Associate - Engineering

Date: Jul 5, 2026

Location: Lexington, MA, US

Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

The Advanced Capabilities and Technologies Group in MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Space Division pioneers high-risk, high-reward solutions at the forefront of space innovation. We explore and develop novel mission concepts spanning multiple domains - from very low orbit to cislunar space, including dynamic space operations, autonomous systems, and next-generation passive and active sensing. Our work integrates rigorous mission analysis with early-stage concept development to rapidly assess and mature transformative ideas that address emerging national security challenges.

We seek engineers, mathematicians, and physicists who are motivated to tackle technically complex problems, operate across disciplines, and help shape the future of space capabilities from first principles through prototype realization.

Group 91 is seeking an Associate Staff member to serve in a hybrid analyst and prototype systems engineer role supporting multi-domain, space domain awareness, and space control missions. The successful candidate will develop analytical tools, simulations, and performance models that inform requirements definition, system characterization, architecture trades, and technical risk reduction for advanced sensing and space mission concepts. This role also offers the opportunity to support systems engineering for rapid space prototypes, including concept maturation, interface definition, integration planning, test campaign support, and performance assessment in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.

• Develop and apply modeling, simulation, and analysis tools to assess multi-domain, space domain awareness, and space control mission concepts.
• Derive system requirements, performance metrics, and trade criteria from mission needs.
• Characterize system performance and execute architecture trades across sensing, trajectory, operations, command and control, and platform design.
• Support systems engineering for rapid space prototypes, including CONOPS development, interface definition, integration and test, and verification planning.
• Present analysis results, technical recommendations, and prototype findings to interdisciplinary teams and government sponsors through briefings, reports, and technical discussions.

• M.S. required in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
  • A B.S. in one of the above fields of study with 5+ years of experience will also be considered.
• Experience with modeling, simulation, or quantitative analysis of complex aerospace, defense, or sensing systems.
• Demonstrated ability to build and use technical tools in MATLAB, Python, Simulink, STK, GMAT, or similar environments.
• Strong analytical problem‑solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work across disciplines in both analytical and prototype‑oriented efforts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to explain technical findings to mixed technical and non‑technical audiences and to deliver technical briefings to sponsors and collaborators.

• Academic or professional background in astrodynamics, spacecraft systems, orbital operations, remote sensing, estimation, controls, mission analysis, or systems engineering.
• Experience supporting requirements development, performance characterization, or architecture trades for defense or national security systems.
• Familiarity with space mission design, prototype development, integration and test, or field/flight test activities.
• Experience working on interdisciplinary teams that span analysis, hardware, software, integration, and test campaigns.
• Willingness to travel to sponsor sites.

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $116,400-$140,000
Experienced Hiring Range: $116,400-$182,200

MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various…