Scientist, Chief Systems Engineer

Acron Aviation; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Acron Aviation is seeking a Chief Systems Engineer to lead technology strategy for the Surveillance product line, shaping architecture and roadmaps across avionics systems. You will drive root cause investigations, interface with customers, and guide cross‑functional teams to deliver high‑quality, compliant designs.

This role demands deep aerospace domain knowledge, strong leadership, and proven experience in aviation product development, with emphasis on DO-178/ARP4754A guidance and risk

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field required with 12+ years in aviation product development; a Graduate Degree with 10+ years in the same field is acceptable. If no degree, 16+ years of relevant experience is required.
• Experience in aviation product development environments
• Experience in technology strategy development and execution
• Experience leading technical reviews and engineering assessments
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across teams
• Experience with R&D portfolio management and technology road‑mapping

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of technology roadmaps and innovation strategies
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, competitive landscape, and industry trends
• Coordinate engineering pursuits, including solution architecture, risk mitigation, and cost/schedule estimation
• Support the development of top-level requirements and manage the requirement decomposition
• Develop CONOPS and use cases for new and evolving systems
• Engage with leadership to align technology initiatives with business strategy
• Establish design requirements, guide risk reduction, and ensure compliant, high-quality product designs
• Interface with customers and stakeholders to define requirements and develop solutions
• Serve as technical approver for product development design reviews
• Lead root cause investigations for complex technical issues

Skills

Technical leadership

System architecture

Root cause analysis

Communication

R&D portfolio management

Technology roadmapping

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in STEM

Graduate degree in related field

Job description

About Acron Aviation (Avionics – Surveillance)

Acron Aviation designs, engineers, and manufactures certified avionics systems that support safety-critical flight operations across commercial and military aviation. Within Avionics, the Surveillance product line develops and sustains systems that enable aircraft awareness, collision avoidance, and airspace interoperability. Our portfolio includes TCAS, Mode S transponders, ADS‑B, and integrated surveillance solutions deployed across commercial, military, and rotorcraft platforms. This work is performed in highly regulated environments and demands deep expertise across systems, hardware, software, and RF throughout the full product lifecycle.

Job Title

Chief Systems Engineer – Surveillance

Position Summary

Acron Aviation is seeking an experienced Chief Systems Engineer to lead product and technology initiatives within the Surveillance product line. In this role, you will shape and drive the technology strategy, guide system architecture development, and support long-term product innovation. You will lead the development of technology roadmaps, coordinate engineering pursuits, and help define R&D direction aligned to business objectives. This role also serves as the technical authority for product development, including design review approvals and leadership of root cause investigations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of technology roadmaps and innovation strategies
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, competitive landscape, and industry trends
• Coordinate engineering pursuits, including solution architecture, risk mitigation, and cost/schedule estimation
• Support the development of top-level requirements and manage the requirement decomposition
• Develop CONOPS and use cases for new and evolving systems
• Engage with leadership to align technology initiatives with business strategy
• Establish design requirements, guide risk reduction, and ensure compliant, high-quality product designs
• Interface with customers and stakeholders to define requirements and develop solutions
• Serve as technical approver for product development design reviews
• Lead root cause investigations for complex technical issues

Required Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM-related field is required, along with at least 12 years of relevant experience in aviation product development. Alternatively, a Graduate Degree with a minimum of 10 years of related experience in the same field is acceptable. If you do not have a degree, you must have at least 16 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in aviation product development environments
• Experience in technology strategy development and execution
• Experience leading technical reviews and engineering assessments
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across teams
• Experience with R&D portfolio management and technology road‑mapping

Preferred Additional Skills

• Strong project management capability
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and initiatives simultaneously
• Experience with intellectual property strategy and management
• Experience operating within the National Airspace System (pilot, ATC, etc.)
• Knowledge of aerospace standards such as ARP4754A/B, DO-178, DO-160, and DO-254

Equal Opportunity Statement

Acron Aviation is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity and to maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other legally protected characteristic.