Lead Airborne Systems - Software Engineer IV

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; United States; Hybrid; USD 141,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Leave plans

Tuition assistance

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Leave benefits

Job summary

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) seeks a Lead Airborne Systems - Software Engineer IV to steer architecture, data pipelines, and real-time airborne computing across RAF projects. You will lead a team of software engineers and supervise system integration on embedded Linux across PC-104 DAQ nodes and cabin displays.

This senior role requires deep expertise in C++ and Python under Linux, cybersecurity posture, and experience with CI/CD, Git, and modern software practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer-related field with twelve+ years of experience or equivalent.
• Strong leadership and experience supervising software teams.
• Expertise in real-time data systems and embedded Linux.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python under Linux with Git/CI/CD experience.
• Experience with embedded hardware interfaces and data pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Architecture: set strategic direction for RAF airborne software ecosystem, real-time data acquisition, and cabin displays.
• Team Leadership & Supervision: mentor engineers, enforce coding standards, and drive modern software practices.
• Data Quality Control & Final Product Delivery: design and maintain automated QC tools and data products.
• Field Campaign Operations & Mission Support: lead deployment operations during campaigns and assist in troubleshooting.
• Systems Security & Mission Integrity: apply UCAR cybersecurity requirements across airborne software and networks.
• User Support, Documentation & Knowledge Capture: document architecture, manuals, and runbooks; capture design rationale.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Real-Time Data Systems

C++ & Python under Linux

Embedded Linux

CI/CD & Git

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer-related field

Tools

Git

Docker

CI/CD

Qt framework

Job description

Position Type: Regular Visa Sponsored Job: No Relocation Assistance Eligible: Yes Hiring Range: 140,970.00 USD - 176,210.00 USD *Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role. Application Closes at 12:00am MST on: 2026-10-30

About the Role

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Lead Airborne Systems - Software Engineer IV role at the Research Aviation Facility. This position is the primary technical authority and team lead, shaping the architecture, data quality pipelines, hardware-level driver integrations, cybersecurity posture, and for the real-time execution of all airborne data acquisition, processing, and cabin visualization systems. The Research Aviation Facility (RAF), a facility within the Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), operates advanced research aircraft, including the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V and C-130, in support of airborne field campaigns across the geosciences. RAF provides the scientific community with specialized airborne platforms, sensor suites, real-time telemetry, and in-flight computing infrastructure used to conduct research in the atmospheric geosciences in fields such as atmospheric chemistry, storm dynamics, and cloud physics.

US Person Required - Must be (a) a U.S. citizen; (b) lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; or (c) a protected individual as defined by 8 USC1324b(a)(3).

Job Description Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Architecture: Set the strategic direction and overall architecture for the RAF airborne software ecosystem: real-time data acquisition, instrument control, signal processing, network communications, remote operations, and integrated cabin display systems. Evaluate emerging technologies, direct Linux kernel driver and embedded systems work, and lead major modernizations of mission-critical systems.
• Team Leadership & Supervision: Supervise and mentor a team of software engineers and data managers. Assign work, set technical standards, review code quality, conduct performance evaluations, and drive team adoption of modern software engineering practices (CI/CD, automated testing, revision control).
• Data Quality Control & Final Product Delivery: Lead the design, evolution, and long-term maintenance of automated data quality control (QC) tools, automated flag generation pipelines, and post-flight processing frameworks. Oversee the generation, verification, and distribution of standardized data products.
• Field Campaign Operations & Mission Support: Lead field deployment operations for research aircraft. Oversee embedded system configuration, computer network integration, low-level system debugging, and on-board hardware/software troubleshooting during complex flight campaigns. Act as the primary software authority and escalation point during mission deployments. Deployment periods involve irregular and early-morning hours driven by the flight schedule, and on-call escalation during flight operations.
• Systems Security & Mission Integrity: Apply and maintain UCAR/NCAR cybersecurity requirements and secure software development practices across airborne data acquisition nodes, telemetry links, and ground processing systems, working with NCAR IT security to adapt institutional policy to the constraints of airborne and embedded platforms. Own the security posture of RAF-developed software and the network isolation design of in-flight systems.
• User Support, Documentation & Knowledge Capture: Interface directly with visiting scientists, university researchers, flight crews, and instrument engineers. Author system architecture specifications, flight software operational manuals, security compliance profiles, safety documentation, and technical project reports. During the first year, assume responsibility for working with the retiring incumbent during a structured overlap period to capture design rationale, failure history, hardware-specific behavior, and operational practice that is not currently documented, and convert it into maintained documentation, runbooks, and automated tests so that RAF’s dependence on individual expertise is systematically reduced.

