Principal VMS/Fly-by-Wire Systems Engineer

Honda Research Institute USA; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Honda Research Institute USA is seeking a Principal VMS/Fly-by-Wire Systems Engineer in San Luis Obispo, CA, to lead the FBW architecture and safety-critical development for the next-generation eVTOL. The role covers flight-control computers, sensors, actuators, and interfaces across avionics and propulsion.

It requires extensive model-based development, system integration, and robust test automation. This leadership position reports to the VMS Director and focuses on delivering a certifiable,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline with aerospace relevance.
• Master's degree preferred; 12+ years of aerospace flight-control experience.
• Experience leading FBW architecture, requirements, integration, verification, and certification.
• Hands-on with model-based development and MIL/SIL/PIL/HIL testing.
• Experience with eVTOL or hybrid-electric aircraft is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead FBW system architecture, requirements allocation and interfaces.
• Define redundancy, fault management and health-monitoring requirements.
• Manage supplier selection and technical execution for flight-control components.
• Oversee integration, verification, safety analyses and certification activities.
• Develop Python-based test automation and MBSE documentation.

Skills

FBW architecture

VMS

Python

MATLAB/Simulink

System integration

Safety-critical

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Stateflow

Python

DO-178C workflows

Job description

Principal VMS/Fly-by-Wire Systems Engineer - Honda Research Institute USA

Job Number: P25F19

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

The Principal VMS/Fly-by-Wire (FBW) Systems Engineer will lead the architecture, requirements, supplier development, integration, verification, and certification readiness of the safety-critical FBW system within Honda's Vehicle Management System (VMS). The role covers flight-control computers, sensors, actuator-control electronics, flight-control actuation, control-law integration, redundancy and fault management, and interfaces with avionics, hybrid-electric propulsion, electrical power, and other aircraft systems.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring model-based development of FBW logic, system integration and testing, and Python-based test automation. Reporting to the VMS Director, the engineer will serve as the onsite technical focal point for delivering a safe, certifiable, and high-performance FBW solution for Honda's next-generation hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft.

Key Responsibilities

FBW Architecture, Requirements and Interfaces

Lead the FBW system architecture, functional decomposition, requirements allocation, design baselines, and interface-control development for prototype and type-certification aircraft.

Define the physical and functional architecture for flight-control computers, sensors, actuator-control electronics, flight-control actuation, communication networks, and power interfaces.

Define redundancy, fault-containment, synchronization, cross-channel monitoring, command-selection/voting, health-monitoring, reversionary-mode, and degraded-operation requirements.

Manage FBW interfaces with control laws, avionics, hybrid-electric propulsion, electrical power, safety, flight-test, and other aircraft systems.

System Design and Supplier Technical Execution

Develop and integrate FBW control laws, mode/state logic, monitors, protections, actuator limits, and failure-management functions using model-based development methods and MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow.

Serve as the technical lead for supplier selection and execution for flight-control computers, remote electronics/actuator-control electronics, sensors, and actuation equipment.

Lead supplier requirements reviews, architecture and design reviews, deliverable acceptance, configuration-change evaluation, technical-risk management, and issue closure.

Ensure system performance, determinism, latency, robustness, environmental qualification, maintainability, and integration readiness meet aircraft-level objectives

Integration, Verification, Safety and Certification

Define and lead FBW integration and requirements-based system testing across model-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, processor-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, laboratory, aircraft ground-test, and flight-test environments, including pass/fail criteria and failure-injection scenarios.

Develop and maintain Python-based automation for test stimulus generation, execution, data acquisition and analysis, regression testing, results reporting, and toolchain integration.

Support FHA, PSSA, SSA, FTA, FMEA, common-cause analyses, Development Assurance Level allocation, and verification of derived safety requirements.

Support certification planning and evidence, software and airborne electronic hardware SOI readiness, environmental qualification, conformity, and system review packages.

Technical Leadership and Program Coordination

Act as the onsite FBW technical focal point for architecture decisions, issue resolution, cross-functional dependencies, supplier coordination, and schedule/risk alignment.

Mentor engineers, facilitate technical trade studies, communicate status and risks to leadership, and support SRR, PDR, CDR, test-readiness, and certification reviews.

Minimum Qualifications & Minimum Experience

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

Master's degree in a relevant technical or engineering-management discipline is preferred.

Twelve or more years of aerospace flight-control, FBW, VMS, or other safety-critical aircraft-systems development experience.

Demonstrated experience leading FBW architecture, requirements, integration, verification, and certification activities from concept through ground and flight test.

Experience with redundant flight-control computers, sensors, actuator-control electronics, electro-mechanical actuation, real-time networks, and system suppliers.

Hands-on experience developing and integrating FBW logic using model-based development and executing system testing across MIL, SIL, PIL, and HIL environments.

Experience with eVTOL, powered-lift, rotorcraft, hybrid-electric aircraft, or other highly integrated aircraft is preferred.

Bonus Qualifications

Certification Knowledge and Experience:

Expertise in VMS, FBW architecture, requirements decomposition, functional allocation, interface definition, system integration, system safety, and requirements-based testing.

Strong understanding of flight-control computers, control-law integration, actuation systems, redundancy management, real-time embedded systems, and failure management.

Experience with aircraft communication protocols and networks such as ARINC 429, CAN, RS-485, Ethernet, AFDX, or Time-Triggered Ethernet.

Hands-on proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow for model-based development of FBW logic, executable-model simulation, model reviews, requirements traceability, and DO-331-aligned workflows.

Proficiency in Python for automated test execution, stimulus generation, data acquisition and reduction, regression analysis, reporting, and integration with laboratory test environments.

Experience with MBSE, requirements-management, configuration-management, problem-reporting, and collaboration tools is preferred.

Strong supplier-management, technical-leadership, troubleshooting, communication, mentoring, and decision-making skills.

Job-Specific Technical Skills

Expertise in FBW systems architecture, integration, safety, verification, and certification.

Strong knowledge of flight-control computers, control laws, actuation, redundancy, embedded systems, and fault management.

Experience with ARINC 429, CAN, Ethernet, AFDX, TTE, and related aerospace networks.

Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow and Python for model-based development, verification, and test automation.

Familiarity with MBSE, requirements, configuration, and issue-management tools.

Proven technical leadership, supplier management, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Desired Start Date

10/1/2026

Position Keywords

Fly-By-Wire (FBW), Flight Control Systems, ARP4754A/B, DO-178C, DO-331, MATLAB/Simulink, Stateflow, MBSE, SysML, Flight Control Computers, Control Laws, System Integration, Aircraft Certification, Python, HIL Testing, ARINC 429, AFDX, Real-Time Embedded Systems, FAA/EASA.