Systems Engineer - Payloads

Job Summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is a world leader in remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems. This position exercises considerable latitude in determining technical objectives for the analysis, development, integration, and implementation of engineering solutions for designated systems, subsystems, capabilities, or projects/programs.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Determines technical objectives and approaches for assigned systems, subsystems, capabilities, or engineering projects.
• Serves as a technical lead or subject matter resource for assigned areas of responsibility.
• Performs systems engineering activities throughout the system development lifecycle, including:
• Requirements development, decomposition, allocation, and traceability.
• Functional and physical architecture development.
• Interface definition and management.
• Trade studies and technical assessments.
• Verification and validation planning.
• Integration and test support.
• Techical risk identification and mitigation.
• Leads or supports the integration of payloads, sensors, mission equipment, and/or weapon systems onto complex aerospace or unmanned aircraft platforms.
• Evaluates payload and weapon integration impacts across aircraft, avionics, electrical power, mechanical, software, data link, ground control, safety, and test organizations.
• Develops, reviews, and maintains system, subsystem, component, and interface requirements.
• Supports development and maintenance of interface control documents, specifications, system architectures, and other systems engineering technical data.
• Supports environmental requirements definition, allocation, qualification planning, and verification, including environmental considerations associated with externally and internally mounted equipment.
• Coordinates environmental requirements with design, structural, mechanical, electrical, test, airworthiness, safety, suppliers, and other engineering organizations.
• Supports evaluation of environmental qualification considerations such as temperature, vibration, shock, altitude, humidity, electromagnetic effects, and other applicable operating environments.
• Participates in and presents engineering material at technical interchange meetings and major program reviews such as SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR/FDR, TRR, and related technical reviews.
• Works with multidisciplinary engineering organizations to identify and resolve complex integration issues.
• Evaluates proposed engineering changes for system-level impacts and ensures appropriate requirements, interfaces, architecture, verification, and documentation are updated.
• Supports system integration, laboratory testing, ground testing, and flight testing as required.
• Interfaces with customers, subcontractors, suppliers, and government representatives on assigned technical matters.
• Provides technical guidance and mentorship to less experienced engineering staff.
• May coordinate the activities of other engineers or small multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Supports development of technical estimates, engineering plans, schedules, risks, and resource needs.
• Contributes to continuous improvement of systems engineering processes, tools, methods, and technical products.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience consistent with an Engineer V position.
• Equivalent engineering experience may be substituted in lieu of education as permitted by company policy.
• Demonstrates extensive technical knowledge and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice.
• Demonstrated experience performing systems engineering activities on complex aerospace, defense, unmanned systems, or similarly complex multidisciplinary systems.
• Demonstrated ability to independently resolve complex technical problems and coordinate solutions across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience with requirements development, decomposition, allocation, traceability, interfaces, system architecture, integration, verification, and validation.
• Experience with payload and/or weapons integration is highly desired.
• Experience integrating mission equipment such as sensors, communications equipment, mission computers, stores, effectors, or other payload systems onto aircraft or unmanned platforms is highly desired.
• Familiarity with aircraft integration considerations including mechanical installation, electrical power, data/interfaces, communications, software, thermal/environmental constraints, safety, airworthiness, and verification is desired.
• Experience developing, interpreting, allocating, or verifying environmental requirements is desired.
• Familiarity with environmental qualification and test standards applicable to aerospace or military systems, including standards such as MIL-STD-810, is highly desired.
• Experience supporting system-level integration, laboratory test, ground test, and/or flight test activities is desired.
• Experience participating in major engineering lifecycle reviews such as SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR/FDR, TRR, or equivalent reviews is desired.
• Experience with requirements management tools such as Jama, DOORS, or equivalent is desired.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering and architecture tools such as Cameo/MagicDraw, SysML, or equivalent is desirable.
• Familiarity with interface control documentation, specification development, configuration management, and requirements change control is desirable.
• Experience working with suppliers, subcontractors, customers, and government organizations is desirable.
• Strong communication, presentation, organizational, and interpersonal skills are required.
• Must be capable of communicating complex technical topics to engineering teams, program leadership, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Must be able to work independently with limited supervision while effectively operating within multidisciplinary teams.
• Able to provide technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers is required.
• Customer-focused with demonstrated ability to balance technical performance, cost, schedule, risk, and program objectives.
• Experience with unmanned aircraft systems, military aircraft, mission systems, payloads, weapons/stores integration, or related defense aerospace systems is highly desirable.
• Must be able to work extended hours as required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance is required.