BAE Systems, Inc.
Electronic Systems
Electronic Systems (ES) is the global innovator behind BAE Systems’ game-changing defense and commercial electronics. Exploiting every electron, we push the limits of what is possible, giving our customers an edge and our employees opportunities to change the world.
BAE Systems, Inc. Employee Perspectives
ahareh Haji-Saeed is the Technology Scouting director for the FAST Labs™ organization, the research and development (R&D) arm of BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems sector. She brings more than 20 years of experience in the defense and aerospace industry.
Prior to joining BAE Systems, she served as a civilian employee for the U.S. Air Force at Hanscom Air Force Base. She began her career as a research scientist at the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and later held various chief engineer roles. Haji-Saeed holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from University of Massachusetts, Lowell, specializing in adaptive optics and nonlinear optical image processing.
We sat down with Bahareh to discuss technology trends, external innovation, and how Technology Scouting fuels BAE Systems’ mission.
As a director for FAST Labs' Technology Scouting organization, can you introduce us to your organization and its mission?
Bahareh: FAST Labs is the research and development arm of Electronic Systems, collaborating with organizations like the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to push the boundaries of innovation. Our Technology Scouting team plays a vital role in driving this mission by identifying and harnessing disruptive external technology to accelerate innovation.
We achieve this by forging strong partnerships with cutting-edge businesses, local innovation hubs, and universities. Unlike traditional venture capital models, our approach focuses on providing technical expertise, market insights, and defense industry knowledge to promising startups and small businesses. By doing so, we create a roadmap for these companies to become our suppliers, mitigating market risks and unlocking financing opportunities.
This collaborative model enables us to tap into new technologies with both commercial and defense applications, delivering game-changing solutions to our customers while fostering a thriving defense innovation ecosystem.
Our Products
Advancing global mobility with sustainable, high-performance electric solutions for a cleaner tomorrow.
Delivering reliable, adaptable, and scalable aviation solutions with unmatched product support worldwide.
The FAST Labs research and development portfolio spans a wide range of advanced and emerging technologies – a significant portion of which are classified projects developed for the U.S. Department of War and research agencies.
BAE Systems’ EW systems deliver superior situational awareness, even in the most complex battlespaces, with 5th generation electronic support, electronic protection, and electronic attack capabilities.
What People Are Saying About BAE Systems, Inc.
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Mission & Purpose: Work in Electronic Systems is consistently tied to protecting national security and delivering real‑world impact across portfolios like electronic warfare, avionics, sensing, and space. Feedback suggests this purpose‑led context sustains pride and motivation in day‑to‑day engineering.
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Team Support: Colleagues are often described as collaborative and respectful, with ES communications emphasizing mutual respect, mindfulness, and teams that help each other succeed. Feedback suggests knowledgeable teammates and mentorship make the environment supportive across labs and sites.
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Work-Life Balance: Flexible and hybrid options—along with compressed schedules such as 9/80 where roles permit—are highlighted for ES roles. Feedback suggests many teams maintain reasonable balance compared with faster‑paced tech settings, though arrangements are program‑dependent.
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