Mid-Level Systems Engineer (Test Analyst) - Huntsville, AL

Davidson is distinguished in the aerospace and missile defense industry, in part, because of its excellence in hiring exceptional experts, engineers and software developers dedicated to delivering advanced, intelligent technology solutions in defense of our nation.

Davidson is seeking a Systems Engineer Test Analyst in Huntsville, AL.

The Systems Engineer-Test Analyst will support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Directorate for Systems Engineering - Enterprise Analysis & Technical Innovation (DE-SEA), and the MDA Joint Analysis Team (JAT) User Acceptance Testing (UAT) mission. The primary responsibility of this position is to perform system-level and element-level performance analysis of Missile Defense System (MDS) test data and provide objective, technically rigorous analysis to support MDA test assessment and reporting activities.

The Test Analyst will primarily analyze data generated through MDA Ground Test (Hardware-in-the-Loop/HWIL) events and may also support MDA Flight Test events, Real World Events, and Golden Dome for America (GDA) test activities. The analyst will develop analytical approaches, methodologies, and tools to evaluate complex MDS behaviors and assess performance against established test objectives and technical intent.

The successful candidate will work closely with Systems Engineering organizations, test organizations, Warfighters, and MDS Element Program Focals to ensure test activities address their intended objectives, evaluate system capabilities, and characterize system and element behaviors.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform system-level and element-level performance analysis of Missile Defense System (MDS) test data, with an emphasis on understanding end-to-end system behavior.
• Analyze data generated from ground test, HWIL, flight test, real-world event, and other MDS test activities.
• Evaluate the performance of the MDS kill chain, including:
  • Sensor acquisition and initial detection
  • Target tracking and track quality
  • Target discrimination and classification
  • Battle management and engagement planning
  • Warfighter interaction and decision processes
  • Engagement coordination and interoperability between MDS elements
  • Interceptor acquisition, tracking, discrimination, and engagement performance
• Develop analytical approaches and methodologies for evaluating complex MDS behaviors and determining whether technical and mission objectives have been satisfied.
• Develop, maintain, and utilize data analysis tools, scripts, models, and visualization products to support test analysis activities.
• Analyze large and complex datasets to identify trends, anomalies, performance characteristics, system behaviors, and potential areas requiring additional investigation.
• Integrate data from multiple MDS elements and sources to develop an end-to-end system-level understanding of test performance.
• Translate detailed technical and element-level results into meaningful system-level findings and conclusions.
• Coordinate with Systems Engineering teams, test organizations, Warfighters, and Element Program Focals to understand test objectives, analytical requirements, and expected system behaviors.
• Support development of analytical products and inputs for official SEA/MDA test reports and assessment products.
• Prepare and present analytical findings during mission data reviews, technical interchange meetings, test reviews, and other stakeholder forums.
• Identify data gaps, inconsistencies, anomalies, or limitations that could affect the interpretation of test results.
• Support development and refinement of analytical processes, tools, and techniques to improve the efficiency, repeatability, and quality of MDS test analysis.
• Apply Systems Engineering principles to understand relationships between MDS elements and evaluate their collective impact on system-level performance.
• Work independently on assigned analytical tasks while collaborating effectively with a geographically distributed, multidisciplinary team.
• Develop a working knowledge of MDS elements, architectures, interfaces, and operational concepts and apply that knowledge to system-level analysis.
• Support emerging analytical initiatives, including data science, automation, modeling, visualization, and advanced analytical techniques, as applicable.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Approximately 3-7 years of relevant engineering, test, systems analysis, or analytical experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience performing technical analysis of complex systems or test data.
• Demonstrated ability to develop analytical approaches and independently work through complex technical problems.
• Experience working with engineering, test, or operational datasets and translating data into meaningful technical findings.
• Proficiency with analytical tools, programming languages, scripting environments, or data analysis platforms such as Python, MATLAB, SQL, R, or equivalent tools.
• Ability to develop and maintain analytical scripts, data-processing tools, visualizations, and technical products.
• Understanding of Systems Engineering principles and system-level performance assessment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical findings to engineering and program stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary and geographically distributed team.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting Missile Defense System (MDS), Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), DoD test and evaluation, or other complex defense systems.
• Experience with Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL), ground testing, flight testing, or operational test data analysis.
• Experience analyzing sensor, radar, tracking, discrimination, battle management, interceptor, or engagement data.
• Experience performing end-to-end kill-chain analysis.
• Familiarity with MDA system elements, architectures, interfaces, and operational concepts.
• Experience developing analytical tools for large or complex datasets.
• Experience with data science, machine learning, statistical analysis, automation, or advanced data visualization techniques.
• Experience working with test organizations, Warfighters, Systems Engineering organizations, or program offices.
• Experience developing technical reports and presenting analysis results during formal test or mission reviews.
• Familiarity with requirements analysis, test planning, verification/validation, and Systems Engineering technical processes.

Clearance Requirements:

• Currently hold active DoD Secret Clearance.