Electrical Engineering Manager, Optical Sensor Systems

General Atomics; Acton (MA); On-site; USD 131,000 - 228,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics in Acton, MA seeks an Electrical Engineering Manager to lead Optical Payload Electrical Engineering. The role focuses on multi-year technical planning, design, testing, and deployment of aerospace electrical systems.

You will guide staff, coordinate with subcontractors, and ensure compliance with NASA/DoD standards. The position demands extensive leadership, systems-level thinking, and experience with high-reliability space/optical electronics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in engineering or related technical field; advanced degree preferred.
• DoD security clearance required.
• Travel up to 10% of time.
• Multidisciplinary team environment experience.
• Broad engineering concepts, principles, and theory applied to aerospace/optical systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead Optical Payload Electrical Engineering staff to meet technical, schedule, and budget objectives.
• Mentor staff; perform performance reviews and salary management.
• Drive analysis, investigation, and resolution of engineering problems in optical/electronic subsystems.
• Provide technical leadership in planning and development of long-term solutions.
• Oversee subcontractor work and ensure design, testing, and documentation deliverables meet standards.
• Coordinate with management and customers; present results and test plans.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Systems engineering

Education

Bachelor's / Master's / PhD in engineering

Tools

Engineering tools

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies. We are looking for an Electrical Engineering Manager to join our team in Acton, MA.

With consultative direction, this position exercises considerable latitude in determining technical objectives for the review, research, design, development, and/or solution(s) for opto-mechanical related programs. Functioning in a leadership role, participates in the planning and oversight of the successful resolution and implementation of opto-mechanical solutions and provides direction and guidance to professional and support staff. Formulates technical plans, typically multi-year, for solution(s) development, documentation, and deployment of the engineering solution (s), as well as responsible for meeting various compliance, reporting, and safety standards. Evaluates the integration of the opto-mechanical solution within the overall engineering environment; and responsible for planning/overseeing documentation, testing, maintenance, and engineering updates. Communicates with engineering professionals, solution users, and management throughout the solution development cycle; represents the company as a prime technical contact on assigned system(s) or project (s)/program(s); selects, motivates, and develops professional and support staff; interacts with senior internal and external personnel on technical matters requiring coordination between the organizations; anticipates future engineering needs; and, develops new or expands existing business opportunities.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage professional and technical performance of Optical Payload Electrical Engineering staff to ensure quality, business and financial objectives are achieved.
• Provide mentorship to team members including performing performance reviews and salary management for staff.
• Supports and leads the engineering staff in the analysis, investigation and resolution of routine engineering problems with a focus on optical systems and electronic subsystems.
• Ensures technical leadership and excellence is maintained by directing and participating in the planning, attraction, selection, retention and development of the required professional and technical talent.
• Demonstrated experience with digital processing subsystems, focal plane arrays, motor controllers, heater circuits, temperature-monitoring circuits, and familiarity with cryocooler systems, including their design, integration, and testing for aerospace applications.
• Independently performs challenging engineering work, documents findings, communicates results, makes technical presentations, and supports test activities both on and off site. Designs, develops, and tests all aspects of optical components and equipment.
• Leverage expertise in space electronics design and new electrical technologies to lead trades analyses in performance and size, weight, power, and cost for satellite payloads.
• Manage aerospace electrical design subcontractors by reviewing technical specifications and design deliverables, overseeing worst-case circuit analyses, and ensuring adherence to applicable engineering standards, interface requirements, and sound design practices.
• Support weekly subcontractor meetings by coordinating technical discussions, reviewing action items, monitoring deliverables, and tracking progress against the overall program schedule.
• Familiarization with modeling tools to develop insights in co-design of different optical technologies in a single optical payload
• Assist in roadmap development of novel imaging technologies for future space systems and explore nascent concepts.
• Generation of detailed electrical specifications for subcontractors as well as cable manufacturer
• Familiarity with NASA EEE-INST-002 and associated spaceflight standards and specifications, including applicable MIL-STD-883, MIL-PRF-38535, MIL-PRF-38534, MIL-PRF-19500, MIL-STD-750, MIL-STD-202, NASA-STD-6016, and NASA workmanship standards for the selection, screening, qualification, derating, and application of electrical, electronic, and electromechanical components.
• Design and develop aerospace electrical cabling and wire harness assemblies, including routing, connector selection, and detailed drawings, while ensuring compliance with applicable engineering standards, configuration requirements, and manufacturing constraints.
• Experience integrating electrical assemblies, developing safe-to-mate procedures and test procedures, supporting design for manufacture and test, and providing hands-on assistance to Manufacturing Engineering with debugging and performance characterization.
• Assist in the definition of functional, performance, derived, etc. system engineering requirements and interfaces.
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC requirements and applicable standards, including MIL-STD-461, and their application to the design, integration, testing, and qualification of aerospace electronics and subsystems.
• Experience performing management duties in collaboration with Cost Account Managers and Program Management to support planning, execution, cost, schedule, and performance objectives.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

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 Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as eleven or more years of progressively complex engineering experience. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance is required.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time, as required by business and program needs.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team environment is required.
• Must have a thorough understanding of engineering concepts, principles, codes, and theory; experience demonstrating a broad application of those concepts; and, expanding knowledge of principles, concepts, theory, and practices in related technical specialties.
• Must possess the ability to develop and communicate new concepts; apply them accurately throughout an evolving environment; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and, determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems.
• Experience managing teams of engineers in the design, build and test of satellite imaging systems.
• Experience with the use and maintenance of engineering tools and processes related to optical systems and space systems.
• Ability to assign engineering tasks related to the design, build and test of satellite imaging electrical systems in terms of understanding complexity and expected duration, also able to provide engineering review for specific tasks that overlap areas of expertise.
• Has demonstrated leadership ability by directing/developing the solution(s) to highly technical and complex engineering problems, and has been a key participant in attracting and retaining engineering business as well as professional staff.
• Strong communication, leadership, presentation and interpersonal skills are required to enable an effective interface within departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, and government representatives

Job Type: Full-Time Salary

Salary range: 130,500 - 228,375