Systems Project Engineer Quick Reaction Capabilities QRC

Company Overview

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and advanced mission systems. Our systems support critical missions around the globe, and we are committed to innovation, quality, and mission success.

We are seeking an experienced and driven Senior Systems / Project Engineer to join our Agile Mission Systems Quick Reaction Capabilities (QRC) team. This team rapidly delivers new capabilities to the field in response to urgent customer needs. We are looking for high‑performing engineers who take full ownership, work with urgency, and are comfortable driving both technical and project outcomes.

Job Summary

Under limited direction, the Senior Systems / Project Engineer in the QRC group provides end‑to‑end project and technical leadership for capabilities that span software, hardware, and human‑machine interface (HMI) on GA‑ASI Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and associated ground systems.

In this role, you will:

Manage software development and system integration and test efforts

Oversee hardware design and integration

Drive HMI feature development

Support fielded systems and lead issue investigations

To be effective, you must develop and maintain a strong understanding of the full unmanned aircraft system, including core avionics systems, aircraft flight controls, ground control station (GCS) architecture, datalinks, propulsion and fuel systems, video systems, communication systems, and various payloads.

This role requires strong attention to detail and the ability to understand lower‑level technical aspects (such as software behavior, interfaces, and hardware design details) while also stepping back to manage the overall project execution and present clear, high‑level summaries to customers and internal leadership.

This position is ideal for a hands‑on systems engineer and project leader who:

Takes ownership of technical solutions, budgets, schedules, and outcomes

Can challenge and guide functional engineering disciplines using a solid understanding of the details

Can translate complex, system‑wide technical information into concise, mission‑focused updates for customers and stakeholders

Thrives in a fast‑paced QRC environment with evolving requirements and aggressive timelines

Duties and Responsibilities

Serve as the primary Systems / Project Engineer for QRC efforts from concept through development, integration, test, and field support/sustainment.

Develop and maintain a working understanding of the full UAS (aircraft, GCS, datalinks, propulsion/fuel, video, communications, payloads) and cross-system impacts and dependencies

Manage software development and release cycles, including requirements definition, prioritization, coordination with software teams, integration/regression testing, and delivery to the field

Lead HMI feature development for ground and/or airborne systems, ensuring user needs and operational workflows are captured, implemented, and validated

Oversee hardware design and integration, coordinating with electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering to ensure designs meet component and system‑level requirements

Support fielded systems, including coordination and occasional participation in field activities, troubleshooting, and issue resolution; act as an engineering point of contact for field and customer support teams

Lead technical investigations for issues and anomalies: reproduce problems, drive root cause analysis and corrective actions, and verify fixes across the full system

Own systems engineering activities from requirements and architecture development through integration, verification, and validation, including requirements traceability and system analysis/trade studies to balance performance, cost, schedule, and mission objectives

Maintain/develop sufficient low‑level technical understanding (software/hardware interfaces, message formats, HMI behaviors, control logic) to effectively guide and challenge functional engineering teams

Develop and maintain integrated project plans, schedules, and engineering cost estimates; track progress, manage risks and dependencies, and drive actions to keep efforts on track

Coordinate and lead integration and test activities (lab, ground, and flight as applicable), including test planning, procedure development, execution oversight, and results review

Prepare and deliver clear, concise technical and project status briefings for customers, program management, and senior leadership

Support or lead business development and proposal efforts for QRC capabilities, contributing to technical scope, engineering estimates, and schedules

Perform other duties as assigned or required

Job Qualifications

Qualifications

Typically requires a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows:

9 or more years with a bachelor’s degree, or

7 or more years with a master’s degree, or

4 or more years with a PhD.

Equivalent engineering experience may be substituted in lieu of education.

Proven experience as a Systems Engineer and/or Project Engineer on complex aerospace, defense, or mission system programs, with responsibility for both technical content and project execution

QRC or experience working in a lean, fast-paced engineering environment is highly desirable

Experience managing software development and releases, including coordination with software teams, integration/test, and delivery to operational users

Experience with HMI or user interface feature development (e.g., ground control stations, operator consoles), including capturing user needs and validating usability and user experience

Experience overseeing hardware design and integration and working with electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering disciplines

Strong systems engineering background, including requirements development and management, system architecture design, integration, verification and validation, and root cause/corrective action

Demonstrated ability to operate at both low‑level technical detail and high‑level system view, and to provide clear summaries and recommendations to customers and leadership

Strong project management skills: planning, scheduling, risk management, coordination of cross‑functional teams, and tracking to cost/schedule/performance in a fast‑paced environment

Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex technical topics and project status to customers, management, and cross‑functional teams.

Strong sense of ownership and work ethic; takes responsibility for outcomes and is willing to put in the effort required to meet QRC schedules and mission needs

Customer‑focused, with a commitment to supporting the mission and continuously improving both technical solutions and processes

Able to work independently with minimal direction and excel in a collaborative, high‑performing team environment

Desired experience in one or more of the following:

Embedded or real‑time software and software integration

Test and verification techniques and tools

Manufacturing engineering principles and design for producibility

Systems engineering, system test and integration, and subcontractor/supplier management

Proposal development, basis of estimates (BOEs), and EVMS or similar project tracking methods

Commercial and/or DoD product development lifecycles

Familiarity with Linux/UNIX and Windows environments; experience with development, integration, or system administration tools is a plus

Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance is required.

Job Category

Engineering

Experience Level

Senior (8+ years)

Workstyle

Hybrid

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-Time Salary

Pay Range Low

105,890

Pay Range High

189,545

Travel Percentage Required

0% - 25%

Relocation Assistance Provided?

Yes

US Citizenship Required?

Yes

Clearance Required?

Desired

Clearance Level

Secret

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