Lead Mission Readiness Engineer

The Mission Readiness Lead Engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining 1) an operationally ready team designed to facilitate field testing/deployment 2) a rich training plan for teaching the end user how to effectively operate and maintain HADES systems. As part of the HADES Product Line Management organization, this role serves as the critical link between operational users, and internal engineering teams to ensure that feedback from the field helps inform the HADES product line’s continuous improvement.

You will build and lead the organization’s Mission Readiness capability, serving as the primary interface between operational users and internal engineering teams. Through close partnership with military operators, you will ensure systems are successfully integrated into operational environments through testing, training, deployment planning, and field support. You will translate operational insight into actionable product requirements while validating that new capabilities are employable, supportable, and ready for fielding. Your team closes the loop between customer operations and engineering by converting field experience into continuous improvements across the product line.

Success is measured by the frictionless transition of capabilities from development into operational use, the effectiveness of customer training and field support, the quality of operational feedback incorporated into the product roadmap, and the readiness of systems for sustained deployment.

• Lead the transition of new capabilities from development to operational use through planning, testing, validation, and fielding.
• Define and refine operational readiness criteria, proactively identifying technical and operational risks.
• Direct field evaluations, demonstrations, and customer exercises to validate system performance in real‑world environments.

• Develop training programs, operational documentation, and employment guidance that enable confident system operation and sustainment.
• Serve as the primary liaison between users and engineering teams, strengthening trust across the customer community.
• Support deployed systems through customer engagement, troubleshooting, and mission execution.

• Convert operational observations into actionable product requirements and collaborate with Technical Operations to mature future capabilities.
• Build repeatable processes that integrate testing, training, deployment, and customer feedback into a continuous improvement cycle.
• Establish and lead a Mission Readiness organization focused on operational excellence, customer advocacy, and mission‑driven execution.
• Oversee management and tasking of the Mission Readiness Group.

• Commitment to Excellence.  Attention to Detail.  Pride in Workmanship.    
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment and maintain composure and strong working relationships under pressure.
• Ability to independently plan, prioritize, and execute work with minimal oversight, meeting mid- to long-term program milestones.
• Advanced problem-solving capability, with the ability to synthesize information from multiple technical disciplines to reach sound engineering decisions.
• Experience planning, executing, and evaluating developmental and operational field testing in representative environments.
• Experience integrating multidisciplinary hardware and software systems into operational capabilities while identifying and resolving technical and operational issues.
• Strong technical writing skills, including development of training materials, operational procedures, test plans, and/or after-action reports.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with military operators, government customers, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams in formal or informal leadership roles, fostering collaboration, accountability, and mission execution.
• Ability to translate operational observations and customer feedback into actionable product improvements and system requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver technical training, operational instruction, and user enablement programs.
• Experience supporting U.S. Department of Defense programs, military operations, or defense acquisition activities.
• Experience developing and delivering technical and operational training programs.
• Experience with developmental test, operational test, or field experimentation activities.
• Experience transitioning prototype or developmental systems into operational use.
• Experience with prototype hardware/software.
• Familiarity with systems engineering, requirements management, and product development processes.
• Military service or direct experience supporting military operations.