Division Chief - Electromagnetic Physicist​/Engineer; Experienced - SEAL

Location

Smyrna, GA (Metro Atlanta)

The Command, Control & Communications Division (C3D) within the Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory (SEAL) serves as a leading applied research division at GTRI, delivering cutting‑edge communications and data fusion capabilities to the warfighter. With a focus on multi‑domain command and control (C2), AI/ML‑powered decision support, and integrated sensor‑to‑platform networking, C3D develops technical solutions that address evolving battlefield challenges. The division leverages its national footprint through direct sponsor engagements with DoW agencies, federal labs, and industry partners, ensuring that emerging technologies align with mission needs.

C3D specializes in resilient tactical communications, advanced RF/IP networking architectures, and AI‑driven battlefield analytics, supporting swift decision‑making and seamless data exchange in joint, coalition, and contested operations. By fusing disaggregated sensor inputs into shared operational models, C3D enhances situational awareness, mission success, and warfighter survivability. The division operates across multiple research sites, employing a highly skilled interdisciplinary team of engineers, AI scientists, and domain experts to advance next‑generation C2 capabilities.

Through innovative prototyping, rigorous validation, and strategic partnerships, C3D drives technology evolution for defense applications, securing a decisive advantage in great‑power conflicts and emerging warfare scenarios.

The Division Chief Engineer ensures successful technical execution across the division's portfolio. This role provides technical oversight, serves as a technical resource, and ensures that the division's researchers have the tools, technologies, and processes they need to work effectively and productively. The Division Chief Engineer works closely with division management, the division chief scientist, and branch management to align research efforts with division goals and invest in personnel, professional development, equipment, and facilities.

The Division Chief Engineer maintains external connectivity with the broader technical communities to ensure internal engineering practices align with best practices of the larger technical community. This position is titled Electromagnetic Physicist/Engineer.

The Electromagnetic Physicist/Engineer designs, develops, analyzes, and tests Radio Frequency (RF) hardware, including antenna, transmitter, and receiver hardware. Designers develop RF hardware as part of a system architecture over a range of frequencies from 3 kHz to 300 GHz, analyze RF hardware performance with modeling and simulation tools, and characterise and test RF hardware in laboratory and installed system environments. The role prototypes RF hardware and systems, integrates COTS and custom designed RF hardware into large‑scale systems, and conducts component testing and system‑level testing to verify specification compliance.

• Guide division's technical capability plans by working with division management on division strategy.
• Ensure division researchers have the tools, technologies, and processes needed to work effectively and productively.
• Serve as a resource to the division for technical challenges arising during project execution.
• Oversee division's training and modernization investments to ensure they support current and anticipated project work.
• Work with the Lab's Chief Engineer and the other division's Chief Engineers to ensure engineering consistency and quality across the lab.
• Develop new research thrust areas, leveraging technology trends and government priorities.
• Lead white paper and proposal efforts; serve as point of contact throughout GTRI for collaboration with division.
• Provide guidance for the division IRAD program and encourage strategic IRADs that benefit the division.
• Attend industry days and conferences; serve on technical working groups, encourage publication within the division.

• Programmatic and technical lead (as principal investigator, co‑PI, or technical task…