AD&D Engineer- Avionics and Electrical Systems Principal

Overview

The Development Lead, Avionics and Electrical Systems is a visionary and hands-on engineering leader responsible for driving the early-stage development of new and innovative aircraft, systems, or feature development projects within the Cirrus Advanced Design and Development (AD&D) department. This position will focus on the initial phases of aircraft development—ideation, hypothesis generation, stakeholder engagement, technology maturation, and conceptual design.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of leading the development of Avionics and Electrical Systems from ideation through conceptual design and into practical product paths.
• Generate and test hypotheses through hands-on prototyping, simulation, and evaluation, with minimal supervision.
• Create and manage development plans focused on early-stage exploration, requirements capture, and concept validation.
• Engineer and refine requirements and objectives through stakeholder engagement and iterative experimentation.
• Translate verbal direction and vision into actionable design objectives and development strategies.
• Collaborate directly with pilots, mechanics, and experimental technicians, as well as external stakeholders such as Product Development, Certification, and Production teams.
• Foster a culture of rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration, learning from both success and failure.
• Communicate complex ideas effectively and efficiently to diverse audiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering (or related STEM discipline).
• 10+ years of experience in aviation, aerospace, or advanced product development.
• Broad technical skillset related to aircraft, with strong understanding of avionics and electrical systems.
• Previous early product development experience – from a clean sheet to working prototypes.
• Proven track record of producing results when developing new designs or products.
• Willingness to take smart risks, accept accountability, and fix mistakes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead small technical teams and manage early development projects.
• Intrinsic motivation to drive progress - to explore, challenge, and innovate – and to minimize administrative overhead.
• Experienced in iterative development cycles, with a strong ability to identify non-viable solutions early and reorient technical strategy quickly.
• Strong hands-on skills in prototyping, simulation, and testing.
• Comfortable operating under tight deadlines with minimal direction and in a shop or lab environment.
• Proficient in creating engineering design definition - 3D models, 2D drawings, sketches, schematics, BOMs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in system development standards (e.g., ARP4754A, ARP4761).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in related discipline.
• Previous experience in aircraft program development; leading integrated product teams, or similar technical teams;
• Private pilots certificate or personal aviation experience;
• Familiarity with PTC products (e.g. CREO, Windchill), Mathworks products (e.g. Matlab, Simulink), Atlassian products (e.e. Jira, Confluence);
• Proficient in at least one coding language;
• Experience with FAA certification processes and standards (e.g. Part 23, Part 27, Advisory Circulars, Industry Consensus Standards).

Our Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, vision, dental, with additional dependent coverage options.
• Employer-Paid Coverages: Group term life, short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: FSA and HSA offerings with company contributions to HSA.
• Well-being: Calm Health, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness incentives through medical provider.
• 401(k) Plan: Dollar-for-dollar match up to 5% after 90 days, with 100% vesting at 1 year of service.
• Paid holidays, 2 weeks of Paid Parental leave, paid time for funeral leave and jury duty.
• Career Development: Tuition reimbursement program and professional growth opportunities.
• Exclusive Discounts: Cirrus Store, partner and marketplace discounts available.
• Community & Engagement: Company and employee clubs at various locations.