Branch Lead Engineer

Come be a part of something big! Smart Minds, Cool Jobs and Awesome Rewards! Fueled by innovation, talent and ambition, the Air Force Civilian Service (AFCS) is seeking civilian professionals prepared to deploy war-winning capabilities for the United States Air Force.

The Air Force Civilian Service (AFCS) is looking for a Branch Lead Engineer (NH-0801-04) to work for the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) in the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) at Tinker AFB.

This position can close at any time. Apply Now!

Recruitment, Retention, and Relocation incentives may be available.

Value of Position (VoP): 96

Qualifications/Requirements

The DAF PAE C3BM Aerial Networks Division is seeking a high-performing candidate to serve as the Supervisory Lead Engineer for the High Frequency Global Communications System (HFGCS) Branch at Tinker AFB, OK. In this role, you will serve as the lead technical authority for the branch, managing the engineering execution, systems integration, and technical modernization of critical, strategic multi-domain communication capabilities supporting worldwide operations, including Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) and Robust Command and Control (RC3) missions.

Crucially, the candidate will lead a dual-track engineering strategy: ensuring the high-availability sustainment of the critical HFGCS legacy baseline while simultaneously migrating future capabilities toward the Agile Mission Suite Government Reference Architecture (AMS-GRA) and broader Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) mandates.

Core Mission & Responsibilities

• As the Supervisory Lead Engineer, you will lead the branch’s multi-disciplinary engineering team and drive the execution of robust systems engineering processes.
• Engineering Leadership: Direct and mentor a multi-disciplinary engineering workforce (electrical, mechanical, civil, and computer engineering) to plan, design, develop, test, and field worldwide radio, network, software, and physical infrastructures.
• Technical Execution & OSS&E: Manage systems engineering analysis, define mission engineering threads, and enforce Operational Safety, Suitability, and Effectiveness (OSS&E) baselines across the entire HFGCS portfolio.
• Legacy-to-Modern Transition Strategy: Manage the technical risk of operating and sustaining a high-availability, 24/7 legacy communication network while systematically designing and executing migration paths to modern, software-defined standards.
• Open Architecture Alignment: Apply AMS-GRA principles to HFGCS design, ensuring future software-defined radio (SDR) and networking baselines remain modular, vendor-agnostic, and rapidly upgradable.
• Contractor Technical Oversight: Serve as the primary technical interface for evaluating contractor engineering designs, technical execution, and deliverables to ensure absolute alignment with warfighter requirements and open-architecture standards.
• Joint Collaboration: Coordinate closely with operational warfighters, defense research laboratories, joint service components, and strategic mission partners to integrate state-of-the-art capabilities.

Candidates should also possess comprehensive, hands-on experience in the following systems engineering domains:

• Systems Engineering Lifecycle: Experience managing complex engineering lifecycles, technical baselines, and design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) from early-stage design through developmental testing.
• Sustainment & Legacy Engineering: Practical knowledge of legacy hardware/software preservation, mitigating severe component obsolescence, and maintaining the readiness of operational networks.
• System Integration & Migration: Proven experience integrating modern modular requirements into legacy systems, ensuring seamless backwards compatibility and uninterrupted mission capability during tech-refresh cycles.
• Cybersecurity Engineering: Applying Risk Management Framework (RMF) principles to secure communication systems and critical infrastructure.

Highly Desired Technical Expertise

• RF Communications & Systems Integration: Extensive experience integrating high-frequency (HF) radio communication systems, large-aperture antennas, and networking components into functional, resilient tactical architectures.
• Tactical Data Link (TDL) & Protocols: Technical familiarity with military communication standards and protocols, including MADL, Link 16, Link 22, Link 11, Variable Message Format (VMF), and Joint Range Extension Applications Protocol (JREAP).
• Hardware & Software Prototyping: Practical experience with Software-Defined Radios (SDRs), processing units, routers, switches, and developing proof-of-concept prototypes to rapidly field capabilities.

Additional Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship
• Obtain & maintain a Security clearance.
• This may be a designated Drug Testing Position.
• B.S. Degree in Engineering or a related discipline.
• Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Periodic travel will be required but usually does not exceed 5 days each month.

Click the apply button to complete an application and upload resume (PDF or Word Doc) and/or additional documents (Transcripts, certifications, Vet Docs (DD214), SF-50).

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U.S. citizenship required. AFCS is Equal Opportunity Employer. Must be of legal working age.