NWS System Architect - NWS Embedded Systems Integration

General Dynamics Mission Systems creates technologies, products, and services that help service members, intelligence analysts, and first responders keep our nation safe. The work is advanced, often redefining what’s possible. We apply cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, AR/VR, Cloud Native, and Quantum Physics to solve missions in cyber, RF, undersea, interstellar space, and more.

About the role

As the Deputy Member of the technical staff, you’ll apply advanced engineering and management principles to solve complex problems in technology development. You’ll oversee and manage design and development processes, utilizing physics, mathematics, engineering, and related physical sciences to set global standards in engineering.

What you’ll experience:

• Technologies that are top-secret and industry-leading
• A team of bold thinkers committed to exploring innovation
• Opportunities to gain new knowledge as it’s discovered

Responsibilities

• Architecture Design: Define system-level architectures for embedded platforms, including existing designs and new sensor integration.
• Integration Leadership: Work with the DPME across multiple development streams to drive commonality and lead integration of hardware components, middleware, and application software across multi-disciplinary teams.
• Requirements Analysis: Translate product and system requirements into actionable hardware/software partitioning decisions and interface specifications.
• Standards & Compliance: Ensure designs comply with relevant standards based on target deployments.
• Technical Oversight: Review schematics, firmware architectures, and software designs for correctness, safety, maintenance, and performance.
• Communication Protocols: Design and specify inter-system communication strategies (React, DDS, Databases, etc.).
• Risk Management: Assist DPMEs to identify technical risks early and define mitigation strategies at the architecture level.
• Documentation: Produce architecture definition documents (ADDs), interface control documents (ICDs), and system integration plans.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering plus a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree in Engineering plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience.
• Department of Defense Secret security clearance required at time of hire; U.S. citizenship is required.
• Hardware: Proficiency with MCUs/MPUs (ARM Cortex-M/A, RISC-V), FPGAs, DSPs.
• Firmware: Deep knowledge of bare-metal and RTOS-based development.
• Languages: Expert-level C/C++; Python for tooling/scripting.
• Tools: SW debuggers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, static analysis tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Linux kernel configuration and device driver development.
• Knowledge of secure boot, firmware update (OTA/FOTA) mechanisms, and hardware security modules (HSMs).
• Background in hardware-software co-design and Model-Based Design (MATLAB/Simulink).
• Functional Safety certification or experience with safety-critical system design.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills; ability to convey technical topics to diverse audiences.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Systems thinking with strong attention to detail at both chip and system levels.
• Ability to communicate complex technical decisions to non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills (hardware, firmware, software, QA, manufacturing).
• Pragmatic decision-making under constraints of cost, power, and schedule.
• Recognized as a subject matter expert in multiple adjacent disciplines/fields.
• Identifies opportunities to apply AI for continuous improvement and innovation.

Work Environment

• May involve lab work with hardware prototypes and test equipment.
• Collaboration with geographically distributed teams is common.
• Travel to suppliers, contract manufacturers, or customer sites may be required.

Pay

Target salary range: USD $191,146.00/Yr. – USD $212,053.00/Yr. This estimate represents the typical salary range based on experience and geographic location.

Company Overview

General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high-technology solutions, products, and services that enable customers to execute missions across all domains. With a global team of 12,000+ professionals, we partner with industry leaders to expand innovation in defense and scientific arenas. We value trust, honesty, alignment, and transparency, offering competitive benefits and a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded.