Aircraft Systems Integrator

Apera; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Part time

Job summary

Apera in Southern California is seeking an experienced Aircraft Systems Integration Engineer to lead aircraft-level integration, verification and test activities. The role spans laboratories, test facilities, and flight hardware, guiding the program from development through milestones.

You will collaborate with systems engineering, avionics, flight controls, propulsion, structures, test and certification teams to identify dependencies, reduce risk, and ensure readiness for critical program

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience supporting aircraft development, systems integration, testing, verification, or certification programs.
• Experience across multiple aircraft systems and engineering disciplines.
• Strong understanding of lifecycle from design through flight test.

Responsibilities

• Lead aircraft systems integration activities across multiple technical disciplines.
• Manage aircraft-level interfaces, technical dependencies, integration conflicts, and issue resolution.
• Develop and execute integrated verification and test strategies spanning laboratories, system rigs, aircraft integration facilities, and flight test activities.
• Define integration roadmaps, verification sequencing, readiness criteria, and major program milestones.
• Coordinate integration and risk-reduction activities before aircraft installation.
• Evaluate aircraft-level assumptions relating to environmental conditions, system interactions, installation effects, functionality, and operational scenarios.
• Partner with Safety and Systems Engineering teams to support hazard analysis, risk mitigation, and operational readiness.
• Identify program risks, critical‑path activities, and integration challenges, providing clear mitigation plans to stakeholders and leadership.
• Support technical reviews and drive cross‑functional alignment throughout the program lifecycle.

Skills

Excellent communication

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline

Job description

Location: Southern California

Duration: 12 Month Contract

We're supporting an advanced aerospace program developing a next-generation aircraft platform. The team is seeking an experienced Systems Integration Engineer to lead aircraft-level integration, verification and test activities across multiple disciplines, helping drive a complex development program from laboratory testing through flight operations.

This is an opportunity to work at the forefront of aircraft development, helping drive integration activities across laboratories, test facilities, and flight hardware while influencing the strategy and execution of a groundbreaking program.

The Opportunity

As a Aircraft Systems Integration Engineer, you'll act as the technical focal point between multiple engineering disciplines, ensuring aircraft systems are integrated, verified, tested, and ready for critical program milestones.

You'll work closely with systems engineering, avionics, flight controls, propulsion, structures, test, safety, and certification teams to identify dependencies, reduce integration risk, and establish a clear path from development to aircraft-level verification.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead aircraft systems integration activities across multiple technical disciplines.
• Manage aircraft-level interfaces, technical dependencies, integration conflicts, and issue resolution.
• Develop and execute integrated verification and test strategies spanning laboratories, system rigs, aircraft integration facilities, and flight test activities.
• Define integration roadmaps, verification sequencing, readiness criteria, and major program milestones.
• Coordinate integration and risk-reduction activities before aircraft installation.
• Evaluate aircraft-level assumptions relating to environmental conditions, system interactions, installation effects, functionality, and operational scenarios.
• Partner with Safety and Systems Engineering teams to support hazard analysis, risk mitigation, and operational readiness.
• Identify program risks, critical‑path activities, and integration challenges, providing clear mitigation plans to stakeholders and leadership.
• Support technical reviews and drive cross‑functional alignment throughout the program lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience supporting aircraft development, systems integration, testing, verification, or certification programs.
• Demonstrated experience working across multiple aircraft systems and engineering disciplines.
• Strong understanding of aircraft development lifecycles from design, integration, and verification through to flight test.
• Experience developing and executing system‑level or aircraft‑level test and verification strategies.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and coordinate cross‑functional teams.

Preferred Experience

• Aircraft integration laboratory environments, Iron Bird testing, HIL/SIL environments, or hardware/software integration programs.
• Verification & Validation (V&V) planning and execution.
• Aircraft safety assessments including FHA, PSSA, SSA, or equivalent methodologies.
• Flight test support and aircraft integration campaigns.
• Experience supporting commercial, military, demonstrator, prototype, eVTOL, or advanced aircraft development programs.

Why Apply?

• Work on a highly advanced aircraft development program.
• Influence key integration and verification decisions from an early stage.
• Collaborate with some of the industry's leading aerospace engineers.
• Long‑term contract opportunity with strong extension potential.

Interested?

If you have a background in aircraft systems integration, verification, test, or development engineering and would like to be part of a pioneering aerospace program, we'd love to hear from you.