Education and Experience (Required)

Bachelor's degree in computer-related field and extensive and progressive relevant experience and/or education, which is typically gained by twelve or more years of experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. May include formal supervisory experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Technical Vision & Leadership: Expert skill in establishing technical roadmaps, driving architectural decisions, leading software modernization initiatives, and mentoring engineering staff.
• Real-Time Data Systems: In-depth knowledge of real-time data acquisition architectures, concurrent programming, low-latency network protocols, and multi-threaded system design.
• Software Engineering & Automation: Expert proficiency in C++ and Python under Linux. Strong familiarity with modern software engineering practice: Git, unit testing, continuous integration, Docker/containerization, and shell scripting (bash/csh).
• Working at the Hardware Boundary: Expert skill integrating instruments over PCIe, USB, serial, and custom DAQ interfaces on embedded Linux platforms, and debugging at the system level.
• Communication: Exceptional oral and written communication skills for interfacing across multi-disciplinary teams (engineers, scientists, flight crews).

Other Requirements

• Willingness and ability to fly on NCAR research aircraft during scientific testing and field campaigns.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally for durations of 2-3 weeks in support of field projects.
• Deployment periods involve irregular hours, early show times, and on-call availability during flight operations.

Preferred Qualifications Experience

• Experience with cross-platform GUI development (Qt framework preferred).
• Experience handling airborne or atmospheric geophysical observations or spatial/GIS datasets.
• Hands-on familiarity with scientific data processing pipelines (Python scientific stack, R).

Qualifications

• Kernel, Embedded & Low-Level Development: Practical experience with Linux kernel driver and kernel module development. RAF currently operates PC-104 form-factor DAQ nodes running Ubuntu Linux; direct experience with comparable embedded Linux platforms transfers.
• Data Quality Control & Scientific Datasets: Background in designing automated data quality control frameworks, error detection, automated flagging algorithms, and sensor data validation pipelines that produce standardized, high-integrity scientific data products (netCDF/CF, HDF) that follow rigorous metadata standards (CF, ACDD, WMO, NCAR-RAF/nimbus).
• Systems & Cybersecurity: Applied knowledge of secure coding standards (OWASP/CWE), network isolation, system hardening, and data integrity protocols for embedded/edge operating systems and flight telemetry networks.
• Signal Processing: Practical application of digital signal processing (DSP) techniques to scientific instrument data streams.

Application Requirements Questionnaire, Resume/CV

For full consideration, all application materials must be submitted by 12am (MST) at the start of the application deadline. These should highlight how your skills and experiences align with the responsibilities of this position. We recognize that no candidate will meet 100% of the listed qualifications. If you believe your background has prepared you for success in this role, we encourage you to apply. Supplemental questionnaires are often requested in lieu of a cover letter, where you address critical skills needed for the position. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your resume and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences. Background checks and/or federal screenings are conducted for candidates selected for hire.

Benefits Overview

• health insurance
• dental
• retirement plan
• leave plans
• tuition assistance
• employee assistance programs: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Generous retirement plan – UCAR contributes of 10% of base salary
• Time Off Plans Minimum 20 days of annual PTO
• 10 paid holidays
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• FAMLI Leave
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer

UCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age-related information (like date of birth or graduation dates) in initial submissions.

For sponsored positions: UCAR can sponsor individuals for H-1B status only if they are already in the U.S. in H-1B status or another visa status that allows them to change to H-1B status within the U.S. UCAR is unable to sponsor new H-1B visas for individuals who are outside the U.S. and need to obtain H-1B status through Consular Processing. While UCAR does not prohibit the use of AI tools in job applications, we strongly recommend that applicants submit primarily original work. All roles require compliance with U.S. export control regulations and work location requirements. All hybrid staff are expected to work on-site approximately 3 days per week.

At NCAR – the National Center for Atmospheric Research – we study weather, water, climate, air quality, and space weather to help protect lives and livelihoods, grow the economy, and enhance our nation’s security and well‑being. We collaborate with research partners to advance the science that makes predictions better and with end users to develop applications for forecasters, farmers, resource managers, retailers, the military, and many other stakeholders. UCAR – the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research – manages NCAR on behalf of the National Science Foundation. We are a nonprofit consortium of more than 115 colleges and universities with research and training programs in Earth system science. We bring together the academic community and provide the operational management that are both essential to NCAR’s success. UCAR’s community programs, from educational resources to data delivery and other services, extend the reach and impact of NCAR’s world-class research to the community and society. We seek talented people with diverse backgrounds, training, and skills to join us in our mission of science in service to society. Want to learn more? Visit ucar.edu.