• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must have experience with MS Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, and Word)
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Strong critical thinking skills to analyze information, identify biases, evaluate evidence, and tolerate ambiguity.
• Must be able to travel up to 25% in CONUS

Preferred skills:

• Ideal candidate will have an understanding of any or some of the following Engineering Disciplines: Electrical and Mechanical Design, Navigation, Guidance, and Control, Telemetry and Instrumentation, Flight Software, Re-entry Hardware, and Flight Termination Systems, Requirement Definition, Allocation, and Verification, Mechanical, Electrical, and Software Interfaces
• Navy weapons and engineering experience 

F&A offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, Flexible Schedules, 401(k), Retirement Life Insurance, Short & Long Term Disability.