Job Abstract

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities, and a culture of innovation that embraces diversity, inclusion, flexibility, collaboration, and career growth. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE—and make a difference with us.

Department Summary:

The Integrated Systems Innovation Center’s Research, Development, & Data Analytics Department (L253) is seeking two Group Leaders to join our leadership team, based out of McLean, VA.  L253 stewards the enterprise management of data for aviation and other modes of transportation. One of our missions is to create, manage, and operate a resilient Transportation Data Platform (TDP) utilizing leading edge technology to perform research, development, and analyses to further inform data architecture evolution, and to directly support our sponsors’ current and emerging needs through innovative application of data and analytics. Beyond TDP, we are developing data analytics and data products to support other domains and integrated systems. 

The Group Leader (GL) position is critical to staff and department outcomes. As a Data Architecture and Engineering Group Leader, you will be responsible for first-line supervision of six to ten staff members as well as technical leadership and contributions to TDP and new data initiatives. We are looking for two individuals who get excited to take on new challenges and are motivated to make a difference in our strategic initiatives, staff development, capability development, and technical strategy. These are teams that work closely with the Center for Integrated Transportation (CIT) and their sponsors. A collaborative approach and interest in building strong internal and stakeholder relationships is equally as important as relevant technical and leadership skills.

The successful candidates will be an active member of the department management team that plays a key role in staff management while operating in a high-performing organization that delivers effective mission support and outcomes for our sponsors. The GLs are expected to demonstrate MITRE’s values and lead by example. The GLs will be responsible for fostering a positive atmosphere for group members to develop professionally and deliver effectively. This will require rapid and transparent communication with staff and leadership, as well as shaping the culture of a fast-paced high-performing team.

Job Description:

The GL will serve as the first-line supervisor and technical leader, focused on staff management and the technical quality of products delivered to sponsors. The GL will also be responsible for the functions listed below.

Staff Management:

• Provide leadership and first line, day-to-day management for personnel (avg. 7-10 individuals).
• Oversee and facilitate routine administrative aspects of employment.
• Support onboarding and assimilation for new employees.
• Communicate regularly with Group members to ensure well-being, engagement, and job satisfaction.

Technical Leadership and Contribution:

• Provide high quality software development, architecture, and engineering solutions to department capabilities, including TDP.
• Maintain and contribute to an enterprise software platform critical to work program delivery.
• Champion and advocate for capabilities being developed by the group.
• Architect and develop AI-driven analytic capabilities.
• Strategize and execute on incorporating AI/ML and predictive solutions into existing and future data products.

Career Development:

• Provide coaching, mentoring, and guidance for Group members to enable performance.
• Engage in regular CLEAR Conversations to create positive atmosphere for group members to develop realistic goals that capitalize on strengths and interests.
• Advocate for group members to identify opportunities for career experiences and developmental opportunities.

Project Placement:

• Engage in staffing activities to match projects with staff competencies and identify stretch assignments to develop new skills.
• Support development of transition plans and facilitate transitions between projects that meet the needs of projects and group members.

Performance Management:

• Engage in regular discussions with Project and Team Leads about expectations, performance, and growth opportunities.
• Seek information and feedback on group members’ performance and recommend corrective or development action when needed.
• Participate in annual performance management cycle activities.
• Complete performance management reviews accurately and on time
• Identify opportunities to recognize and reward group members’ accomplishments.

Quality Management:

• Work with the department manager and other leadership and team members to promulgate a culture of quality, excellence, teamwork, staff development, continued learning, innovation, evaluation, and benchmarking to ensure continuous improvement within the department and on all aspects of the department's work program.
• Support the development of skills through training and experiential opportunities.
• Encourage group members to seek and provide technical reach back within their areas of capability and expertise.
• Serve as technical subject matter expert/referent to review staff work progress and artifacts as part of an enterprise approach to continuous quality improvement.
• Encourage group members to attain professional/technical prominence.

Basic Qualifications:

• Track record of leading people, thought leadership, innovation, and collaborating across organizational boundaries.
• Desire for personnel leadership / management roles.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills.
• Experience with team management in a technical environment.
• Experience working in one or more of the following areas:

• Developing, deploying, and maintaining enterprise-level, big data analytics capabilities. 
• Developing, deploying, and maintaining applications using open-source big data automation tools.
• Architecting, developing, and deploying cloud-based applications and systems.

• Delivering and supporting production software applications using Agile and DevOps methodologies and tools.
• Developing analytics, data ingest, data fusion, and data translation capabilities.
• Communication skills with a focus on communicating the implications of complex technical information using plain language. 
• Proven ability to build relationships with internal/external stakeholders. 
• Experience in business development and work program shaping. 

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong understanding and expertise in one or more department capabilities, architectures, and project areas, e.g., Transportation Data Platform, Collaborative Research Environment.
• Experience with and understanding of transportation data and domain missions.
• Experience with team management in a dynamic and challenging environment (task or group leadership).
• Experience and/or proficiency in: Java, Python, Spark, Hadoop HDFS, Hadoop MapReduce, AWS S3, AWS EMR, AWS DynamoDB, Apache HBase, Git, Concourse, GitHub, Gradle, Kubernetes, REST services, geospatial data processing, operating big data systems.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Work Location Type:

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