Aircraft Capability Development Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems; Poway (CA); On-site; USD 105,890 - 189,545; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Benefits for career growth

Dynamic high-technology environment

Job summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is looking for a Capability Development Engineer for the FQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program. In this full-time role, you will lead product development tasks through all phases, coordinate teams across various disciplines, and ensure project success.

The position demands a strong technical background in engineering and proven experience in defense systems development. You will benefit from a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits in a high-tech environment.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD in engineering.
• Nine plus years of experience for bachelor's, seven for master's, or four for PhD.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, or high-technology product development.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development tasks for new FQ-42A capabilities.
• Coordinate technical work across multiple disciplines.
• Translate customer needs into clear, testable requirements.

Skills

Engineering experience

Systems engineering principles

Project coordination

Strong communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline

Master's degree or PhD preferred

Tools

Model-based systems engineering tools

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

Join General Atomics at the cutting edge of autonomous air systems. As a Capability Development Engineer on our FQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Program, you will help define and deliver next-generation capabilities that integrate advanced autonomy, sensors, and weapons systems into a highly networked combat environment.

You will work in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment where your engineering decisions have direct impact on system performance, warfighter effectiveness, and the future of air combat operations.

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to work on a high-visibility, next-generation combat aircraft program that is reshaping airpower.
• A dynamic, high-technology environment with direct access to subject-matter experts across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth and technical leadership.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead product development tasks for new FQ-42A capabilities, from concept and requirements through integration, test, and fielding.
• Coordinate technical work across multiple disciplines (e.g., systems, software, avionics, payloads, flight test, manufacturing, and logistics) to ensure coherent, on-time delivery of integrated solutions.
• Translate customer and mission needs into clear, testable system and subsystem requirements.
• Develop and maintain schedules, risks, and technical plans, driving tasks to completion and proactively addressing roadblocks to meet aggressive program milestones.
• Support design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.), ensuring technical rigor, traceability, and alignment with program objectives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve interface issues, manage configuration changes, and ensure design compatibility across hardware and software elements.
• Participate in integration and test activities, including lab testing, hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL), and flight test support as needed.
• Prepare and deliver technical documentation and briefings for internal stakeholders, leadership, and external customers.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes, tools, and best practices to accelerate capability deployment.

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

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows: nine or more years of experience with a bachelor's degree, seven or more years of experience with a master’s degree, or four or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Relevant engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or high‑technology product development.
• Demonstrated experience driving product development through multiple lifecycle phases (requirements, design, integration, test, and/or fielding).
• Proven ability to coordinate work across multiple departments/disciplines, build strong working relationships, and align diverse teams toward common technical goals.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills, with a track record of meeting deadlines on complex, multi‑stakeholder projects.
• Solid understanding of systems engineering principles (requirements management, interfaces, verification & validation, risk management).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly present technical information to mixed technical/non-technical audiences.
• Ability to obtain and maintain DoD Security Clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high technology‑content product development (defense, aviation, automotive, etc.), preferably unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or autonomous systems.
• Background in one or more of the following: mission systems, avionics, communications, sensors, weapons integration, or flight controls.
• Experience working in DoD acquisition programs or with military customers.
• Familiarity with model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and practices.
• Experience with agile or incremental development in a hardware‑software integrated environment.
• Prior exposure to flight test, system integration labs (SIL), or HIL environments.

Job Type: Full‑Time Salary

Salary range: $105,890 - $189,545