FAST Labs Technology Group Lead - Lasers & Advanced Materials

Job Description

The BAE Systems' FAST Labs™ Sensing Technologies (ST) product line develops next-generation lasers, precision optical pointers, advanced seekers, and expendables. ST has established itself as a market leader in the development of EO/IR and RF technologies. Within ST, the Electro-Optic Sensing Solutions (EOSS) technology area is a vertically integrated research & development (R&D) organization that spans advanced materials, lasers, and integrated optical systems to meet our customers' emerging mission needs. EOSS is seeking candidates with both a strong technical background and business acumen to provide leadership to the Lasers and Advanced Materials (LAM) technology group within the EOSS portfolio.

In this role, you will be a Technology Group Lead (TGL) reporting to the EOSS Technology Area Director (TAD). You will be responsible for leading the LAM group which designs and develops specialty optical materials, with a focus on nonlinear crystals, and advances the state of the art in laser technologies primarily for DoD applications. In short, the TGL is responsible for programs, pursuits, and people. More specifically, the TGL oversees: (1) execution of the group's current programs (2) technology and program roadmaps that feed new captures, (3) supervision of direct reports in accordance with BAE Systems, FAST Labs, and product line vision and strategy. In this role you will:

• Partner with Scientists to develop near-, mid-, and long-term group strategies that drive transition Business Area IBP growth
• Identify and allocate resources required to achieve the group strategy
• Develop group capture and leadership skills; partner with Scientists and Engineering to develop staff technical skills
• In partnership with the Program Management Office (PMO), execute the portfolio of programs with a multi-disciplinary cross-functional team that draws upon the established Engineering matrix
• Align external customer goals with internal business expectations for successful delivery of Tech Area objectives and Business Area transition opportunities
• Shape and capture new opportunities aligned with the ST strategy
• Apply holistic leadership to influence group culture, behavior, development, and training expectations.

This position reports directly to the Electro-Optic Sensing Solutions Technical Area Director and is based in our Merrimack, NH facility. This position will require virtual and in-person collaboration with customers and staff across BAE Systems ES Facilities.

Because of the need for regular, in-person collaboration and/or a requirement to perform some work onsite due to the nature of this particular role, the role is primarily on site. This means work will be conducted on location at a BAE Systems facility the majority of the time. Limited remote work is possible at the discretion of the business.

An ideal candidate would be an accomplished subject matter expert in one or more of the areas listed below under Preferred Skills. The candidate would hold a research or technical leadership position in industry, academia, or the US Government, with a network of colleagues in the science and technology community. This network could include the DoD, IC, and academia at operational, strategic, and policy levels. Knowledge of DoD and IC missions and their objectives is an essential dimension for this position.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant technical field such as physics, optics, material science, or engineering.
• 15+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Active DoD Secret clearance and ability to obtain DoD Top Secret.
• Demonstrated business leadership and/or complex program management skills.
• Strong technical background in a relevant domain such as physics or engineering.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships across product lines, business areas, and the customer community.
• Proven performance in management, mentoring, coaching and communication skills.
• Experience working with the DoD research labs such as DARPA, AFRL, ARL, NRL and ONR.
• Experience in leading teams to solve complex technical problems.
• Demonstrated success in new business capture, such as: opportunity shaping, customer engagement, and proposal writing.
• Self-motivation, demonstrated leadership skills, problem-solving abilities, and exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Understanding of existing BAE Systems markets and customers

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Five years of experience leading small- to mid-sized technical teams including direct supervisory responsibilities.
• Active DoD Top Secret clearance.
• Experience and demonstrated success in capture of DoD R&D opportunities.
• Experience executing and supervising the execution of internal and external R&D activities.
• Domain knowledge of complex EO/IR systems.
• Knowledge of laser technologies spanning short-wave IR, mid-wave IR, and long-wave IR.
• Knowledge of optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) and optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs).
• Knowledge of fiber laser, diode-pumped solid-state lasers, and quantum-cascade lasers.
• Strong understanding of product development and the DoD product development lifecycle.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships across product lines, business areas, and the customer community.
• Proven ability to lead a diverse, and complex organization across multiple sites.
• Ability to define, develop and maintain critical skills within a functional matrixed organization.
• Experience with resource planning, staff development and management reporting.
• Exceptional ability to allocate and assign resources to technical tasks and manage resources toward efficient utilization.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills and decision-making abilities.
• Experience allocating scare resources such as staff and discretionary funding amongst competing priorities.

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $147300 - $250400

Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.

Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.

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.