Flight Controls Tools and Software Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems; Poway (CA); On-site; USD 63,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. in Poway, CA, is seeking an early-career aerospace/software engineer to develop analysis tools and methodologies for flight-controls, guidance, and navigation systems.

This role blends software development with controls analysis to support simulation, testing, and field operations across the aircraft lifecycle. You will work within the Flight Technologies department in Poway, collaborating with software, test, and systems engineers, participating in

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in engineering or related field; equivalent experience allowed.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink for modeling, simulation and analysis.
• DoD security clearance eligibility required or able to obtain.
• Foundational understanding of aircraft flight controls and stability.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work across teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement controls-related software under guidance from senior engineers.
• Learn and improve existing controls-analysis tools and workflows.
• Participate in software-development sprints with other developers.
• Contribute to efficiency improvements in controls-analysis frameworks.
• Prepare and present technical reports and code reviews to stakeholders.
• Occasional travel for wind-tunnels tests, flight tests, and conferences.
• Develop foundational capabilities for flight-controls analysis of stability.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Communication skills

Adaptability

Flight controls knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

GitHub

Python

SQL

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.

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. We have an exciting opportunity for an early-career aerospace/software engineer to develop analysis tools & methodologies for flight-controls, guidance, and navigation systems. We’re looking for someone who enjoys both software development and controls analysis to contribute code, processes, and tests that will facilitate simulation and analysis for a large user base. Your work and innovations can span the entire lifecycle of aircraft development -- from conceptual design through flight testing and field support. This position is within the Flight Technologies department of GA-ASI in Poway, CA, in San Diego County. The Flight Technologies department is a growing technical organization focusing on many aspects of flight sciences; the Tools & Support group supports all disciplines within Flight Technologies.

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

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and execute controls-related software development under guidance from senior engineers. Software examples may include:
  • tools to translate aerodynamic and mass models into Simulink and run six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) simulations
  • scripts which automate and scale Monte Carlo analysis to parallel computing
  • visualizations scraping a database to compare simulated vs. test-logged data
  • statistical analysis of controller errors to evaluate mission performance.
• Learn, apply, and recommend improvements for existing controls-analysis tools and workflows.
• Participate in software-development sprints with buy-in from technical experts and peer developers.
• Contribute to efficiency enhancements in controls-analysis frameworks.
• Apply industry-standard practices for building models, storing and transferring data including use of version-control systems, and testing software.
  • Support configuration management and interface control of aero- and flight-controls-related artifacts.
• Prepare and present reports, code reviews, and other technical documentation to stakeholders across disciplines such as software, test, and systems engineering.
• Occasional travel to support wind-tunnels tests, flight-test campaigns, customer site visits, and conferences.
• Build and retain foundational capability to perform flight-controls analysis such as of aircraft stability and flying qualities.

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelors degree in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, especially for modeling, simulation, and analysis of linear and nonlinear dynamic systems. Experience with equivalent alternative software may be substituted.
• Exposure to software-testing concepts, especially related to Simulink modeling.
• Foundational understanding of aircraft flight controls and stability.
• Ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately in an evolving environment.
• Prolific and effective communication and interpersonal skills for diverse audiences.
• Ability to obtain and maintain DoD Security Clearance is required.

DESIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Exposure to agile, requirements-driven software-development practices.
• Familiarity with GitHub or equivalent version-control system.
• Coursework and/or experience with applied statistics and data science.
• Exposure to adjacent technical areas, including aerodynamics, performance, and structures analysis.
• Familiarity with Python.
• Familiarity with SQL databases or similar data-management tools.

Job Type: Full-Time Salary
Salary range: 63,000 - 105,375