Software Developer

The Transportation Safety and Resilience Group develops integrated sensing and decision support systems that enable a safe and resilient global transportation system. We specialize in systems analysis, prototyping, system architectures, and algorithm development to support supply chain resilience, improving safety in the current airspace and the introduction of new and more autonomous vehicles into the existing transportation system. A current focus area of our work is the safe and efficient introduction of Advanced Air Mobility vehicles and other new entrants into the National Airspace System. The systems we work on help prevent aircraft accidents in the existing airspace and are extensible to a more autonomous future airspace. We are also focused on improving the resilience and effectiveness of the Department of War supply chain. With technical expertise in real-time software architecture, systems analysis, advanced supercomputing-enabled modeling and simulation, machine learning, and system integration, our research teams take new ideas for solving problems and develop them into working prototypes. We are currently working on detect-and-avoid systems for both crewed and uncrewed aircraft systems, safety systems to prevent runway incursions, and decision support systems.

Job Overview

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Associate Staff provide critical multi-domain through expert multi-domain innovative research supporting the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype state-of-the-art technology solutions and engage in many steps of a program lifecycle with increasing independence and responsibility. As an Associate Staff member, you will contribute independently to multidisciplinary efforts, contribute to sponsor briefings, write test plans and reports, and apply complex and creative solutions to solving technical problems. You may own discrete project/program components or lead complex workstreams and small teams.

As a successful candidate, you will bring solid to strong technical depth, broaden your understanding across adjacent disciplines, and adapt approaches where precedent is limited. You will integrate technical inputs, contribute to program documentation and reporting, and collaborate with interdisciplinary project/program teams supporting projects that may range from rapid, high-risk efforts to longer-term mission programs. Your work will include multiple activities such as hardware and software development, systems analysis, data analysis, component fabrication, system integration, testing, and documentation.

Additional Job Overview Details

This position involves the architecture, design and development of software for next-generation transportation and logistics decision support systems and/or the analysis of those systems. The candidate will participate in a product development team and support multiple aspects of the project, potentially including user interface design and full stack development, and documenting software. Close collaboration with subject-matter experts and system analysts is expected. May also entail embedded software development.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

This position involves the architecture, design and development of software for next-generation transportation and logistics decision support systems and/or the analysis of those systems. The candidate will participate in a product development team and support multiple aspects of the project, potentially including user interface design and full stack development, and documenting software. Close collaboration with subject-matter experts and system analysts is expected. May also entail embedded software development.

Additional Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Own or lead design, development, data analysis, programming, modeling, simulation, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and technical evaluation activities within broader project or program efforts.
• Apply technical depth and judgment to less-defined and complex problems, identifying appropriate methods, adapting established approaches, and evaluating trade-offs.
• Contribute to or lead system-, subsystem-, or component-level work spanning multiple disciplines, mission needs, products, or technical focus areas.
• Develop, review, and integrate technical documentation, analyses, design materials, program reporting, presentations, papers, and other deliverables.
• Coordinate milestones, assumptions, dependencies, quality expectations, and risks and present findings, recommendations, and alternatives to appropriate audiences.
• Provide technical guidance, review, feedback, and mentorship while continuing to deepen mission-aligned expertise.

Candidates will be considered for the appropriate level based on their education, experience, demonstrated technical capabilities, leadership responsibilities, and the scope and complexity of their prior work.

Level 3 - Associate Staff

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 0+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Solid technical depth in a primary engineering, research, or other technical domain, with the ability to apply knowledge independently.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and manage components of project work.
• Experience contributing to technical documentation, analyses, reports, presentations, or project deliverables.
• Ability to collaborate across project teams and communicate technical information clearly to appropriate audiences.
• Emerging ability to guide less experienced colleagues and contribute to team capability development.

Level 4 - Associate Staff

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 4+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; a PhD may be considered; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong technical depth in a primary domain with emerging breadth across related engineering, research, technical disciplines, or mission areas.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and lead components of projects or technical workstreams.
• Experience managing milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables for assigned project areas.
• Ability to communicate complex information to varied audiences and collaborate with project teams, sponsors, and internal partners.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor others, review work, and contribute to team technical capability.

Additional Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Computer Science or related discipline; in lieu of a master’s degree, a bachelor’s degree with 3 to 5 years of experience
• Strong proficiency in software development in C/C++
• Proficiency with software build management with make/cmake
• Proficiency with high-level prototyping software languages (Matlab, Python, and Julia)
• Demonstrated experience with continuous integration and delivery processes
• Familiarity with Docker/containerization
• Familiarity with document preparation using LaTeX
• Deep understanding of software development lifecycle and agile methodologies
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with a team

Preferred Qualifications

• Aviation and/or general transportation system domain knowledge
• AI/ML or data science
• Relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and SQL

Experience with JavaScript/Typescript, web frameworks or app development (e.g, Kotlin

Associate Staff 3 Hiring Range: $114,000 - $148,000 Associate Staff 4 Hiring Range: $124,000 - $164,000

Disclaimer: 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 factors, including-but not limited to-the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.

At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
• Mentorship programs
• A range of work-life balance options
• … and much more!

Please visit our Benefits page for more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage of other voluntary benefits, discounts and perks .

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.