LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER

Southwest Research Institute Inc.; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute Inc. in San Antonio, TX is seeking a Lead Engineer/Principal Engineer for Aerospace & Avionics HW Systems.

You will lead multidisciplinary avionics hardware efforts, driving lifecycle engineering from requirements through sustainment, while advancing digital engineering and MBSE practices to deliver high‑confidence hardware solutions. The role requires deep experience in aerospace hardware development, systems engineering, and government integration activities, with

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field.
• 11+ years of aerospace/avionics hardware experience.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary hardware development with thermal, structural, and packaging integration.
• Proven ability to apply engineering analysis tools to drive design and qualification.
• Experience leading government integration activities and technical reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary aerospace engineering for avionics hardware across lifecycle.
• Develop flightworthy hardware architectures balancing thermal, structural, and packaging constraints.
• Own requirements, trade studies, design, analysis, verification, and sustainment.
• Advance digital engineering and MBSE linking requirements, models, and verification data.
• Provide technical leadership for government integration efforts and reviews.

Skills

Multidisciplinary aerospace

Aerospace hardware development

Systems engineering

Digital engineering MBSE

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Aerospace/Electrical/Systems Eng

Tools

CAD/CAE software

CFD/FEA tools

Job description

LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER Aerospace & Avionics HW Systems Job Code: 16-01560 Who we are:

The Strategic Aerospace Department within the Defense & Intelligence Solutions Division delivers cutting‑edge engineering services to enhance the warfighter’s capabilities across bomber, tanker, and heavy aircraft platforms. We specialize in world‑class research, design, and support, providing innovative solutions to modern challenges and legacy systems for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, Department of Defense, allied nations, and the U.S. Government, ensuring mission readiness and technological superiority.

Objectives Of This Role:

• Lead multidisciplinary aerospace engineering for avionics and mission hardware, integrating aerodynamics, thermal, structural, stress, electronics packaging, and mechanical design across the hardware lifecycle.
• Develop and design flightworthy avionics hardware architectures that balance thermal performance, structural integrity, aerodynamic effects, packaging, maintainability, reliability, and aircraft integration constraints.
• Own hardware lifecycle systems engineering from requirements and trade studies through detailed design, analysis, integration, verification, qualification, production transition, and sustainment.
• Advance digital engineering and digital‑thread practices by linking requirements, models, analyses, interfaces, design data, verification evidence, configuration baselines, and lifecycle decisions.
• Provide technical leadership for Government aerospace integration efforts, leading multidisciplinary teams, technical reviews, risk resolution, customer coordination, and delivery of high‑confidence hardware solutions.

Daily/Monthly Responsibilities:

• Lead multidisciplinary trade studies across aerodynamics, thermal, structures, stress, electronics packaging, materials, interfaces, and aircraft integration; convert results into clear design decisions and requirements.
• Develop and review CAD, CFD, FEA, thermal, structural, stress, and packaging analyses; correlate models with test data, assess margins and uncertainty, and support design maturation and qualification.
• Translate Government and customer needs into system, subsystem, interface, and verification requirements; manage technical baselines, interfaces, changes, risks, and lifecycle traceability.
• Build and maintain the digital thread connecting requirements, MBSE models, CAD/CAE data, analyses, ICDs, configuration artifacts, test results, verification evidence, and technical decisions.
• Lead design reviews, integration/test readiness, anomaly resolution, qualification, airworthiness support, supplier coordination, and mentoring of engineers across multidisciplinary avionics hardware efforts.

Education/Experience:

• Requires a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related Engineering degree field. Advanced degree preferred and may be considered in lieu of some years of work experience.
• 11+ years: Experience must directly support aerospace/avionics hardware development, integration, and verification. Leading aerospace or avionics hardware development involving thermal, structural, stress, aerodynamic, packaging, mechanical, or electrical integration across flight systems.
• 11+ years: Applying engineering analysis tools such as CFD, FEA, thermal networks, structural/stress analysis, CAD/CAE, or electronics packaging methods to drive design, margins, and qualification.
• 11+ years: Applying systems engineering across the hardware lifecycle: requirements, architecture, interfaces, trade studies, configuration control, integration, verification, qualification, and sustainment.
• 11+ years: Leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and Government integration activities, including technical reviews, risk resolution, customer communication, digital engineering, and delivery accountability.
• A valid/clear driver’s license is required.

Special Considerations:

Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

Job Location: San Antonio, Texas Or Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

CONTACT HUMAN RESOURCES

[phone]
Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238-5166

EEO Statement

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: Race, Color, Religion, Sex, National Origin, Disability, and Veteran Status