Surveillance Domain, SME

The Surveillance Domain Subject Matter Expert (SME) serves as the senior technical authority for the FAA Surveillance Domain, leading a team of Architects and Systems Engineers to define the FAA vision for surveillance modernization and translate it into actionable Enterprise Architecture, capability roadmaps, and implementation-ready designs.

This role requires deep expertise with FAA surveillance systems and technologies, including airport surface surveillance (ASDE-X, ASSC), primary and secondary surveillance radars (PSR/SSR), ADS-B, and multilateration. The SME ensures surveillance architectures are interoperable, resilient, safety-oriented, and integrated with NAS automation, communications, cybersecurity, and operational constraints.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the principal Surveillance Domain advisor to FAA leadership and program stakeholders for surveillance modernization strategy, enterprise architecture, and technical governance.
• Lead an integrated team of Architects and Systems Engineers to develop surveillance domain architectures, reference designs, and transition strategies aligned to FAA priorities and NAS operational needs.
• Define the Surveillance Domain Vision-to-Execution blueprint, including target-state architecture, transition states, and migration sequencing that preserves operational continuity and reduces safety/operational risk.
• Own the surveillance enterprise design across surface, terminal, and en route surveillance capabilities-ensuring coherent integration of radar, ADS-B, multilateration, and fusion/distribution services to downstream consumers.
• Drive surveillance data architecture and interoperability, including interface definitions, performance requirements (latency, update rates, integrity/availability), data quality, and alignment with enterprise distribution patterns.
• Establish and chair domain-level architecture governance, including design reviews, reference patterns, standards profiles, interface control discipline, and technical debt management.
• Coordinate cross-domain integration with automation, telecommunications, cybersecurity, infrastructure/platform, and test & evaluation teams to ensure designs are secure, deployable, supportable, and verifiable.
• Lead technical trade studies and modernization planning, evaluating surveillance coverage strategies, sensor mix, fusion approaches, resiliency patterns, and lifecycle sustainment considerations.
• Guide operational suitability and sustainment alignment, ensuring architecture accounts for site constraints, maintenance windows, monitoring/observability, spares/logistics, and continuity-of-operations needs.
• Mentor and develop senior technical staff, building consistent engineering rigor, traceability, and architectural coherence across a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 16 years with BS/BA or Minimum of 14 years with MS/MA
• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace/Aviation Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• 12+ years of experience in enterprise/system architecture, surveillance systems, sensor integration, or systems engineering on large-scale, mission-critical programs (aviation, defense, or similarly regulated environments).
• Hands-on FAA Surveillance Domain experience is required, including strong familiarity with one or more of:
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams (architects/engineers) delivering enterprise architecture and domain designs across multiple stakeholders.
• Strong systems engineering foundation: requirements development, interface definition/ICDs, configuration management, design reviews, and verification/validation planning.
• Working knowledge of mission/safety-critical engineering considerations (availability, integrity, performance, graceful degradation, and operational continuity).
• Ability to communicate complex tradeoffs clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders, including executive briefings and decision support.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust (or higher), as required by the program.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree (or higher) in a relevant discipline.
• Experience with surveillance fusion and distribution concepts and their integration with automation environments (e.g., track processing, correlation, and downstream service consumption).
• Familiarity with surveillance performance measures and operational constraints (coverage, update rates, latency, integrity/continuity, interference/environmental effects, and site-specific considerations).
• Experience with architecture frameworks and artifacts (e.g., DoDAF, TOGAF, operational views, interface views, standards profiles, roadmaps).
• Understanding of cybersecurity and resilience considerations for surveillance ecosystems (segmentation, identity/access controls, secure interfaces, telemetry/logging, supply chain considerations).
• Experience with digital engineering / MBSE methods and tools (e.g., SysML, Cameo, Enterprise Architect, DOORS, or equivalent).
• Relevant certifications (one or more): INCOSE ASEP/CSEP, PMP, or equivalent.

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