Systems Engineering, Integration and Test Manager

Pacific Defense; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific Defense, a leader in open systems and modular electronics for DoD and commercial customers, is hiring a Manager of the NERVE Engineering and Delivery team in Sunnyvale, CA. The role focuses on product definition, development, and delivery of CMOSS/SOSA aligned systems.

You will oversee software and firmware validation, ensure production readiness, and guide cross-functional teams through prototypes to field deployment, maintaining schedule and quality with clear stakeholder updates.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex DoD/defense electronics projects on schedule.
• Proven ability to scale from prototype to production.
• Strong integration of software components from multiple teams.
• Close collaboration with manufacturing for readiness.
• Excellent project management and prioritization skills.
• Knowledge of DoD acquisition lifecycle and verification.
• Experience with CMOSS/SOSA standards.
• Leading diverse engineering teams toward product delivery.
• Ability to communicate status, risks, and milestones clearly.

Responsibilities

• Hire, mentor, and manage a team of engineers with career growth.
• Build a culture of innovation, ownership, and accountability within the team.
• Establish execution discipline through effective planning, milestone tracking, and proactive issue resolution to ensure timely delivery of commitments.
• Provide technical guidance on integration and test development of the system and product designs.
• Lead the transition of systems from prototype to production by establishing and refining processes that ensure scalability, repeatability, and production readiness.
• Oversee multiple projects and system deliveries, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and with high quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Mission Application developers, Systems Engineering, program managers, operations/manufacturing, supply chain and business development leaders to align on objectives and deliverables.
• Provide clear and concise updates to stakeholders, including project status, risks and milestones.
• Act as a liaison between the engineering team and other departments to ensure alignment and transparency.

Skills

Project management

Software integration

Cross-functional leadership

Production readiness

DoD lifecycle knowledge

Leadership

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

Security clearance eligibility

CMOSS/SOSA knowledge

Education

Electrical/Systems/Computer Engineering degree

Tools

Test equipment

Scripting/tools

Instrumentation

CMOSS/SOSA tools

Job description

Description

Due to the classified nature of our work, U.S. citizenship is required. Candidate must meet the eligibility to obtain and maintain a Security Clearance.

Location

Sunnyvale, CA

About Us

Pacific Defense is a leading developer of advanced electronics systems for the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial customers. Our team specializes in Open Systems Architecture solutions for the non-kinetic fight, providing customers with cost-effective, modular, and rapidly reconfigurable systems in record time. We deliver sensing and effects solutions for land, air, sea, and space domains, leveraging open standards and rapid prototyping methodologies to bring innovative capabilities to the market. Pacific Defense has built an excellent reputation in the defense industry and is expanding our team to tackle new challenges and opportunities. Join us and accelerate your career!

Pacific Defense’s commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) Nerve family of systems provides a CMOSS/SOSA aligned open and modular ecosystem for multi-waveform command and control (C2) missions. We are seeking a motivated and experienced Manager of the NERVE Engineering and Delivery team. This individual will lead a product focused team in product definition, development, and delivery.

The manager will ensure a consistent and industry leading user experience throughout the product. They will manage the process of validating NERVE software releases prior to delivery at the system level and in the field. They will oversee the installation and validation of firmware and software prior to customer delivery enabling customer delivery in a predictable, timely and affordable manner. They will facilitate the development of product documentation and customer training.

Requirements

• Demonstrated success in developing and optimizing processes that improve execution efficiency and ensure consistent on-time delivery of complex technical projects.
• Proven ability to lead the transition of systems from proof of concept to full-scale production deployment, aligning technical execution with strategic objectives.
• Proven expertise in software engineering including the integration of software components developed by multiple organizations.
• Track record of partnering closely with manufacturing teams to ensure seamless handoff of systems, clear documentation, and production readiness.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Experience with DoD acquisition lifecycle, system requirements verification, and test program execution.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership:

• Hire, mentor, and manage a team of engineers, fostering professional growth and ensuring high morale.
• Build a culture of innovation, ownership, and accountability within the team.

Technical Management

• Establish execution discipline through effective planning, milestone tracking, and proactive issue resolution to ensure timely delivery of commitments.
• Provide technical guidance on integration and test development of the system and product designs.
• Lead the transition of systems from prototype to production by establishing and refining processes that ensure scalability, repeatability, and production readiness.

Project Execution

• Oversee multiple projects and system deliveries, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and with high quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Mission Application developers, Systems Engineering, program managers, operations/manufacturing, supply chain and business development leaders to align on objectives and deliverables.

Stakeholder Communication

• Provide clear and concise updates to stakeholders, including project status, risks and milestones.
• Act as a liaison between the engineering team and other departments to ensure alignment and transparency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience establishing execution discipline and delivery accountability across cross-functional teams to achieve predictable, high-impact outcomes.
• Experience integrating heterogeneous software applications, including those programmed in different languages, into an integrated SW/HW product.
• Experience with test equipment, instrumentation, and scripting tools.
• Capability to analyze test data, troubleshoot system-level issues, and drive resolution through cross-functional collaboration.
• Knowledge of CMOSS, SOSA, MORA, Communication Waveforms (TSM, Silvus)
• 12+ years of experience in integration and test engineering, preferably in the defense electronics or aerospace industry.

Education

• Associates, Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.

Benefits

Pacific Defense provides competitive salaries and immediately vested 401K match. We provide 100% coverage options for the employee, and 75% coverage for dependents’ medical, dental, vision, and life insurance premiums, as well as a flexible spending account for incidental health care expenses. We offer paid time off and federal holidays to spend time with family, pursue outside interests, or just get some extra rest.

Pacific Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.