Radar Optimization Engineer

As one of Leidos’ oldest and largest programs supporting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the NAS Integration Support Contract (NISC) Program is seeking a qualified professional to support the FAA’s Brand-New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) initiative—specifically the Radar Surveillance Replacement (RSR) Program Office (AJM-41)—by serving as an RSR Radar Optimization Engineer. The selected candidate will support radar configuration, testing, calibration, troubleshooting, and optimization activities for the RSR PO at some of the nation’s busiest and most critical airports.

• Represent the PO at RSR sites, executing to an aggressive multi-site schedule.
• Serve as an RSR subject matter expert (SME) to the RSR program office’s project, optimization, and engineering leads.
• Support the integration, configuration, testing, calibration, troubleshooting, and optimization of radar and associated electronic systems.
• Configure radar tracking parameters, target-classification software, network interfaces, and integration middleware as required.
• Perform advanced field troubleshooting and root-cause analysis to isolate signal interference, hardware faults, communications failures, and data-packet loss.
• Support antenna alignment and mechanical tilt and azimuth verification, as well as the evaluation of equipment mounting, environmental enclosures, and thermal-management considerations affecting radar performance.
• Use spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, power meters, and specialized radar diagnostic software to tune system gain, filter clutter, establish detection thresholds, and verify system performance.
• Evaluate system interfaces, including Ethernet, serial, Controller Area Network (CAN), fiber-optic communications, power distribution, grounding, bonding, and surge-protection systems.
• Analyze radar performance data and make necessary system adjustments to achieve required detection, tracking, accuracy, and reliability standards.
• Document test results, system configurations, identified deficiencies, corrective actions, and final optimization settings.
• Coordinate with FAA personnel, system engineers, vendors, and other technical stakeholders to resolve system-performance issues.
• Ensure field activities comply with applicable FAA requirements, and site‑specific safety procedures.

• Travel is expected to be high—50% to 75% of the time.

• Bachelor’s Degree with 4–8 years of relevant experience, or additional years of relevant experience that may be considered or accepted in lieu of a degree.
• A degree, formal certification, or equivalent technical training in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Technology, Military Radar Systems, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience with research, design, development, integration, maintenance, testing, calibration, or optimization of electrical and electronic equipment and systems.
• Completion of formal radar training at the FAA Academy, a military technical school, or another recognized radar training program.
• Prior radar certification authority at one or more airports or operational radar facilities.
• Several years of hands‑on field experience with one or more radar systems in the active National Airspace System (NAS) or a comparable operational environment.
• In‑depth knowledge of radio‑frequency (RF) propagation, microwave transceivers, signal processing, antenna alignment, and waveguide systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of system‑integration interfaces, including Ethernet, serial, CAN, and fiber‑optic communications; network protocols; power distribution; grounding and bonding; and surge protection.
• Proficiency using spectrum analyzers, oscilloscopes, power meters, and specialized radar diagnostic…