Advanced Arresting Gear Chief Engineer

General Atomics; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 119,000 - 208,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) is seeking a Chief Engineer for the Advanced Arresting Gear program in San Diego. You will provide technical leadership across development, integration, qualification, and sustainment of AAG and its subsystems.

The Chief Engineer establishes the technical baseline, resolves complex engineering issues, and ensures all program products meet customer, safety, quality, cost, and schedule requirements. Travel and clearance may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in engineering or related field with progressive experience.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
• Experience with systems engineering processes, requirements management, interface control, configuration management, and verification & validation.
• Defense/aerospace/naval or safety-critical systems experience preferred.
• Strong ability to communicate complex technical issues to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Willingness to travel; ability to obtain DoD security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior technical authority for the AAG program and provide engineering leadership.
• Direct the development and execution of technical plans, design reviews, and system integration.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across systems engineering, power electronics, controls, and mechanical domains.
• Coordinate system-level interfaces with aircraft, shipboard, electrical, launch, and support systems.
• Mentor engineers and technical leaders to grow the organization’s capability.
• Support proposal development, cost and schedule estimates, and risk management.

Skills

Systems engineering leadership

Technical communication

Risk management

Problem solving

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering (Masters/PhD preferred)

Tools

Requirements management

Configuration management

Systems engineering processes

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first-of-a-kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

The Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) Chief Engineer provides technical leadership and engineering direction for the development, integration, qualification, production, and sustainment of AAG and its associated subsystems. This position establishes and maintains the technical baseline, leads resolution of complex engineering issues, and ensures that program products meet customer, contractual, safety, quality, cost, and schedule requirements.

The Chief Engineer serves as the primary technical authority for the program and works across engineering disciplines, program management, manufacturing, test, quality, supply chain, customers, and external partners. The role requires strong systems-engineering judgment, effective communication with senior leadership and customers, and the ability to make sound technical decisions in a complex, highly regulated environment.

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

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the senior technical authority for the AAG program and provide overall engineering leadership.
• The candidate may also act as a Deputy Chief Engineer for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) system.
• Establish, maintain, and control the system technical baseline, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, analyses, verification methods, and configuration.
• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams across areas such as:
  • Systems engineering
  • Power electronics and energy storage
  • Controls and software
  • Electromagnetics and linear motor technology
  • Mechanical and structural systems
  • Thermal management
  • Safety and reliability
  • Manufacturing and maintainability
  • Test and evaluation
• Direct the development and execution of technical plans, including design reviews, qualification activities, verification and validation, and system integration.
• Provide technical direction for resolving complex problems involving system performance, reliability, safety, producibility, maintainability, and operational effectiveness.
• Assess technical risks, develop mitigation plans, and communicate status and recommendations to program and company leadership.
• Ensure engineering work complies with applicable customer requirements, contractual commitments, company processes, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead technical interchange meetings and communicate system performance, risks, decisions, and recommendations to customers and senior stakeholders.
• Review and approve key engineering products, analyses, specifications, test procedures, reports, and technical dispositions.
• Coordinate system-level interfaces with aircraft, shipboard, electrical, control, launch, and support systems.
• Support proposal development, technology planning, cost and schedule estimates, make-or-buy decisions, and business development activities.
• Partner with manufacturing and operations to ensure designs are producible, supportable, and suitable for transition to production.
• Promote disciplined systems engineering, configuration management, risk management, and lessons-learned practices.
• Mentor engineers and technical leaders and help develop the organization’s engineering capability.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

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; twelve or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, ten or more years of experience with a masters degree, or seven or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering organizations or major technical efforts.
• Experience with systems engineering processes, requirements management, interface control, configuration management, and verification and validation.
• Experience with the development, integration, test, qualification, or sustainment of defense, aerospace, naval, or other safety-critical systems.
• Ability to analyze and communicate complex technical issues to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to make timely, objective decisions involving technical, cost, schedule, and risk considerations.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Must be customer focused and able to work on a self-initiated basis or in a team environment and able to work extended hours and travel as required.
• Travel maybe required to support customers, suppliers, test sites, shipyards, and program activities.
• Ability to obtain and maintain DoD security clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with electromagnetic launch systems, high-power electrical systems, pulsed-power systems, energy storage, power conversion, or advanced propulsion technologies.
• Experience with aircraft launch and recovery systems, shipboard systems, naval aviation, or aircraft-carrier integration.
• Experience leading major program technical reviews and customer-facing design or readiness reviews.
• Experience with Department of Defense acquisition, test, certification, and lifecycle-support processes.
• Professional engineering license, senior technical certification, or equivalent demonstrated technical leadership.
• Experience with reliability, maintainability, safety, human factors, cybersecurity, and system assurance for mission-critical systems.
• Experience transitioning complex systems from development through production and field support.

Core Competencies

• Operate with broad technical authority and limited direction.
• Lead engineering activities with substantial organizational and program impact.
• Resolve highly complex, ambiguous, and cross-functional technical issues.
• Influence decisions across multiple organizations and communicate effectively with senior leadership and customers.
• Establish technical direction and priorities for major portions of the program.
• Anticipate technical, operational, and business risks and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Serve as a recognized technical resource and mentor for other engineers and technical leaders.
• Represent the company as a trusted technical partner in significant customer and industry engagements.
• Systems thinking and technical judgment
• Strategic planning and execution
• Technical risk management
• Customer and stakeholder engagement
• Cross-functional leadership
• Problem solving and decision-making
• Clear technical communication
• Accountability and integrity
• Team development and mentoring
• Commitment to safety, quality, and mission success

Working Conditions

• The position may require work in office, laboratory, manufacturing, shipboard, and test-site environments. The employee may occasionally need to work extended hours or travel to support program milestones, testing, customer meetings, production activities, or fielded-system issues. Specific physical and environmental requirements should be aligned with the applicable position and site requirements.

Job Type: Full-Time Salary

Salary range: 118,500 - 207,750