Systems Integration and Test Manager

Zone 5 Technologies; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401k with company-match

Paid time off

Sick time

Holidays

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking a Systems Integration & Test Manager to architect and lead a cross-disciplinary engineering team responsible for HITL integration, validation, and production transition. You will define hardware/software integration standards, manage risk, and drive structured test campaigns across software, avionics, mechanical, and environmental subsystems to ensure readiness for flight.

This role requires 8–12+ years in aerospace systems, MBSE, and experience with UAS, HITL, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or related field.
• 8–12+ years in aerospace system integration and testing.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams.
• Familiar with MBSE and MBSE workflows.
• HITL environments and system-level validation.
• Experience with UAS development.
• VxWorks and real-time software experience.

Responsibilities

• Architect and lead HITL integration environment.
• Define integration standards and workflows.
• Coordinate with software, GNC, Avionics, and production teams.
• Lead reviews and manage release readiness.
• Establish configuration baselines and traceability.
• Define data collection and validation methods.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

Team leadership

HITL experience

System integration

Avionics integration

MBSE

CAMEO

MATLAB/Simulink

VxWorks

UAS

Configuration management

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

CAMEO

MATLAB/Simulink

VxWorks

Job description

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in precision weapons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Our team of engineers and innovators are developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions to deliver affordable and scalable precision weapons, interceptors, and UAS.

We're building the next generation of munitions and unmanned systems for the United States and its allies. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on defense technology, you belong here.

At Zone 5 Technologies, we rapidly develop and field advanced unmanned aircraft systems through disciplined integration, testing, and block upgrade strategies. We are seeking a Systems Integration & Test Manager to architect and lead a cross-disciplinary engineering team responsible for Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) integration, configuration control, and structured feature validation prior to flight.

This role will build the technical and procedural backbone that allows software, avionics, mechanical, and environmental subsystems to integrate predictably and transition cleanly into aircraft production.

Responsibilities

HITL Architecture & Integration Environment

• Architect and maintain a flight-representative HITL environment
• Define hardware and software integration standards
• Ensure coexistence between hardware platforms and software feature development
• Establish component-level integration workflows (e.g., radar altimeter, avionics modules)
• Validate signals, timing, interfaces, compatibility and performance prior to aircraft installation
• Define readiness criteria for transitioning features from HITL to aircraft
• Develop structured ground test campaigns
• Create block upgrade roadmaps for production aircraft
• Coordinate with software and flight test leadership for release planning
• Establish configuration management processes for HITL and aircraft baselines
• Control hardware revisions, firmware versions, and software baselines
• Implement traceability between requirements, test cases, and system outputs
• Develop and enforce integration and verification procedures

Cross-Functional Team Leadership

• Manage a team of mechanical, avionics, and software integration engineers
• Coordinate closely with core Software, GNC, Avionics, Electrical Engineering and production teams
• Drive technical reviews, design readiness reviews, and integration reviews
• Mentor engineers in systems thinking and disciplined integration practices
• Lead structured ground test campaigns
• Define data collection and validation methods
• Identify risks prior to flight integration
• Ensure safe and repeatable test execution

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 8-12+ years of experience in aerospace systems integration and testing
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams
• Strong understanding of avionics integration, signal timing, and embedded systems
• Experience with HITL environments and system-level validation
• Familiarity with configuration management tools and processes Preferred
• Experience using CAMEO Systems Modeler for system architecture development, requirements traceability, interface definition, and configuration control
• Experience in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) development and integration
• Strong background in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
• Experience transitioning development features into production block upgrades with structured release management
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink-based architectures, including model validation and code generation workflows
• Experience with VxWorks-based embedded systems and real-time software integration

Pay range for this role

$175,000 - $200,000 USD

What's in it for you:

• Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
• 401k with company-match
• 3 weeks of paid time off each year
• 40 hours of sick time
• 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

• Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
• Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov .

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Zone 5 Technologies's Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.