Principal Avionics Systems Engineer

Honda Research Institute USA; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Honda Research Institute USA in San Luis Obispo, CA is seeking a Principal Avionics Systems Engineer to lead the definition and delivery of the aircraft avionics architecture for prototype and certification programs.

You will coordinate with VMS/FBW, Electrical, Propulsion, Safety and certification stakeholders, drive requirements, interface definitions, supplier design, integration, and verification to deliver a safe, certifiable, high‑performance avionics solution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Electronics, Computer, Software or Systems Engineering.
• Master's Degree in a technical or management discipline preferred.
• 10+ years of aerospace avionics and aircraft systems development experience, including safety-critical integrated avionics.
• Demonstrated experience as an Avionics architect, Principal Engineer, or technical lead.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams and managing avionics suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Define avionics architecture, requirements, and interface definitions for prototype and certification programs.
• Coordinate across VMS/FBW, Electrical, Propulsion, Safety, EWIS, Flight Test, suppliers and certification stakeholders.
• Lead supplier design reviews, integration, verification, and risk management across programs.
• Support certification evidence, FHA, PSSA, SSA, and SRR/IDR/CDR review packages.

Skills

Avionics architecture

Requirements development

System integration

Technical leadership

Supplier management

MBSE

SysML

Airborne hardware

Embedded software

Safety-critical avionics

Education

Bachelor's in engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

SIL/HIL

DO-178C

DO-254

MBSE tools

Job description

Principal Avionics Systems Engineer - Honda Research Institute USA

Honda is on a mission to revolutionize freedom of mobility by building the next generation of mobility ecosystems, with Honda's hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft at the core. Through this new mobility ecosystem, Honda aims to bring people the joy of expanding their life's potential.

San Luis Obispo, CA

Avionics systems are critical to the safe and effective operation of Honda's hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft. These systems provide flight-deck functionality, situational awareness, communication, navigation, surveillance, aircraft-data management and recording, and interfaces with flight-control and vehicle-management functions.

The Principal Avionics Systems Engineer will serve as a technical leader responsible for defining and delivering the aircraft avionics architecture. The scope includes flight-deck systems, displays, communication, navigation, surveillance, sensors, aircraft data networks, recording systems, and integration with the Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), Flight Director (FD), Flight Management System (FMS), Vehicle Management System (VMS), Fly-by-Wire (FBW) system, hybrid-electric propulsion system, electrical power system and other aircraft subsystems.

Reporting to the Avionics Director, this onsite position will serve as the technical focal point for delivering a safe, certifiable, and high-performance avionics solution.

Key Responsibilities

Avionics Architecture, Requirements and Interface Definition

• Lead the development and maturation of the Avionics architecture, functional decomposition, requirements allocation, and design-baseline development for Honda's prototype and certification aircraft programs.
• Establish and maintain avionics system requirements, architecture and design descriptions, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), performance requirements and bidirectional traceability.
• Coordinate across VMS/FBW, Electrical, Propulsion, Safety, EWIS, Flight Test, suppliers, and certification stakeholders; close interface gaps early.
• Address hybrid-electric aircraft considerations, including power availability, load shedding, propulsion and energy-status data, degraded operating modes, EMI/EMC and thermal constraints.

Supplier Design & Technical Execution

• Serve as the technical authority for avionics supplier selection, requirements flow-down, design reviews, deliverables, compliance, and issue closure.
• Evaluate supplier architectures and equipment for functional performance, interfaces, safety, environmental qualification, maintainability, and integration readiness.
• Manage technical risks, dependencies, actions, configuration changes, and supplier accountability against program milestones.
• Lead avionics integration and verification across simulation, SIL/HIL, lab, aircraft ground test, and flight test environments.
• Define verification methods, procedures, pass/fail criteria, coverage, and data-review expectations for system and interface requirements.
• Support FHA, PSSA, SSA, compliance plans/reports, certification evidence, SOI readiness, and SRR/IDR/PDR/CDR review packages.

Technical Leadership and Program Coordination

• Act as the onsite avionics technical focal point for decisions, issue resolution, schedule alignment, and cross-functional dependency management.
• Coach engineers, facilitate technical trade studies, communicate status and risks to leadership, and drive disciplined requirements and configuration management.
• Extensive experience with airborne electronic hardware, embedded software, aircraft data networks and complex aircraft-system interfaces.
• Experience with eVTOL, powered-lift, rotorcraft, hybrid-electric aircraft or other highly integrated aircraft is preferred.

Minimum Qualifications & Minimum Experience

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Electronics, Computer, Software or Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Master's Degree in a technical and/or management discipline preferred.

10+ years of aerospace avionics and aircraft systems development experience, including safety-critical integrated avionics.

Demonstrated experience progressing an avionics system from concept and architecture through requirements development, supplier design, integration, ground and flight test, and certification readiness.

Demonstrated experience serving as an Avionics architect, Principal Engineer, technical lead.

Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams and technically managing avionics suppliers.

Bonus Qualifications

Certification Knowledge and Experience:

Working knowledge of FAA type-certification processes for powered-lift aircraft under 14 CFR §21.17(b), including project-specific airworthiness criteria and accepted means of compliance.

Familiarity with relevant requirements and safety principles derived from 14 CFR Parts 21, 23, 25 and 29 as applicable on the approved aircraft certification basis.

Desired Start Date 10/1/2026

Position Keywords

Principal Avionics Systems Engineer | eVTOL | Powered-Lift Aircraft | Avionics Architecture | Aircraft Systems Integration | FBW FCC | VMS | AFCS | FMS | CNS | Requirements Development | Requirements Verification | ICD Development | Supplier Technical Management | SIL/HIL | Ground & Flight Test | System Safety | FAA Certification | ARP4754A/B | ARP4761A | DO-178C | DO-254 | DO-160 | MBSE | SysML

For California applicants: Please review the Honda California Job Applicant Privacy Notice before submitting your application.