Job Description
Looking to make a difference developing disruptive technologies? BAE Systems FAST Labs leads the way with opportunities for tackling the Defense and Intelligence Communities’ hardest problems with innovative software and hardware solutions. FAST Labs, the research arm of BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems, is seeking a Chief Scientist to help drive the technical direction for new research and development in advanced materials and integration strategies for electronics. The Device Materials and Manufacturing (M&M) Directorate is one of five technical area within the RF, Electronics, and Cyber (R3) Product Line. The Chief Scientist helps to coordinate proposal and research and development activities with other scientists and business development leads within M&M, across the other R3 technical areas, other FAST Labs product lines, and BAE Systems business areas. As a Chief Scientist you will be expected to work across the organization leveraging your deep technical expertise and extensive professional network to create and develop new business opportunities and support technology transition to the war fighter.

A Chief Scientist supporting the M&M area is expected to bring a significant research background in at least one relevant topic area such as semiconductor device physics, multi-physics modeling, microfabrication process development, metrology, microelectronics packaging, or related material science and manufacturing specialties relevant for defense and intelligence applications. Candidates are expected to come with demonstrated capabilities in areas that could include: heterogeneous integration, RF materials, wide band-gap semiconductors, thermal management, radiation tolerate designs, additive manufacturing, nanomaterials, MEMS, magnetics, etc., and demonstrated experience working with S&T customers to build up R&D programs that align with broader technical capabilities and thrusts, and the future needs of advanced RF and electronic warfare systems.

Chief Scientists provide technical leadership of research and development projects, defining, capturing, and executing, as the project Principal Investigator, contract 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3 research and development programs that provide novel, state-of-the-art algorithms, hardware, and advanced scientific solutions to complex technical problems that span multiple technical fields. Chief Scientists are expected to be world-class experts whose technical expertise is sought out by our customers and collaborators. Chief Scientists are expected to be well-known in their technical community and actively engaged with the customer and research community outside of BAE Systems. Chief Scientists use their position, reputation, and technical expertise to create, shape, and lead research programs that advance technology for purposes of providing discriminating capabilities for BAE Systems.

Chief Scientists are expected to have significant, quantitative new business capture objectives, combining new business pursuits and the capture of follow-up work to the technical efforts they lead. Chief Scientists are expected to have significant customer interaction; initiating customer contact to create new business opportunities and developing customer relationships through successful program execution. Chief Scientists are expected to be entrepreneurial in the creation, shaping, capture, and promotion of CRAD for groundbreaking technologies for current and future BAE Systems products.

Chief Scientists own a technical portion of a FAST Labs product line’s strategic technical plan. Chief Scientists guide transition of disruptive technologies into BAE System’s Business Areas’ products and services. Chief Scientists are expected to provide technical reviews and strategic guidance to programs and to portfolios of programs to align technology development, internal investments, and intellectual property capture to business needs. Chief Scientists are expected to mentor other scientists and to support their efforts.

The ideal candidate would have a senior level research position in industry, academia, or the US Government, with a network of colleagues in the science, technology, and customer communities. This network would span across the DoD, IC, and academia and include interactions at operational, strategic, and policy levels. Intimate knowledge of DoD and IC missions and their objectives is an essential dimension for this position.

This position can be located in Merrimack, NH, Burlington, MA, or Lexington, MA, though it will require collaboration with staff across our business areas and facilities across the US and especially southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Because this role involves a combination of collaborative/in-person and independent work, it will take the form of a hybrid work format, with time split between working onsite and remotely.

Please note that pursuant to a government contract, this specific position requires US citizenship status. Active DoD Top Secret clearance is required for this role. Candidates are not required to have an active clearance upon hire, but must have the ability to obtain and maintain this level of clearance during their employment.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree with 12+ years of multi-disciplinary professional research experience
• Ability to receive a TS/SSBI clearance

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Master’s Degree with 10+ years or Doctorate with 8+ years of multi-disciplinary professional research experience
• Deep technical knowledge in at least one relevant technology area and broad understanding of the materials, processing, packaging, and electronics integration challenges facing the DoD and IC
• Demonstrated leadership skills as Principal Investigator for advanced materials and manufacturing research and development programs
• Significant proposal writing and R&D business capture experience
• Strong technical written and verbal presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop and shape technical strategy and roadmaps for a research group
• Extensive professional network across academia, vendors, DoD, and IC communities
• Proven ability to build strategic partnerships with government agencies, external companies, and other BAE Systems groups and business areas
• Desire and proven capability to mentor junior scientists

About BAE Systems Electronic Systems
BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it’s what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts – defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team—making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you’ll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference. Electronic Systems (ES) is the global innovator behind BAE Systems’ game-changing defense and commercial electronics. Exploiting every electron, we push the limits of what is possible, giving our customers the edge and our employees opportunities to change the world. Our products and capabilities can be found everywhere – from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of space. At our core are more than 14,000 highly talented Electronic Systems employees with the brightest minds in the industry, we make an impact – for our customers and the communities we serve.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
At BAE Systems, we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where employees are valued and feel like they belong. We are conscious of the need for all employees to see themselves reflected at every level of the company and know that in order to unlock the full potential of our workforce, everyone must feel confident being their best, most sincere self and be equipped to thrive. We provide impactful professional development experiences to our employees and invest in social impact partnerships to uplift communities and drive purposeful change. Here you will find significant opportunities to do meaningful work in an environment intentionally designed to be one where you will learn, grow and belong.