Aviation Lead Designer - Special Systems

Arora Engineers, Inc.; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ARORA ENGINEERS, LLC. is seeking an Aviation Lead Designer - Special Systems to act as the senior technical authority on complex aviation projects. The role focuses on architecture, integration strategy, and design execution across telecom, IT, security, and low‑voltage systems. Remote work is possible.

You will own technical quality, lead design reviews, and coordinate across disciplines with minimal staff management duties, mentoring junior staff and supporting proposals as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field required.
• Minimum 10–15 years of progressive Special Systems design experience.
• Demonstrated aviation or major transportation infrastructure experience required.
• Professional Engineer license (PE) preferred; RCDD and Cisco certs desirable.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Technical Design Lead for Special Systems projects from concept through construction administration.
• Develop and define system architecture for telecom rooms, backbone infrastructure, and security systems.
• Lead interdisciplinary coordination with architecture, MEP, civil and airport stakeholders.
• Own technical decision-making on topology, redundancy, equipment, and standards.
• Ensure design packages meet Arora quality standards and client expectations.
• Direct and review work by Senior Designers and BIM staff; participate in QA/QC reviews.
• Support proposal development by defining technical scope and narratives.
• Interface with airport IT departments and major technology vendors.
• Provide informal mentorship to junior staff.

Skills

Technical leadership

Systems engineering

Aviation experience

Coordination

Design review

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Tools

Cisco certifications

Job description

Description

Overall Responsibility

The Aviation Lead Designer - Special Systems serves as the senior technical design authority on assigned aviation and transportation projects. This role is a pure technical leadership position focused on high-level system architecture, integration strategy, and design execution across Telecom, IT, Security, and related low-voltage systems. This position can be based remotely.

The Lead Designer owns the technical quality of project deliverables but does not carry formal staff management responsibilities. This position operates at a level above Senior Designer and serves as a technical peer to Discipline Leads while remaining project-focused.

This role is intended for a highly experienced systems professional capable of design delivery of complex, multi-system aviation projects with minimal oversight.

Essential Functions

• Serve as the Technical Design Lead for assigned Special Systems projects from concept through construction administration.
• Develop and define system architecture for telecom rooms, backbone infrastructure, active network environments, security systems, and airport operational systems
• Lead interdisciplinary coordination with architecture, MEP, civil, and airport stakeholders to ensure seamless system design.
• Own technical decision‑making related to network topology, redundancy strategies, equipment selection, and standards compliance.
• Ensure all design packages meet Arora quality standards and aviation client expectations.
• Direct and review work produced by Senior Designers, Designers, and BIM staff on assigned projects.
• Participate in QA/QC reviews as the senior technical reviewer.
• Support proposal development by defining technical scope, system narratives, and effort assumptions.
• Interface directly with airport IT departments, airline technical teams, and major technology vendors.
• Provide informal mentorship to junior technical staff without formal performance management responsibility.

Technical Scope

• Structured cabling and OSP fiber backbone design
• MDF/IDF planning and telecom room layouts
• Enterprise networking environments
• Video surveillance and access control integration
• Airport operational systems.

This position must be capable of independently delivering on large aviation Special Systems projects with minimal technical supervision.

Requirements

Education and Experience Minimum

Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited four‑year university required.
Preferred disciplines: Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering.
Minimum 10 to 15 years of progressive Special Systems design experience.
Demonstrated aviation or major transportation infrastructure experience required.
Proven experience leading technical design on complex, multi‑disciplinary programs.

Preferred Qualifications

Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.
RCDD certification desirable.
Cisco certification (CCNA, CCNP, or higher) desirable.
Experience working directly with airport IT departments and/or airline technical teams.

Competencies

Advanced system architecture capability
Strong interdisciplinary coordination skills
Deep understanding of design-to-construction workflows
Strong QA/QC leadership
Ability to operate autonomously in high‑visibility programs
Strong technical communication skills

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: ARORA ENGINEERS, LLC. (ARORA)

Arora provides clients in the aviation, transportation, education, government, and commercial/institutional sectors with engineering services for intelligent infrastructure solutions. Through smart design, construction management, and facilities maintenance management, we rethink industry needs to help keep clients on the cutting edge and add value to a project. Arora is a growing firm that welcomes individuals with a thirst for knowledge and the energy to tackle projects that help take the infrastructure of our world to the next level.

DISCLAIMER:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees assigned to this position.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against, on the basis of these factors or of disability.