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University of Arizona

R&D Technical Systems Engineer V

Posting Number

req25419

Department

Systems and Industrial Engr

Department Website Link

https://sie.engineering.arizona.edu/

Location

Tucson Campus

Address

Tucson, AZ USA

Position Highlights

The Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering is seeking a R&D Technical Systems Engineer V to guide the university’s leadership role in modernizing how large national security enterprises design, manage, and sustain complex systems. The position directs broad digital engineering initiatives that bring together emerging technologies—such as MBSE, AI‑enabled tools, and advanced data environments—to reshape institutional engineering practices at scale. This role also oversees high‑impact research pilots and prototype efforts, ensuring they translate into practical, enterprise-ready capabilities for government sponsors. The engineer will shape long‑term research agendas, advise senior leaders across multiple sectors, and represent the university in national digital engineering forums. Additionally, the position plays a key part in strengthening the future workforce by defining new skill demands and coordinating transformation efforts across government, industry, academia, and the national laboratories.

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Duties & Responsibilities

Enterprise Strategic Authority in Digital Systems Engineering Transformation

Serve as the institutional and nationally recognized authority in enterprise-scale digital systems engineering transformation, demonstrating mastery of digital engineering, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), enterprise data strategy, and acquisition modernization across the Nuclear Security Enterprise.
Apply mastery-level knowledge across multiple related engineering and technical disciplines to define and shape enterprise-wide digital engineering lifecycle architectures, MBSE models, and data modernization strategies across complex, multi-site, multi-laboratory, and multi-contractor environments.
Establish technical vision, institutional standards, and governance frameworks for enterprise digital systems engineering modernization.
Advise senior investigators, executive university leadership, Senior Executive Service officials, political appointees, National Laboratory directors, and defense contractor executives on transformation strategy, infrastructure modernization, workforce evolution, and national security investment priorities.
Translate sponsor policy objectives, operational constraints, acquisition realities, and geopolitical drivers into enterprise-level technical strategies, research agendas, and implementation roadmaps.
Serve as a credible technical authority and trusted interlocutor with government sponsors, representing the university as a thought leader in national security digital engineering transformation.

Leadership of Applied Research, Pilots, and Scalable Prototypes

Direct and oversee enterprise-scale applied research pilots and prototypes demonstrating next-generation digital systems engineering capabilities for NNSA, Department of Defense, and Department of the Air Force sponsors.
Exercise mastery in integrating MBSE architectures, requirements data, cost, schedule, risk models, AI/ML, agentic systems, and digital twin environments into coherent, scalable enterprise ecosystems.
Establish technical direction for AI-enabled and cloud-based digital engineering sandboxes supporting full acquisition lifecycles.
Evaluate pilot results to determine enterprise scalability, adoption barriers, governance implications, and organizational impacts within highly regulated, safety-critical government environments.
Maintain executive accountability to ensure applied research outputs remain grounded in real acquisition execution realities and transition effectively to operational sponsors.

Enterprise Capability Development Leadership (Core Assignment)

Provide executive-level design authority for systems engineering transformation capability development initiatives, grounded in mastery of enterprise portfolio modernization, acquisition MBSE implementation, and digital twin ecosystems.
Define and refine enterprise use cases reflecting how systems engineering is performed in large government enterprises.
Direct integration of AI/ML, agentic reasoning, MBSE artifacts, and enterprise data architectures into institutionally scalable workflows.
Define governance models, workforce implications, transition pathways, and adoption strategies required for sustained enterprise transformation.
Lead sponsor demonstrations, executive briefings, and structured feedback cycles with strategic accountability for outcomes.

Institutional and National Research Strategy Leadership

Architect multi-year, cross-portfolio research roadmaps demonstrating mastery of research strategy development across engineering, data, AI-enabled systems, and acquisition reform domains.
Identify national-level capability gaps, transition pathways, and investment priorities across methods, infrastructure, standards, acquisition practices, and workforce dimensions.
Evaluate emerging technologies and digital engineering standards and determine their applicability to national security sponsors.
Ensure institutional research portfolios remain aligned with sponsor mission needs, acquisition timelines, modernization mandates, and policy drivers.

Communication, Reporting, and External Thought Leadership

Serve as principal technical spokesperson and recognized thought leader in enterprise digital systems engineering transformation.
Demonstrate mastery in communicating complex, multi-disciplinary engineering and transformation strategies to executive leadership, senior national security officials, and Congressional stakeholders (as applicable).
Author and oversee high-impact reports, white papers, institutional strategy documents, and national-level research publications.
Represent the university externally in advisory panels, executive working groups, and interagency strategy forums.
Lead proposal strategy and technical positioning for major follow-on research initiatives.

National Security Workforce Transformation and Cross-Sector Enterprise Leadership

Apply mastery of enterprise systems engineering practice and digital transformation change management to define strategic workforce transformation frameworks for digital and AI-enabled systems engineering.
Characterize emerging workforce roles, competencies, and human–machine teaming models required for digitally integrated systems engineering environments.
Establish workforce transition frameworks addressing impacts to governance, roles, training pipelines, and career pathways.
Advise government sponsors and industry partners on enterprise reskilling strategies and workforce investment priorities.
Lead cross-sector coordination across government, industry, academia, National Laboratories, and standards bodies.
Sponsor internal workforce development initiatives aligning students, junior faculty, and early-career researchers with national security workforce modernization needs.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

Minimum Qualifications

Master's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Full Time/Part Time

Part Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week

Job FTE

.125

Work Calendar

Fiscal

Job Category

Research

Benefits Eligible

No Benefits

Rate of Pay

DOE

Compensation Type

hourly rate

Grade

Compensation Guidance

The Rate of Pay Field represents the University of Arizona’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. The University considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity.

The Grade Range represent a full range of career compensation growth over time. The university offers compensation growth opportunities within its career architecture. To learn more about compensation, please review our Applicant Compensation Guide and our Total Rewards Calculator.

Career Stream and Level

PC5

Job Family

Research Engineering

Job Function

Research

Type of criminal background check required:

Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)

Number of Vacancies

Target Hire Date

3/30/2026

Expected End Date

Contact Information for Candidates

Salado, Alejandro
alejandrosalado@arizona.edu

Open Date

3/12/2026

Open Until Filled

Yes

Documents Needed to Apply

Resume and Cover Letter

Special Instructions to Applicant

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University’s campuses. These reports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.
Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at cleryact@arizona.edu.

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