Systems Engineer Tactical Data Links

Job Summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is a leader in remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars. The Agile Mission Systems (AMS) at GA-ASI in San Diego, CA seeks technical contributors, talent, and future leaders in Systems Engineering.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Leverage extensive knowledge of tactical data links (TDLs) to support existing and future programs in the implementation of TDLs on GA-ASI family of unmanned aircraft and communications pods.
• Develop concept of operation and concept of employment to shape the design of TDL architectures for unmanned systems.
• Develop and document system and subsystem requirements to capture the requisite system design and performance parameters.
• Design hardware, software, and network architectures to meet technical, environmental, and airworthiness requirements and select the hardware components to meet those requirements.
• Work with other product teams to ensure the software and network implementation meets system requirements.
• Integrate and support the testing of TDL systems in a lab and flight environment.
• Travel to customer sites as needed to support the testing and qualification of systems in operationally representative environments.
• Function in an advisory or leadership role with regards to the planning and oversight of the successful resolution and implementation of engineering problem(s) and provides direction and guidance to professional and support staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Job 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 as follows:
• Nine or more years of experience with a bachelor's degree,
• Seven or more years of experience with a master's degree,
• Four or more years of experience with a PhD.
• May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Must have experience in the design and implementation of tactical data link equipment and architectures as part of a contract or research and development evolution.
• Candidate must have extensive experience in at least three of the following areas:
• Derivation of system requirements from customer documents and military standards.
• Management of the requirements database (e.g. JAMA or DOORS) to include traceability and verification.
• Development and documentation of a system's architecture using requirements to define hardware, software, and networking block diagrams.
• Selecting ruggedized security, data processing, communications, and radio frequency (RF) components and hardware as part of a system design.
• Implementing software to interface with or process tactical data link information.
• Hands-on integration of a system from prototype to formal qualification. Includes lab and/or flight test evolutions.
• Tactical data link network design to include the development of interface exchange requirements (IERs), configuration/initialization file development, and testing.
• Testing of a tactical data link system in lab and flight environments to verify system requirements. Testing experience should include the selection or development of test tools and test equipment.
• Knowledge of tactical data link roles, messages, and interfaces.
• Knowledge of Joint Range Extension Application Protocol via IP (JREAP-C), and data forwarding rules described in MIL-STD-6020.
• Knowledge of Variable Message Format (VMF) via IP and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) is a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge of tactical data link roles, messages, and interfaces.
• Familiarity with Joint Interface Control Officer (JICO) or equivalent experience is desired.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance required.