The posting
GRVTY (Northstrat) is seeking a Senior Reliability Engineer to own the reliability of our fielded and in-production radio-frequency (RF) electronic warfare (EW) systems. These systems are already designed; your focus is on qualification, production, sustainment, and fielded reliability — predicting, measuring, and continuously improving the reliability of EW transmitters, receivers, high-power amplifiers, wideband RF front-ends, T/R modules, and antenna assemblies operating in harsh military environments such as airborne pods, shipboard installations, and ground platforms.
You will be the reliability technical lead for these EW systems, partnering with manufacturing, test, quality, systems engineering, and sustainment teams to keep products meeting their reliability requirements in production and in the field. Your analyses will directly inform production decisions, qualification outcomes, sustainment costs, and program performance against contractual reliability (RAM) requirements.
This is a hybrid role based out of our Sterling, VA facility, with regular on-site presence expected for lab, integration, and program activities.
Key Responsibilities:
- Serve as the reliability technical lead for fielded and in-production EW RF systems, maintaining reliability requirements, allocations, and verification artifacts tied to mission and operational profiles and contractual (RAM) requirements.
- Perform reliability predictions and modeling (MTBF/MTTF, reliability block diagrams, fault trees) for EW RF hardware — high-power PAs, LNAs, mixers, filters, synthesizers, wideband front-ends, DRFM/receiver assemblies, and antenna/array hardware — using MIL-HDBK-217 and related methods.
- Lead FMEA/FMECA on existing EW designs and translate findings into production-process, screening, and sustainment improvements.
- Plan and analyze qualification and ongoing reliability testing per MIL-STD-810 and program specs: HALT/HASS, accelerated life testing, thermal cycling, vibration/shock, humidity, and altitude, plus EW-relevant RF stress (sustained high-power operation, duty cycle, VSWR/mismatch, ESD).
- Conduct root-cause and failure analysis on RF and EW component and board-level failures, working with FA labs (cross-section, X-ray, decap, SEM/EDS, network analyzer characterization) and driving closed-loop corrective action (FRACAS).
- Apply derating and thermal management analysis to high-power EW RF components; review junction temperatures, power dissipation, and component stress against derating guidelines.
- Own component sustainment for RF and high-frequency parts: screening, EEE parts management, and obsolescence/DMSMS risk management for in-production and fielded systems.
- Own reliability data across the production and sustainment lifecycle — FRACAS, field-return and depot/sustainment data — and build reliability growth models (e.g., Crow-AMSAA) to drive continuous improvement.
- Support production and sustainment milestone activities (e.g., Production Readiness Reviews, Test Readiness Reviews) and author/review qualification, acceptance, and screening procedures.
- Mentor junior reliability engineers and help mature the organization's reliability processes and toolset.
Requirements
- Must have an active Secret or higher clearance.
- A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Reliability Engineering, Physics, or related field.
- Must have 8+ years of reliability engineering experience, including significant work on RF/microwave or wireless hardware.
- Experience supporting defense, aerospace, or other regulated/high-reliability hardware programs in production and/or sustainment.
- Working knowledge of RF fundamentals: S-parameters, impedance matching, link budgets, noise figure, gain/compression, and common RF components and measurements.
- Demonstrated expertise in reliability methods: FMEA/FMECA, RBD, fault tree analysis, Weibull and statistical life-data analysis, and reliability prediction standards (MIL-HDBK-217; familiarity with MIL-HDBK-338, Telcordia SR-332, or FIDES a plus).
- Experience planning and interpreting environmental and accelerated stress tests, including MIL-STD-810 environments and HALT/HASS.
- Strong failure-analysis and root-cause skills (8D, fishbone, 5-Whys) and experience operating a FRACAS.
- Strong data analysis skills (Excel and at least one of Python/R/MATLAB/Minitab/JMP).
Desired:
- Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
- ASQ Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) certification.
- Direct experience with electronic warfare systems (ECM/ECCM, jammers, EW receivers, DRFM, wideband/high-power RF) and their failure and degradation modes.
- Experience with defense RAM requirements and standards such as GEIA-STD-0009, MIL-STD-785, and reliability allocations on DoD programs.
- Hands-on experience with RF test equipment (vector network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators) and interpreting RF degradation and failure modes.
- Familiarity with reliability challenges of high-power RF and harsh-platform (airborne pod, shipboard, ground vehicle) installations.
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
- Took full ownership of the reliability requirements, predictions, and verification artifacts for a key EW RF product line in production.
- Delivered FMECA and failure-analysis findings that drove at least one production-process, screening, or sustainment improvement.
- Matured the FRACAS / closed-loop corrective-action process for EW RF hardware and demonstrated measurable reliability improvement using field and depot data.
Benefits
Work/Life Balance
Northstrat values true work life balance. We offer power of choice benefits designed to best meet the needs of you and your lifestyle. Our benefits programs are designed to support and encourage wellness, healthy living, retirement investment, and lifetime learning.
Pay Range
There are a host of factors that can influence final salary including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. We also offer competitive compensation, benefits, and profession development opportunities. Please refer to our Benefits section for additional details.
Flex Time
Northstrat does not mandate specific working hours. Although project requirements may dictate schedules, a Northstrat employee is only required to work an average of 8 hours per weekday over the course of a month. For example: John worked 12 hours on June 1st to meet a project deadline. On June 15th, John only worked 4 hours because he left early for a long weekend. John’s IBA was not debited for time off because flex time allowed him to carry over those 4 hours from June 1st.
Individual Benefits Account (IBA)
To attract and retain the highest quality staff, Northstrat provides a unique and versatile benefits package, the Individual Benefit Account (IBA), which places the power of choice in the hands of our greatest asset – the employee.
The purpose of the IBA is to provide attractive benefits to all full-time employees of Northstrat on a flexible basis that enables each covered employee to select a package that best suits his or her needs. Whether those needs are paid time off, medical expenses, prescription drug expenses, cash disbursement, or a combination of any of these, the IBA provides flexibility to help you meet your specific goals. The IBA can be used for such things as:
- Medical and Vision Insurance through United Health Care; Dental insurance through Delta Dental
- 100% Medical Reimbursement
- Time Off with Pay
- Profit Sharing Plan
- 401k
- Educational Benefits
- Additional Income
IBA Benefits accrue each month in the amount equivalent to 50% of the employee’s monthly compensation rate. That is, the effective dollar amount of this accrual is in addition to an employee’s salary.
Profit Sharing Plan (PSP)
The PSP is a qualified retirement plan that Northstrat funds quarterly on the employee’s behalf through the IBA in the amount equivalent to 25% (up to the IRS contribution limit) of the employee’s compensation. That is, of the 50% accrual in the IBA, half of the amount accrued is applied to the PSP
Lifelong Learning
Our culture promotes and nurtures a growth environment. We hire and scale rapidly to meet the needs of our partner customers. Through the use of company provided online learning opportunities, periodic company sponsored training events, and the ability to use IBA funds for reimbursement of work-related education expenses you will have the opportunity to continually grow your skills and abilities.
Bring Your True Self
We embrace diversity and encourage inclusion. We support employee led interest groups and challenge our employees to support others and be their best self. We are so true to our beliefs that we offer employee referral incentives. When you like it here, your friends and family will too!
Northstrat is an Equal Opportunity Employer
We are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or other legally protected status.
