Program Field Engineering Lead

Viasat delivers satellite communications and connectivity solutions for consumers, businesses, governments, and militaries worldwide. The Program Field Engineering Lead will provide operational and technical leadership for geographically dispersed teams supporting satellite communications systems, RF infrastructure, and ground network operations for a critical government mission. The role oversees field execution, system sustainment, modernization, troubleshooting, operational readiness, customer coordination, and program support.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary Field Engineering Lead responsible for organization-level maintenance, depot-level maintenance, logistics support, corrective maintenance actions and overall operational readiness
• Lead geographically dispersed teams of field engineers, technicians, and subcontractors supporting domestic and international customer sites
• Provide technical leadership for the installation, integration, testing, certification, sustainment and modernization of satellite communications, RF systems, and supporting infrastructure
• Direct field operations involving antenna systems, modems, frequency converters, GPS equipment, servers, network infrastructure and associated communications technologies
• Serve as the primary technical interface between customers, program leadership, engineering organizations, logistics teams and field operations personnel
• Lead planning and execution for site deployments, technology refreshes, modernization efforts, operational upgrades, commissioning activities, acceptance testing and customer turnover
• Manage resolution of complex technical issues, drive root cause investigations and corrective actions to improve system availability, reliability and mission performance
• Provide technical leadership during critical outages, service disruptions, and mission-impacting events requiring rapid technical response and cross-functional coordination
• Coordinate engineering, logistics, supply chain, cybersecurity, software, networking, and operations organizations to ensure successful program execution and field support
• Lead workforce planning, staffing strategies, resource allocation, field readiness activities and subcontractor performance across multiple programs and customer locations
• Develop and maintain technical procedures, installation documentation, maintenance processes and operational work instructions supporting field execution
• Support business development and proposal activities through development of Statements of Work (SOWs), Basis of Estimates (BOEs), staffing plans, technical approaches and execution strategies
• Evaluate operational risks, develop mitigation plans, and provide performance reporting, schedule assessments, and strategic recommendations to program and corporate leadership
• Mentor engineers and technicians while fostering technical excellence, professional development and strong customer relationships through responsive mission-focused support

Requirements:

• 10+ years' experience supporting field engineering, SATCOM and RF systems, telecom infrastructure and sustainment of ground antenna systems
• Proven experience leading engineering teams, technical personnel and field operations organizations in support of complex technical programs
• Demonstrated experience supporting Department of Defense, Intelligence Community or other government customers operating mission-critical communications system
• Solid understanding of SATCOM and RF systems, antenna systems, networking infrastructure, and supporting ground systems to include the installation, integration, testing, sustainment and modernization activities
• Experience supporting proposal development, including Statements of Work (SOWs), Basis of Estimates (BOEs), staffing strategies, resource planning, and execution planning
• Demonstrated success managing technical risk, operational challenges, mission-critical troubleshooting, and resolution of sophisticated system issues
• Experience leading subcontractors, vendors, and third-party support organizations to achieve program and operational objectives
• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Information Technology, Business or equivalent experience
• US Citizenship required
• Active DoD TS/SCI security clearance
• Technical background supporting satellite ground systems, RF communications infrastructure, antenna systems and supporting communications networks
• Experience working in secure DoD and IC environments
• Validated experience handling COMSEC
• Experience leading geographically dispersed field organizations supporting worldwide organization-level and depot-level maintenance, sustainment, and operational readiness activities
• Knowledge of system integration, verification, validation, acceptance testing, certification and field deployment processes for complex communications systems
• Experience supporting communications systems in contested, austere, remote or mission-critical operating environments
• Familiarity with lifecycle sustainment practices, including capital planning, procurement, logistics support, reliability improvement and operational readiness methodologies
• Experience leading modernization initiatives, technical refresh programs, technology insertion efforts and corrective action programs resulting from root cause and failure investigations
• Experience developing workforce strategies, resource plans, staffing models while mentoring engineers, technicians, and emerging leaders