Senior Principal Aviation Systems Engineer

at  THE MITRE CORPORATION

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That’s because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation’s toughest challenges—and we’re committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We’re making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities, and a culture of innovation that embraces diversity, inclusion, flexibility, collaboration, and career growth. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE—and make a difference with us.

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

The Advanced Transportation Operations Optimization Department (P222) in MITRE’s Center for Integrated Transportation is responsible for partnering with the Federal Aviation Administration, international standards bodies, academia, and industry in understanding and advancing the intersection of aviation, environment, and policy to create a stronger, more resilient aviation ecosystem. MITRE is seeking an experienced and innovative Senior Principal Aviation Systems Engineer to lead the department and corporation’s efforts in aviation sustainability with substantial internal and external coordination and collaboration.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Typically requires a minimum of 12 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 10 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 7 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Must have minimum of 4 years working knowledge and familiarity with aviation environmental analysis and policy.
• Must have minimum of 4 years’ experience working with senior sponsor leaders (SES and above).
• Must have minimum of 4 years prior experience managing teams of various sizes.
• Demonstrated ability to develop trusted relationships and work collaboratively across MITRE and across sponsors.
• Experience in developing cross-enterprise outcomes and coordinating their implementation within government.
• Demonstrated technical and business leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to shape and drive high impact, high quality work programs.
• This position requires a minimum of 50% hybrid on-site

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in high-fidelity aircraft performance modeling programs used in aviation environmental modeling.
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in International aviation policy bodies and their operation.
• Experience with international civil aviation authorities.
• Current DoD Secret clearance.

Our culture is a tangible asset that endures through our people and leaders. At MITRE, our leaders must also demonstrate and continually develop a consistent set of shared Leadership Competencies:

• Lead with a Strategic Mindset: Drives alignment across MITRE to achieve our mission by engaging across and beyond the enterprise, making and executing decisions, and activating the Good Growth Strategy.
• Create Value: Takes a broad approach to solving complex problems using a national and global lens. Unleashes the full capabilities of our people in a relentless pursuit of innovative solutions that are scalable, equitable, transferable, and sustainable.
• Cultivate Inclusion: Creates an environment and opportunities, built on trust, where people can be their whole authentic self, feeling welcomed, supported, engaged, and respected for who they are and what they contribute to the organization. Embraces and engages all dimensions of diversity to exponentially expand MITRE’s impact in solving problems for a safer world.
• Communicate for Impact: Conveys powerful messages tailored to the unique needs of stakeholders—and desired outcomes—in a style that engages and inspires action. Exemplifies active listening to foster collaboration, understanding, and alignment.
• Commit to Action and Outcomes: Holds self and others accountable for acting on and achieving established objectives. Exemplifies cultural attributes while executing and delivering impactful outcomes.

As a key member of the Advanced Transportation Operations Optimization team, this position requires the successful planning, development, and execution of multiple sponsor strategic outcomes and associated work programs, as well as responsibility for ensuring products delivered to sponsors from the department are of high technical quality and reflect collaboration across MITRE FFRDCs and divisions.
The successful candidate will partner with FAA sponsors in aviation environmental focus areas (including noise, air quality, and climate change), be adept at serving in highly visible roles with US and international aviation policy committees in collaboration with federal government sponsors, and serve as a thought leader on aviation environmental issues as an individual contributor.

Essential job functions include, but are not limited to:

• Represent MITRE at international meetings and conferences on the topic of aviation and climate change.
• Serve as a senior advisor to US international delegations
• Serve as Principal Investigator for multiple MITRE technical initiatives on environmental impact to aviation.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and connector on MITRE internal aviation and climate special initiatives, including the impact of changes in weather events due to climate change.
• Apply expert levels of experience and internal and industry knowledge of theories, practices, and procedures within aviation systems engineering and environmental issues.
• Develop strategies and resolutions to complex problems that have a broad impact on multiple components of MITRE’s environmental business lines and stakeholders.
• Apply conceptual and innovative thinking to develop multidisciplinary solutions using forward-leaning concepts and methodologies that support advancement of aviation environmental policy and technology.
• Initiate and influence internal research and development investments to address aviation environmental challenges and opportunities.
• Provide technical leadership and mentor junior staff toward the development of a broader environmental technical base at MITRE.

Key Responsibilities:

• MITRE’s Good Growth Strategy, Vision and Mission: Effectively executes the strategy, vision, and mission.
• Work Program Definition and Oversight: Internalizes and executes strategic outcomes.
• Multi-level Sponsor Engagement: Leads sponsor/stakeholder engagements or enterprise-wide engagements.
• Collaboration and Communications: Effectively collaborates and communicates with sponsors and stakeholders or with internal stakeholders enterprise-wide.
• The MITRE Brand: Ensures product or program quality and is aligned to MITRE Brand.

Leadership Competencies:

• Lead with a Strategic Mindset - Drives alignment across MITRE to achieve our mission by engaging across and beyond the enterprise, making and executing decisions, and activating the Good Growth Strategy.
• Create Value - Takes a broad approach to solving complex problems using a national and global lens. Unleashes the full capabilities of our people in a relentless pursuit of innovative solutions that are scalable, equitable, transferable, and sustainable.
• Cultivate Inclusion - Creates an environment and opportunities, built on trust, where people can be their whole authentic self, feeling welcomed, supported, engaged, and respected for who they are and what they contribute to the organization. Embraces and engages all dimensions of diversity to exponentially expand MITRE’s impact in solving problems for a safer world.
• Communicate for Impact - Conveys powerful messages tailored to the unique needs of stakeholders—and desired outcomes—in a style that engages and inspires action. Exemplifies active listening to foster collaboration, understanding, and alignment.
• Commit to Action and Outcomes - Conveys powerful messages tailored to the unique needs of stakeholders—and desired outcomes—in a style that engages and inspires action. Exemplifies active listening to foster collaboration, understanding, and alignment.