Communications and Networks Software Development Engineer-Assistant

Communications and Networks Software Development Engineer-Assistant Staff

Date: Feb 9, 2026

Location: Lexington, MA, US

Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

How do we ensure critical data gets where it's needed–when it's needed–across Department of War (DoW) space, air, and surface platforms operating over vast distances? Our team works at the forefront of this challenge, developing advanced technologies, algorithms, and architectures that enable resilient, interoperable communications for the joint force. As part of the Communications Networks and Analysis group, you'll develop and apply expertise in emerging line‑of‑sight and beyond‑line‑of‑sight communications systems and software‑defined networking technologies to design and build robust connectivity solutions for users operating in congested and contested environments.

Your work will directly improve the resilience and capacity of real‑world communications systems and help integrate them seamlessly across platforms and domains. We take ideas from concept to reality through hands‑on technical analysis, modeling, simulation, emulation, prototype development, and flight testing—giving you the opportunity to see your designs built, evaluated, and deployed to make a tangible impact.

The Communications and Networks Software Development Engineer plays a key role in shaping next‑generation communications and networking capabilities for the DoW. In this role, you will develop, implement, and test novel communications and networking algorithms and protocols across all layers of the network stack.

You’ll work as part of highly collaborative, multidisciplinary teams that bring together expertise in systems analysis, communications theory, networking, information assurance, systems engineering, RF, and digital hardware and software. This position offers hands‑on opportunities to take ideas from concept through implementation and evaluation, and to collaborate with government sponsors, academic partners, and industry leaders. Your contributions will directly influence the design, development, and fielding of future DoW communications capabilities.

• Assess emerging commercial and DoW communications and network solutions, both software and hardware
• Software development and implementation of novel communications and networking algorithms and protocols
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to design, prototype and test algorithms and protocols within a system of systems context
• Develop and design laboratory experiments that include ground, airborne, and space systems with hardware‑in‑the‑loop
• Collect, analyze and interpret complex data sets from field and laboratory experiments
• Prepare technical documentation, including refereed publications, reports, and as well as technical presentations for multiple internal and external audiences
• Share new ideas and intuitions with your colleagues, collaborators and others in our technical communities through mentorship, education, and outreach opportunities.

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science (or related field) with a strong background in software development and mathematics.
• Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, C or C++, VHDL and/or embedded systems programming
• Proficiency with Linux or commercial real‑time operating systems
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience and/or coursework in systems analysis, optimization, wireless communications theory, data networks, digital signal processing, estimation and detection, optimization, linear algebra
• Software Defined Networking hardware and software
• Cloud network technologies and protocols
• Media access control protocols
• Optimization and machine learning
• Fixed point algorithm design and implementation targeting embedded processors such as FPGA, GPU, DSP
• Software Defined Radio
• Demonstrated ability to plan and manage tasks and projects.

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $100,200–$120,000

Experienced Hiring Range: $100,200–$150,000

MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good…