Senior Digital Signal Processing Systems 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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Job Description

Summary:

As a Senior Digital Signal Processing System Engineer you will support programs to create innovative, multidisciplinary technical solutions, for a broad range of highly‑complicated mission needs. You will participate in hands‑on engagement with concept and prototype development, which may include software or firmware coding, test equipment operation, support of system integration, field tests and customer demonstrations. Due to the nature of our customers’ missions, this position is necessarily performed onsite in our recently‑renovated Cambridge facility and laboratories.

• Design waveforms and algorithms suited for high performance applications
• Support signal processing areas of complex engineering projects in a fast‑paced environment
• Develop and maintain expertise in telecommunications technology and network architectures
• Use standard laboratory instrumentation for validation and troubleshooting
• Perform analysis and modeling of complex radio frequency systems and algorithms
• Provide DSP insight and suggest associated algorithms based on analysis outcomes
• Demonstrates strong organization, planning, and time management skills to achieve program goals
• Supports business development activities including development of proposals and engaging with sponsors

• DSP algorithm design and implementation (e.g. FIR filter design, adaptive filtering, channel equalization, application of LMS, Maximum Likelihood and MMSE estimators, multirate signal processing)
• Statistical channel detection/estimation
• Neyman‑Pearson detectors and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves
• Experience with wireless communications (4G/5G, MIMO, OFDM)
• Knowledge of RF systems and architecture
• Experience with signal link budget hand calculations
• Experience with embedded software for FPGAs and GPUs
• Hands‑on experience with test equipment for RF measurements
• FPGA, GPU, or C implementation of signal processing algorithms
• Experience programming and utilization of software defined radios
• Very experienced using Matlab and/or python for DSP signal analysis
• Strong problem‑solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability and willingness to work in highly collaborative team environment
• Excellent self‑management and organizational skills: proven ability to meet deadlines, task prioritization and attention to details

• Designs RF and Communications systems that solve challenging problems.
• Manages complex engineering projects in a fast‑paced environment.
• Develops and maintains effective internal/external relationships.
• Drives solutions to complex problems with limited direction—contributes to requirements development, proposes ways forward, and adapts appropriately to changes in requirements.
• Performs analysis and modeling of complex radio frequency or communications systems.
• Contributes to customer presentations.
• Able to provide insight and suggest design modifications based on analysis outcomes, and to apply analysis techniques across a range of technical disciplines.
• Identifies program/system‑level technical risks and develops and executes mitigation strategies.
• Acts actively mentors less…