Principal Radiation Architecture Engineer

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross‑fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation.

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The Contested Environment System Analysis group is seeking a Principal‑level Radiation Architecture Engineer to support cross‑functional teams to develop system concepts, architectures, and requirements that support operation in natural and hostile radiation environments. The candidate is expected to have hands‑on experience in delivering radiation hardened systems, including what is necessary to ensure a system meets performance requirements in these environments. The candidate will be expected to work effectively in a team environment, mentor junior engineers, and communicate progress and results through published reports and presentations.

This role requires at least 60% time on‑site at a Draper campus.

• Support engineering decisions based on radiation effects on overall system performance.
• Design harden and verify the performance of systems across multiple radiation effects, including dose rate, total ionizing dose (TID), neutron displacement damage (NDD), and single event effects (SEE).
• Support interdisciplinary teams to ensure that radiation hardening is maintained across the product lifecycle.
• Independently drive solutions to complex problems — develop requirements, propose ways forward when customer requirements are unclear or incomplete, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements.
• Maintain a sustained record of successful task leadership. Identify risks and develop and execute mitigation strategies for them.
• Demonstrate ability to lead medium‑sized teams (5–10 people). Reliably align team towards program goals and build trust within the team.
• Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) able to perform advanced radiation effects analyses.
• Provide insight and suggest design modifications based on analysis outcomes, and apply analysis techniques across a range of technical challenges and disciplines.
• Identify program/system‑level technical risks and develop and execute mitigation strategies for them.
• Develop, document, and teach best practices to less experienced engineers.
• Demonstrate strong organization, planning, and time‑management skills to achieve program goals.
• Actively mentor, recognize strengths and weaknesses in others, and provide thoughtful constructive feedback.
• Perform other related duties as needed.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to collaborate effectively with multi‑disciplinary program team members, program leadership, and non‑technical personnel.
• Excellent analytical skills to support modeling and analysis tasks.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, especially with regard to planning critical test and analysis activities.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Team player able to work in a fast‑paced environment with the ability to balance multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Solid understanding of radiation interactions with materials and devices.

Requires a Bachelor’s in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or other relevant field. A Master’s degree, or PhD is preferred.

7–10 years of Radiation Engineering or related experience.

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139‑3563

US base salary range: $95,000.00 – $

Draper supports work‑life balance through workplace flexibility and a range of employee programs, including clubs, health workshops, and local community activities.

Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact