The job in short
Lead research group, win government R&D contracts, manage scientists.
Details
- Found
- 22 d ago · posted 2026-08-26
- Location as listed
- Merrimack, New Hampshire, United States
- Role
- Executive / Director
- Source
- The company’s own careers site
Full description
FAST Labs™ is a world-class research and microelectronics production organization. Our vision, we secure the future through fearless innovation, fuels our curiosity, and propels our teams to take on ‘never been done before’ challenges. We believe how we work is just as important as what we work on, and we are guided by three key principles: We are one team who embraces the power of learning and collaboration; We innovate for impact; and Our innovation is multidimensional.
Sitting at the heart of BAE Systems Electronic Systems (ES), FAST Labs provides the next generation of technology across ES’s defense and commercial portfolios. We seek to turn groundbreaking research and partnerships into real-life impact for our customers, as we develop advanced capabilities in advanced electronics, EW, sensors and processing, AI, autonomy, RF, EO/IR, cyber, and more. We value internal and external partnerships and collaborate across a broad innovation ecosystem that includes DoW/IC labs and research teams, universities, small businesses, and venture firms/accelerators – all in service of developing advanced technologies to enable our nation’s warfighting mission needs.
We are seeking a Technology Development Director (TDD) to lead our Networked EM eXploitation for Unified Superiority (NEXUS) research group. Research within this group deals with distributed systems, collaboration, coordinated effects, orchestration, and system on systems approaches, amongst many more. The group both drives novel, innovative research ideas and explores how they can transition into larger programs of record and get in the hands of the Warfighter. Missions covered by the group span electronic warfare (EW), radio, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and multi-modal sensemaking and effects, among others. Successful candidates will have prior experience in business capture and customer development as well as leadership across multiple research programs including technical development, customer interaction, program management, or new concept development. Most programs involve teams comprised of strong academic scientists and engineers across multiple disciplines.
The TDD will lead a group of scientists that are responsible for finding and securing new business, executing successfully on current contracts, and transitioning technology for deep mission impacts. A strong component of the group is engaging with external and internal customers to build, win, and execute programs that support the research and development of advanced technology. The TDD is expected to leverage their position, reputation, and technical expertise to build and maintain relationships with government R&D organizations such as DARPA, AFRL, OUSW(R&E), etc. Additionally, the candidate is expected to help define and advance the technical and programmatic roadmaps of the group, directly manage staff, work closely with engineers and other functional support orgs, closely collaborate across adjacent groups and transition pathways, maintain profit & loss targets, and help foster a deeply innovative, collaborative culture.
In this job role, qualified candidates can expect to:
• Contribute to the successful shaping and capturing new research contracts.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies, external companies, and other BAE Systems groups and business areas.
• Oversee the execution of research projects.
• Pursue personal and portfolio growth to target standing up, managing, and supporting a team of scientists, researchers, and technology developers.
• Provide capture and execution oversight of a portfolio of programs valued ~$20M.
• Directly manage 10+ scientist staff members.
This position is based out of our Merrimack, NH facility. Because of the need for consistent, in-person collaboration and/or the requirement to perform all work onsite due to the nature of this particular role, it will be performed full-time on site. This means work will be conducted on location at a BAE Systems facility 100% of the time.
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