Communications Systems Engineer

VTG is seeking a Communications Systems Engineer in Chantilly, VA 20151 (onsite) to deliver systems engineering and technical advisory (SETA) support for Intelligence Community (IC) R&D efforts focused on mission-critical optical and quantum communication systems.

Role Overview

In this position, you will evaluate optical and quantum communication system development across multiple levels, from components through architectures. You will support technical reviews, assessments, and risk evaluations, and contribute to planning, documentation, and programmatic acquisition activities. The work also includes engaging mission stakeholders to capture requirements and translate emerging capabilities into actionable modernization paths.

Responsibilities

• Conduct technical reviews, assessments, and risk evaluations of optical and quantum communication system development at the component, subsystem, system, and architecture levels.
• Assess designs and technologies such as optical terminals, free-space optical links, photonic components, entanglement-based communication architectures, and quantum-enhanced optical subsystems.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify gaps impacting high-bandwidth space links, advanced modulation formats, pointing and tracking systems, link budgets, networking performance, and secure quantum-enabled transport architectures.
• Support development of technology roadmaps, requirements, specifications, verification approaches, and transition strategies for optical and quantum system modernization.
• Perform technical outreach with mission users to capture needs and evaluate the applicability of emerging optical and quantum capabilities.
• Produce system engineering documentation, technical analyses, and program-level briefings to communicate findings and strategic recommendations.
• Provide support for programmatic and acquisition activities, including source selections, lifecycle documentation, and system integration planning.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related discipline, and nine (9) years or more experience; Masters and seven (7) years or more experience; or PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience.
• Experience with USG program management and acquisition lifecycle processes and documentation.
• Strong interpersonal skills, verbal communication, and technical writing ability.
• Demonstrated capability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related discipline.
• 12+ years of relevant experience, including at least 4 years in optical or quantum communication systems.
• 1+ year of experience supporting USG R&D acquisition processes and documentation.
• Experience with space-based optical terminals, quantum optical payloads, photonic systems, or advanced quantum-enhanced communication architectures.