Systems Engineer III or IV

The role combines hands-on systems engineering with program-level tracking, serving as the company's eyes, ears, and technical voice at the subcontractor site. This is a unique opportunity to join a rapidly growing company providing systems and software engineering services to DoD clients, on a fast-paced rapid prototyping program that integrates legacy aircraft into an evolving MOSA-based architecture. The On-Site Lead will be our primary presence embedded at the subcontractor facility, directly observing design, build, integration, and test activities and translating that firsthand insight into accurate, actionable status for the program management and engineering team. This person will work closely with the Program Manager and Chief Engineer to track subcontractor progress against the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), support integration and test activities, identify and escalate risks and schedule impacts early, and ensure subcontractor deliverables meet the government quality, configuration, and technical requirements. While the role is technical in nature, the ideal candidate will also bring team leadership skills and comfort managing day-to-day work against a detailed IMS, coordinating across engineering disciplines, test teams, and subcontractor personnel. The GI effort covers prototype design, fabrication, systems integration laboratory testing, environmental and flight testing, and production readiness planning for a pod-based solution supporting Mode 5 IFF, Link 16, and secure GPS-enabled operation on legacy and surrogate aircraft. The On-Site Lead will be central to ensuring this work is executed on schedule, within technical baseline, and with full visibility for our program team. Key Responsibilities: On-Site Leadership & Subcontractor Oversight: • Serve as the primary representative on site at the subcontractor's facility, providing daily visibility into design, build, integration, and test activities. • Monitor and report on subcontractor progress, performance, and conformance to technical baseline, schedule, and quality requirements. • Build and maintain an effective working relationship with subcontractor engineering, manufacturing, and program personnel to support open communication and rapid issue resolution. • Identify emerging technical, schedule, and resource risks at the subcontractor site and escalate promptly to the Program Manager and Chief Engineer with recommended mitigations. Schedule & Progress Tracking: • Track subcontractor tasks, milestones, and deliverables against the Integrated Master Plan (IMP) and Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), flagging variances and supporting corrective action planning. • Support schedule health assessments, critical path analysis, and status reporting inputs for program reviews and monthly status reports. • Coordinate day-to-day task sequencing on site, helping ensure subcontractor and company personnel are aligned on near-term priorities and dependencies. Systems Engineering, Integration & Test: • Support systems integration laboratory (SIL), ground, and flight test activities, including test planning, execution support, and data collection. • Review and assess subcontractor technical work products, including interface definitions, test procedures, test reports, and configuration records, for completeness and technical soundness. • Support troubleshooting and root cause analysis of integration and test anomalies, coordinating with subcontractor and our technical teams to drive timely resolution. • Verify subcontractor conformance to configuration management processes and support reconciliation of the integrated configuration record for test and delivery events. Reporting & Stakeholder Communication: • Provide regular written and verbal status updates to the company program leadership on subcontractor performance, schedule, risks, and open issues. • Support preparation of technical reports, meeting materials, and monthly status reports documenting integration and test progress. • Communicate technical issues and schedule impacts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including government customer representatives as directed. Compliance and Security: • Ensure on-site activities adhere to applicable security protocols, export control requirements, and data marking/handling requirements. • Support safety and airworthiness coordination activities associated with ground and flight test events as required.

• Ambitious, entrepreneurial individual who sees this role as a growth opportunity, with a strong desire for upward mobility in systems engineering or in program management. • 5-10 years of systems engineering experience in design, integration, and test of complex hardware/software systems, with demonstrated ability to work independently at a contractor or customer site. • Demonstrated experience tracking and managing work against an Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) or similar detailed project schedule, including identifying variances and supporting critical path analysis. • Experience leading or coordinating small technical teams, with the ability to direct day-to-day activity, set priorities, and hold team members and subcontractor personnel accountable to schedule. • Hands-on experience with systems integration and test, including systems integration laboratory (SIL), ground, and/or flight test support for aerospace or defense hardware systems. • Strong working knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals, including requirements management, interface management, configuration management, and verification/validation processes. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce clear status reports and technical documentation for program management and customer audiences. • Willingness and ability to work full-time, on site, at a subcontractor facility in Newport News, Virginia, including occasional support of test events outside standard business hours. Desired Qualifications: • Experience with airborne pod, avionics, or other aircraft-integrated subsystem programs, including familiarity with legacy aircraft integration constraints and airworthiness considerations. • Familiarity with Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles and open systems architecture implementation. • Experience with scheduling tools such as Microsoft Project, Primavera, or equivalent IMS/IMP management software. • Knowledge of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) assessment frameworks and production readiness assessment (PRA) processes. • Prior experience in a liaison, resident engineer, or on-site government/customer representative role at a subcontractor or supplier facility. • Experience with risk management processes, including risk identification, analysis, mitigation planning, and tracking in a program risk register. • Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and practices.

Required Education and Skills • Minimum 4-year degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related technical field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. • Demonstrated System Engineer 3/4-level technical proficiency, with the ability to independently assess technical work products, support design and test reviews, and interface directly with subcontractor engineering staff. • Proficiency with standard productivity and reporting tools (e.g., Microsoft Office/Project) and comfort working within a cloud-hosted engineering data environment. Desirable experience, knowledge, and skills include: o Experience with IFF, Link 16, GPS, or other tactical data link and navigation subsystems. o Experience supporting rapid prototyping efforts under Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) or similar non-traditional acquisition vehicles. o Experience with ground support equipment (GSE) development, handling, and checkout procedures. Required Clearance: Top Secret Clearance