Sr 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.

Primary Responsibilities

• 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 Expectations

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

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with 12 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 software.

• Ability to perform radar testing, calibration, and optimization activities, including adjusting gain, filtering clutter, establishing detection thresholds, and verifying system performance.

• Understanding of mechanical tilt and azimuth alignment, environmental enclosures, equipment mounting, and thermal-management requirements as they relate to radar performance.

• Ability to configure radar tracking parameters, target-classification software, network interfaces, and integration middleware.

• Advanced troubleshooting and root-cause-analysis skills for isolating RF interference, hardware faults, communications failures, and data-packet loss.

• Ability to analyze radar performance data, document test results, and recommend or perform corrective adjustments.

• Comprehensive understanding of FAA operational risk-management practices.

• Ability to perform at a high level independently and as part of a small team while meeting an aggressive radar optimization schedule.

• Demonstrated commitment to high-quality radar maintenance, testing, calibration, and optimization practices.

• Professionalism when representing Leidos to FAA customers, consistent with delivering “best of the best” support.

• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable FAA technical, safety, and radar-system requirements.

• Ability to obtain and maintain an FAA Public Trust clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate is a former FAA radar specialist, engineer, or technician with multi-year responsibility for radar systems in the operational NAS.

• Experience with FAA surveillance radar systems and associated communications.

• Experience supporting radar modernization, integration, commissioning, operational testing, acceptance, calibration, troubleshooting, or optimization activities.

• Experience analyzing radar plots, system-performance data, target reports, coverage, clutter, interference, and tracking anomalies.

• Familiarity with FAA safety requirements, grounding and bonding requirements, radar-performance standards, and site-specific work procedures.

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Original Posting:

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.