LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER - Aerospace & Avionics HW Systems

Southwest Research Institute; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute is seeking a senior aerospace engineer to lead multidisciplinary avionics and mission hardware design. You will own hardware lifecycle activities from requirements to production transition, driving digital engineering and MBSE practices while coordinating with government integration teams.

The role demands 11+ years of aerospace hardware experience, strong CFD/FEA/CAD skills, and the ability to deliver high-confidence hardware solutions for complex aircraft

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical or Systems Engineering or related field.
• 11+ years aerospace/avionics hardware development experience for design, integration and verification.
• Experience with CFD, FEA, thermal networks, CAD/CAE, or electronics packaging methods.
• Experience across hardware lifecycle requirements, architecture, interfaces, and verification.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary teams and government integration activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary trade studies across aerodynamics, thermal, structures, packaging, and aircraft integration.
• Develop and review CAD/CAE analyses; correlate models with test data and support design maturation.
• Translate needs into system and interface requirements; manage baselines, changes and traceability.
• Build the digital thread linking requirements, MBSE models, data, and verification evidence.
• Lead design reviews, qualification, airworthiness support, and supplier coordination.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

Systems engineering

MBSE

Thermal analysis

Structures analysis

Electronics packaging

Mechanical design

Certification & airworthiness

Education

Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CAD/CAE

CFD

FEA

Thermal networks

Job description

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 and 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.

Requirements:

• 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 Requirements:

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 Locations:

San Antonio, Texas Or Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Equal Employment Opportunity

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.