Application Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Location: Germantown, MD (On-site with 40% travel)

Salary: $100,000 - $120,000 + Annual Bonus

Overview

Seeking a customer-facing Applications/Integration Engineer to own the integration, testing, and troubleshooting of EO/IR payloads within customer platforms. This role serves as the technical bridge between the engineering teams, U.S.-based customers, and prime contractors.

Will be responsible for end-to-end system integration, working across hardware, software, and mechanical interfaces, and will act as the primary technical point of contact during integrations, deployments, and field support.

This is a hands-on, high-visibility role requiring strong systems thinking, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues in real-world customer environments.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Engineering, or related field)
• 3+ years of experience in systems engineering, integration, test engineering, or field engineering roles
• Hands-on experience with system-level integration and troubleshooting
• Ability to operate without detailed manuals in dynamic environments
• Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills
• Ability to travel 40% annually based upon needs, with 2-3 weeks of initial training internationally
• Experience working with integrated hardware systems (components, subsystems, payloads, or platforms)
• Electrical wiring, connectors, and harnesses
• Power distribution and signal flow
• Mechanical interfaces and physical integration
• Comfort performing assembly/disassembly and field diagnostics
• Experience supporting software-enabled systems or SDK-based integrations
• Understanding of communication protocols, data/message flow, and system interfaces
• Experience in troubleshooting software issues related to upgrades or configuration
• Experience executing or supporting test procedures and system validation
• Ability to interpret test data and communicate results clearly

• Experience with EO/IR, ISR, radar, sensor, UAV, or defense systems
• Experience working with government, defense, or security customers
• Prior customer-facing technical role (Field Engineer, Systems Integrator, Solutions Engineer)
• Experience supporting international engineering teams
• Familiarity with UAV, maritime, vehicle, or other surveillance platforms

System & Payload Integration

• Lead integration of EO/IR payloads into customer platforms
• Understand and validate payload-to-platform interfaces, including power, data, mechanical, and communication protocols
• Support both prime and sub-contractor integration scenarios
• Translating customer system requirements into actionable technical execution

Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis

• Perform system-level troubleshooting to identify whether issues originate at the component, subsystem, or interface level
• Analyze test outputs, logs, and data to determine root cause and corrective actions
• Decide whether issues require:
• Component replacement
• Subsystem removal
• Escalation to engineering teams
• Support rapid issue resolution during factory testing, integration testing, and field deployments

Hardware & Hands-On Technical Work

• Perform assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of payloads and integrated systems
• Trace electrical wiring, connectors, and harnesses to isolate faults
• Validate proper power delivery, signal flow, and mechanical connections
• Support physical inspections and system validation at customer sites

Software & SDK Integration Support

• Support software and SDK-based integrations between payloads and customer systems
• Troubleshoot communication issues, data/message flow, and integration mismatches
• Work with software engineers to resolve bugs related to upgrades, versioning, or configuration
• Interpret logs and error messages to support integration debugging

Testing & Validation

• Execute and support defined test procedures for payloads and integrated systems
• Troubleshoot communication issues, data/message flow, and integration mismatches
• Work with software engineers to resolve bugs related to upgrades, versioning, or configuration
• Interpret logs and error messages to support integration debugging

Customer & Internal Collaboration

• Serve as the primary technical interface with customers during integrations
• Clearly explain technical issues, risks, and resolutions to non-specialist stakeholders
• Coordinate closely with engineering teams in Israel and U.S. program stakeholders
• Support training, documentation, and knowledge transfer activities

Personal Attributes for Success

• Self-starter with strong initiative and an ownership mindset
• Comfortable wearing multiple hats in a fast-moving environment
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to build trust with customers and internal stakeholders
• Adaptable, curious, and motivated to deeply understand complex systems

Training & Travel

• Initial onboarding and technical training in Israel (2–3 weeks)
• Ongoing collaboration with international engineering teams
• Periodic international and domestic travel for customer support and training (40% annual average)