Job Summary
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. 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.
This is a hands-on technical management role combining software engineering, system integration, and test leadership. You will lead a team responsible for ensuring autonomy capabilities are integrated, tested, and delivered to mission environments with high reliability and performance.
You will work across software, simulation, hardware, and flight test teams to ensure systems are mission-ready, scalable, and operationally effective.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
This is a hands-on technical management role combining software engineering, system integration, and test leadership. You will lead a team responsible for ensuring autonomy capabilities are integrated, tested, and delivered to mission environments with high reliability and performance.
You will work across software, simulation, hardware, and flight test teams to ensure systems are mission-ready, scalable, and operationally effective.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead day-to-day integration and test activities across:
- Software-in-the-loop (SIL)
- Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)
- Ground and flight test environments
- Drive integration of autonomy software (C++/Python), sensors, communications, and mission systems
- Develop and execute test plans, procedures, and automated validation strategies
- Track and resolve defects, integration issues, and performance gaps
- Ensure systems meet quality, performance, and flight readiness requirements
- Guide team in modern software engineering practices, including:
- Development in C++ and Python
- Modular design and clean interface development
- Code reviews, static analysis, and secure coding practices
- Drive adoption of:
- Git-based workflows (branching, pull requests, reviews)
- CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions)
- Automated testing frameworks
- Align development with DevSecOps and MLOps pipelines
- Promote scalable, maintainable, and testable codebases
- Lead team execution using Agile methodologies (Scrum/Kanban)
- Manage backlogs, sprint planning, and prioritization using tools like JIRA / Confluence
- Drive continuous integration and rapid iteration cycles
- Ensure tight alignment between development, integration, and test activities
- Collaborate with:
- Autonomy software engineering
- Simulation & modeling teams
- Systems engineering
- Flight test organizations
- Ensure end-to-end system functionality across subsystems
- Support integration across multiple platforms and configurations
- Execute mission-representative test scenarios to validate:
- Autonomy behaviors and decision-making
- Multi-agent coordination
- Performance in degraded environments
- Support flight tests, demonstrations, and operational exercises
- Improve and scale:
- Automated regression testing pipelines
- Simulation-driven validation environments
- Data collection and analysis pipelines
- Support planning and execution of autonomy flight tests
- Assist with system integration onto aircraft
- Lead debugging, log analysis, and post-flight evaluation
- Help transition systems from development to operational deployment
- Lead and mentor a team of software, integration, and test engineers
- Foster a culture of:
- Technical excellence
- Accountability
- Collaboration
- Support hiring, onboarding, and career development
- Deliver on:
- Integration milestones
- Test readiness reviews
- Flight test support
- Track schedule, risks, and technical progress
- Partner with program management to meet customer deliverables
- Support technical briefings and demonstrations for DoD customers
- Clearly communicate test results, system performance, and readiness
Job Category
Engineering
Employee Referral Eligible?
Eligible for Employee Referral
Travel Percentage Required
0% - 25%
Full-Time/Part-Time
Full-Time Salary
State
California
Clearance Level
Secret
Pay Range Low
125,810
City
Poway
Clearance Required?
Desired
Pay Range High
229,670
Recruitment Posting Title
Engineering Manager
Job Qualifications
- Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as eleven or more years of progressively complex engineering experience. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education
- 7+ years of experience in software engineering, system integration, or test
- Experience leading or mentoring engineers in a technical leadership role
- Hands-on experience with integration and validation of complex systems
- Experience in aerospace, robotics, defense, or safety-critical systems (preferred)
- Exposure to flight test, simulation environments, or distributed systems (preferred)
- Strong proficiency in C++ and/or Python
- Experience with Linux-based development environments
- Experience with modular design, APIs, and distributed systems
- Development Tools & Practices
- Version control: Git (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)
- CI/CD: Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions
- Agile tools: JIRA, Confluence
- Build systems: CMake, Bazel, or similar
- Containerization: Docker (Kubernetes a plus)
- Experience with automated testing (unit, integration, regression)
- Familiarity with SIL/HIL environments and simulation frameworks
- Strong debugging, log analysis, and performance evaluation skills
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to work across cross-functional teams
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance is required
Employee Referral Bonus Amount
1000.00
US Citizenship Required?
Yes
Experience Level
Management
Relocation Assistance Provided?
Yes
Workstyle
Hybrid