Solutions Lead Senior Principal

Key Skills

Aartificial intelligence, AI Robotic systems, Cybersecurity, Effective communication skills, Leadership Skill, Logistic Regression, Product Management

Job Description

Solution Lead Senior Principal (SLSP) are responsible and accountable for the success of 1-3 projects in the AO’s MITRE-wide Acceleration (MwA) portfolio of projects. The role will report to MwA Portfolio Managing Director. SLs will successfully exit their projects from the MwA pipeline via current and new business models, including via external sponsors, licensing of captured IP via MITRE’s Technology Transfer Office, MITRE Engenuity, spin-outs/ups, co-development partnerships and other rapid transition and scaling avenues.

This role will follow an agile solution and transition / scaling focused Innovation Lifecycle process:

• Discovery of Gaps that identify Critical problems, achieving Customer Validated Needs
• Exploration & identification of Differentiated Solutions with the Optimal Solution and Team
• Development, Field Tests/Demonstrations, and iteration to Validate the Solution solves Customer problems.
• Transition and rapid scaling of the solution, with an eye towards disruptive Dual-use.

SLSPs will actively globally seek, identify, capture, negotiate for, obtain, and utilize all available internal and external resources at their disposal, to achieve disruptive solution delivery at the speed of mission need. SLSPs will also be objective and highly data-driven, utilizing clear and focused metrics to track progress and when necessary, quickly terminate projects that do not show a clear path to meet the threshold of disruption and impact envisioned, thereby rapidly redeploying resources to more promising (higher likelihood of success) MwA projects. SLSPs should be hands-on technical, business, and project execution experts in their chosen field (a modern intra/entrepreneur) able to pursue excellence in innovation. SLSP’s are expected to operate at a rapid pace at all levels, internally and externally, willing, and able to break glass when absolutely necessary, while understanding the risk / reward balance of actions and reactions, and of the values various approaches in obtaining objectives. SLSP’s primary measure of success will be successful exits from the MwA pipeline and positive feedback from MITRE and sponsor / key partner senior leaders.

The ideal candidate thinks and acts (or performs) like an entrepreneur with ‘hands-on’ experience at rapidly and efficiently identifying opportunities, evaluating ‘market’ size/impact, and finding solution-‘market’ fit while being mission driven to achieve MITRE’s goals for the public good. The candidate should have a broad set of business skills including new business creation/development, solution development / rapid prototyping, and operational execution capability. Strong partnering, external diligence and evaluation skills are important, in addition to the candidate’s ability to structure and negotiate partnering agreements.

Initially, the AO is seeking SLSPs with proven credentials in support rapid positive disruption in of one or more of the following areas: healthcare with AI / healthy aging focus, cybersecurity, 5/xG, micro/opto/RF electronics including laser, energy / climate, modern diverse technology-enabled workforce development, space – including very low-Earth orbit (VLEO), and automated logistics robotics.

Key Responsibilities:

The responsible individual for leading and growing a defined set of MwA pipeline projects rapidly driving them through the full MITRE Innovation Lifecycle. Successful candidates will have most of the following skills and attributes, with a demonstrated ability to fill in gaps as needed:

• Independently leads search/find, evaluate, shape, and execute disruptive solution projects.
• Leads Identification and maximizes dual-use opportunities in the national interest.
• Leads Collaborative ‘co-invest’ with internal and external partners.
• Develops plan to foster positive relationships with oCTO RPL’s, ensuring joint success.
• Identifies and anticipates gap to Scaling disruptive solutions for key sponsor / global challenges.
• Proactively ensures continuous learning and incorporation of feedback that accelerates impact.
• Leads driving brand building disruption versus incremental improvement.
• Proactively matching strategic level results to the speed of mission need.
• Proactively managing the intellectual property (IP), including co-developed IP, lifecycle for success.
• Scaling of the output of an innovation lifecycle in MITRE relevant markets.
• Proactively discovers and leverages MITRE competitive advantages, right to play (i.e. Why MITRE?), and develop gap / solution.
• Proactively analyzing/assessing customer requirements and competitive dynamics through industry interviews and secondary-source research.
• Guides and leads development of pro forma financial and business plans for solution business concepts, including market-based revenue models and full cost estimates.
• Guides and Leads development of preliminary go-to-market (GTM) strategy and business model development, in collaboration with other MITRE leaders and external partners.
• Seeks ground truth and provide guidance to teams on problem, value proposition, and voice of customer.
• Guides and Leads project teams to define key milestones, targets, methods to test assumptions according to lean processes.
• Leverage industry and sponsor connections to assist teams in testing ideas, partnering for speed, and scaling business.
• Works collaboratively and in a consultative manner with the rest of the Acceleration Office, the greater MITRE Team, and external partners, to co-create, develop, and execute business strategies.
• Builds and manages relationships across the enterprise and externally, to create new and enhance existing partnerships within the private sector.

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 12 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 10 years and a master’s degree; or a PhD with 7 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education & work experience.
• Entrepreneurial (Demonstrated speed, managed risk taking, lean organization, and highly results-oriented)
• Supports team Entrepreneurial skills mentoring.
• Demonstrated history of successful project and team leadership in an entrepreneurial culture.
• Successful leadership of transition and scaling of ‘sponsor’ / customer relevant disruptive solutions.
• Relevant and accessible sponsor / customer, global innovation ecosystem, and industry contacts.
• Demonstrated success in managing innovation opportunity funnels and project pipelines.
• Demonstrated high performing program / project management and team building / mentoring.
• Demonstrated change agent in improving innovation results.
• History of being highly resilient to barrier removal challenges.
• Evidence of Disruptive, Brand building Solution IP Generation.
• Some level of formal Techno-Business education / training.
• Experience in solution delivering in the defense industrial and USG space.
• Demonstrated business plan viability analysis, planning and execution.
• Demonstrated experience leading and hands on experimentation and rapid prototyping.
• Experience in leading innovation funnel processes, including customer research, market sizing, structure development of value proposition and ideation, able to create a business hypothesis and potential exit avenues.
• Experience starting, scaling and operationalizing teams and businesses, especially in venture and /or corporate backed scenarios.
• Experience with different types of business structures and delivery models for hardware and / or software products and/or services.
• Ability to strategically anticipate business opportunities, analyze product and/or service opportunities and/or partnership development.
• Strong consulting skills: demonstrated ability to work with executive and senior management to analyze complex business issues.
• Experience in developing and evaluating business cases for new offerings or market segments - Experience conducting market research / potential customer interviews to test hypotheses and to vet / refine business ideas.
• Demonstrated analytical problem-solving, both quantitative and qualitative.
• Expertise in financial concepts necessary to conduct standard financial analysis (e.g., profit/loss analysis, return on investment) and to build financial models in Excel.
• Excellent written, visual, and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to be cleared for a Top Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA or undergraduate degree in relevant filed with innovation or product management experience.
• Level of experience in managing an IP portfolio.
• Experience in a startup, new product development from idea discovery to launch.
• Experience / subject-matter expertise in one or more of the AO’s focus areas.
• Existing Top Secret security clearance
• Principal or lead level role active management of an innovation portfolio.
• Desired: Experience in a not-for profit, preferably FFRDC environment.

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

None

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

Top Secret/SCI

Work Location Type:

Hybrid

MITRE is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. MITRE recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of age; ancestry; color; family medical or genetic information; gender identity and expression; marital, military, or veteran status; national and ethnic origin; physical or mental disability; political affiliation; pregnancy; race; religion; sex; sexual orientation; and any other protected characteristics. For further information please visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website EEO is the Law Poster and Pay Transparency.

MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email recruitinghelp@mitre.org.