Senior Staff Project Engineer Tactical Data Links

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), is a world leader in Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAV), autonomy, AI-solutions, defense technologies, and advanced sensing capabilities. With more than eight million flight hours, GA-ASI is committed to rapidly delivering disruptive and advanced autonomous aircraft, end-to-end mission solutions, and cutting-edge technologies at scale to ensure the nation maintains strategic advantages through ISR and Air Dominance in contested environments.

The Agile Mission Systems (AMS) at GA-ASI in San Diego, CA is a growing center of excellence seeking high-performing technical contributors, unique talent, and future leaders in the Project Engineering (PE) role. Through the PE role, this candidate will be responsible for leading Tactical Data Link (TDL) solutions providing end-to-end missionization and autonomous mission suite capable of connecting critical Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) communication networks. Additionally, this candidate will lead strategic objectives, stitch together systems-of-systems, influence multi-level business strategies, close complex kill chains, resolve critical mission gaps, and drive missionized architectures to achieve disruptive tactical advantages and effects on adversarial competition. This candidate's contributions will span across multiple UAS platforms to include; Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), Longshot, a variety of Small UAS, Expendable UAS, NexGen ISR, and Legacy Platform variants such as MQ-1 & MQ-9A / B.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

Project Engineering : lead multi-disciplinary teams, innovate, design, integrate, test, qualify, and rapidly field advanced technologies and mission systems onto autonomous UCAV.

Data Link Expertise : Represent the tactical data links, communication, and networking sub-systems architecture and optimization across the platform sub-systems; Link 16, TTNT, UHF, VHF, IFF-T / I, SATCOM, Starshield, LPI / LPD waveforms, Encrypted Comms, and Next-Generation data link communication networks.

Fighter Expertise : leverages fighter-to-fighter tactical data link expertise to design and architect UCAV air dominance network topologies, network management, and digital data Interoperability.

Mission Architect : Lead design, drive selection of hardware & software, integrate and test communications networks across a variety of platforms and systems with a focus on battlespace awareness, C2, and digital data Interoperability. Support mission architecture implementations and designs, focused on driving interoperability through Open Architectures (e.g. AMS GRA), and Autonomy & AI.

Develop Artifacts : create specifications block diagrams, system interconnect diagrams, and define wire interfaces and ICDs for UCAV data link communication systems.

Test & Evaluate : Configure, integrate, simulate, test, and evaluate tactical data link networks and topologies.

Team Leadership : Lead Functional Engineering teams, ensuring alignment with business and strategic objectives, and allocating technical resources to achieve stated and program objectives.

Collaboration : Foster a collaborative environment and build consensus for technical solutions between GA functional engineering departments, program management, external GA P&Ls, and customer stakeholders.

Program Execution : Lead diverse multi-functional engineering teams to meet critical program milestones and successfully execute programs within defined cost and schedule parameters. Establish and maintain consistent team expectations, ensure resources and skillsets are available to support technical work products.

Customer Engagement : Represent programs as the engineering lead, ensuring consistent and appropriate messaging to external customer stakeholders, PoR representatives across the DoD, industry partners, subcontractors, and senior internal / executive stakeholders.

Proposals : Support engineering estimates and proposals in response to customer and leadership directives.

Technical Reviews : Perform system analysis, conduct trade studies, author technical white papers, and generate customer technical data packages. Complete, document, and present System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), and Critical Design Reviews (CDR).

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

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Job Qualifications :

Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; fifteen or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, thirteen or more years of experience with a masters degree, or ten or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.

Proven ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them in a dynamic work environment.

Demonstrates technical expertise in the application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice as well as project management and leadership skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordinating workloads to meet established deadlines or milestones.

Experience in developing and integrating hardware and software with various engineering disciplines, including Mechanical, Electrical, RF, Cyber, Autonomy, AI / ML, and Software.

Direct Technical expertise and experience with more than one of the following; Link 16, TTNT, UHF, VHF, IFF-T / I, SATCOM, Starshield, LPI / LPD waveforms, Encrypted Comms, and Next-Generation data link communication networks.

Experience in one or more of the following technologies : Multi-Mode Radars, EO / IR systems, Advanced IRST, Electronic Warfare systems, Multi-INT systems, Countermeasures, Communications, Tactical Datalinks, Automation, Autonomy & Artificial Intelligence (A3I), HMI / UI, Cybersecurity, Software Architectures, Open Architectures and Standards (AMS GRA, OMS, FACE, STANAG), Networking, Modeling & Simulation.

Product Management, Proposal Development, Basis of Estimation, Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS); Commercial and / or DoD Product development experience.

Skills :

Ability to resolve complex technical problems.

Strong leadership and team management skills.

Effective communication skills with the ability to build enterprise relationships and manage customer expectations.

Must be customer-focused, able to work independently and in a team environment.

Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance desired (up to a TS / SCI).

Salary : $128,130 - $229,358 Travel Percentage Required 0 - 25 Relocation Assistance Provided Not Provided US Citizenship Required? Yes Clearance Required? Desired Clearance Level Senior (8+ years) Workstyle Hybrid

General Atomics is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, transitioning status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, medical condition, mental disability, physical disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. EEO is the law. We also prohibit compensation discrimination under all applicable laws. To learn more visit Notices.pdf. U.S. Citizenship is required for certain positions.