Senior Mission Planning Engineer

Greenfield Engineering, a Saalex Company is seeking a Senior Mission Planning Engineer in Patuxent River, MD. The Senior Mission Planning Engineer leads the integration, certification, sustainment, and operational support of mission planning systems across Naval Aviation platforms. The incumbent serves as a technical authority, providing guidance on system integration, software evaluation, certification efforts, and mission planning operations to ensure safe and effective mission execution.

• Position Type: Full-Time
• Salary: $150-$175k annually (depending on experience)
• Work Location: Hybrid remote/in-office. (see onsite requirements below)

**On-site Requirements: This position requires the ability to work onsite at Patuxent River, MD 60%+ of the time.

Essential Functions:

• Mission Planning Systems Engineering Leadership
• Lead integration, sustainment, and evaluation of mission planning systems across multiple platforms
• Oversee lifecycle support from development through operational deployment and sustainment
• Software Integration & Evaluation
• Lead evaluation of mission planning software functionality, interfaces, and system integration
• Assess system performance, compatibility, and operational suitability
• Identify and resolve complex integration and system-level issues
• Certification & Compliance Leadership
• Lead certification and compliance efforts for mission planning systems and mission data loading capabilities
• Oversee verification and validation (V&V) activities and certification documentation
• Ensure compliance with program and airworthiness requirements
• Operational Support & Fleet Integration
• Interface directly with fleet users, program offices, and stakeholders to resolve mission planning issues
• Provide operational expertise to improve mission planning workflows and system usability
• Mission Data Management
• Oversee mission data loading processes, configuration management, and system integrity
• Ensure proper data distribution and configuration control across platforms
• Technical Leadership & Coordination
• Lead coordination across engineering disciplines including data integrity, navigation, communications, and surveillance
• Interface with PMAs, software vendors, and technical leadership
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across IPTs
• Other duties as assigned or required

Requirements

• Required: Extensive experience with mission planning systems (e.g., JMPS, VMPS, NOMS)
• Strong knowledge of: Systems engineering principles and lifecycle processes
• Software integration, test and evaluation, and configuration management

Requirements development and traceability

• Understanding of: Aviation mission planning processes and flight planning concepts
• Airspace operations and military aviation mission execution
• Proven ability to lead technical efforts and work across cross-functional teams
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and technical communication skills
• Desired: Experience supporting Naval Aviation or DoD aviation programs
• Experience with mission planning system certification processes
• Direct experience supporting fleet users or operational aviation teams
• Knowledge of data integrity, PNT, navigation, or communications systems integration
• Experience with system modernization, upgrades, or software development environments
• Education/Years of Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering required and 8+ years of related experience.
• Security Clearance: Active Secret clearance required. Requirements to obtain a clearance include US Citizenship, security investigation, etc.