Senior Systems Engineer - Aireon

Company Overview

Aireon deployed the world’s first global space-based air traffic surveillance system, providing real-time aircraft monitoring capabilities around the world, including over the poles, over the oceans and in remote areas.  

Aireon data enables safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly aviation travel, resulting in significant CO2 emission reductions. More than 20 Air Navigation Service Providers representing more than 40 countries – including NAV CANADA, NATS (UK), Air Traffic and Navigation Services (South Africa), Airports Authority of India (AAI), and ASECNA (Africa) -- rely on Aireon data to navigate aircraft in their airspaces.  

We are committed to offering an employment experience and benefits package that enables you and your family to grow with us and to share in our success. 

Position Summary, Job Requirements & Responsibilities

The Senior Systems Engineer will have a significant role in the design, development, testing, and analysis of the Aireon space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) air traffic surveillance system. Reporting to the Manager of Systems Engineering, the Senior Systems Engineer will be involved with all phases of the systems engineering life cycle: Requirements, Design, Implementation, and Test.

Additionally, the Senior Systems Engineer will be participating in trade studies, evaluating sub-system applications, supporting the operational environment, and analyzing data for the operational system. The Engineer will be responsible for maintaining the various System Engineering documentation to include Systems Engineering Management Plans, System Design Documents, and System Interface Control Documents.

The Senior Systems Engineer will be expected to interface with other functional groups within the organization to include Operations, Safety, Security, and Program Management.  This individual will also collaborate in the technical and development activities of Aireon development partners, including Iridium and L3Harris. The Senior Systems Engineer will engage with engineers from customer organizations in the development, implementation, and validation of the Aireon system. A key objective is to ensure that the system meets the customer requirements and performance levels.

What You'll Do

• Contribute to updates of the requirements, design, implementation, test and validation of the Aireon system and subsystems.
• Author and update system level documents to include System Requirements, System CONOPS, System and Sub-System Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Coordinate with Aireon Configuration Management (CM) to maintain a document tree and catalog repository for System level documents.
• Participate and conduct Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) with Aireon staff, vendors and partners on open topics, new programs, etc.
• Provide technical oversight to vendor deliverables through meetings, document reviews, and witness of test events.
• Interface with Aireon Test Engineers and provide input for upcoming test campaigns as referenced through a VRTM to ensure test cases provide sufficient coverage for new and updated requirements.
• Ensure the Aireon system performance meets the requirements of the customer ANSPs through traceability, requirements management, and gap analysis.
• Trade studies, application integration, and data analysis to verify system performance.
• Interaction with Aireon partners and customers such as the NATS and NAV CANADA on the technical and operational aspects of the Aireon system.
• Technical support for demonstrations.
• Diagnosis and correction of service anomalies (aka root cause analysis).

Experience & Education Requirements / EEO

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Computer Science.
• 8+ years of relevant engineering experience on aviation or aerospace programs.
• 8+ years of experience with Requirements Management tools.
• Ability to develop models of software systems using UML or SysML.
• Experience with SharePoint and Atlassian collaboration tools such as JIRA and Confluence.
• Demonstrated ability to work with teams to achieve desired results.
• Ability to communicate technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences via meetings, presentations, and written documentation.
• Ability to function in a start-up, fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
• Proactive communicator with strong written and verbal skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills involving complex and ambiguous issues.
• US Citizen, or Permanent Resident (Green Card).

Desired Qualifications

• Understanding of aircraft surveillance technologies such as ADS-B and/or Mode S.
• Experience working with test and analytical tools/scripts (e.g. MATLAB, R, Python).
• Familiarity with UNIX-based systems.

About You

You are a self-starter. Sitting and waiting isn’t an option. You take the initiative to make things happen.

You are comfortable in multi-tasking. Managing and juggling priorities across tasks seems to come naturally in your everyday workload. You have a sense of how to balance priorities and communicate clearly when overloaded for assistance/help.

You love solving problems. You enjoy digging into problems and finding the most efficient ways to solve them. You have a passion for understanding issues and tackling them in a logical fashion.

You are collaborative. You're a team player who puts the interest of the team above your own. You display a positive attitude, are open and enjoy contributing.

You are a natural leader. No matter where you find yourself, others tend to gather around you, leading to encouragement and mentoring.

Technology is your passion. It doesn’t just provide a paycheck; you are genuinely interested in what you do and the impact that it has on others.

1-3-6-12 Month Plan

In the first month we'll expect you to...

• Complete HR onboarding and new employee training with your manager.
• Get acclimated into the role and shadow Aireon Systems Engineering and Test Engineering staff.
• Gain familiarity with Aireon Engineering repositories in Confluence, Jira, SharePoint.

At 3 months we'll expect you to...

• Understand Aireon’s operational system architecture.
• Review and understand Aireon Board Review processes (Technical Review Board, Configuration Change Board, Discrepancy Review Board, etc.) and required documentation.
• Take on assigned Systems Engineering tasks, work on updates to existing design documents, as well as produce drafts of new documents when required.

At 6 months we'll expect you to...

• Be the primary interface within Aireon Systems Engineering (SE) to Operations and Safety teams on weekly meetings that discuss Incidents and Risks (I.e., Risks, Issues and Opportunity Board).
• Participate in discussions with Aireon Engineering and Vendor SMEs on planned system level releases and communicate with the Operational and Safety Team on potential impacts.
• Take on new tasking with minimal management oversight.

At 12 months we'll expect you to...

• Coordinate Internal and External SME responses to requests for close out of actions and findings for System changes/updates and issues as noted during operations.
• Support EASA and ANSP Audits for Engineering artifacts regarding System level Issues.
• Represent System Engineering within cross functional teams in supporting root cause analysis on Incidents.
• Ensure that any new system updates will continue to meet or exceed existing System or related requirements.
• Lead trade study analysis as required within the Systems Engineering group.
• Assist with the investigation of technical issues identified by operational or test events ranging from software bugs to poor data results and impacts to system.

About the Team

The Aireon System Engineering team is a small team working in a hybrid office environment, that collaborates closely across System Analysis, Test, Deployment and Release activities.  The team works closely with other teams and groups within Aireon to include Safety, Security, Sales/Marketing and Operational groups.  Each member of the System Engineering team draws upon the strengths and skills across the group in both their individual as well as larger projects roles.  Information sharing is encouraged as well as updating and maintaining shared document repositories in SharePoint and Confluence.  The team currently meets on both a weekly and bi-weekly basis via MS Teams and video calls, with office or lab sessions scheduled as required. Local team members to the Aireon HQ location (McLean VA) are also available for on-site meetings and activities associated with the Aireon Systems Engineering group.

Perks and Benefits

• Premium medical, dental and vision plan

• Life Insurance and AD&D

• Short Term and Long Term Disability

• Health Savings Account (HSA)

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• Retirement 401K plan with Employer Matching

• Education Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement

• Paid Time Off, Sick Leave, Floating Holidays

• Paid Parental Leave

• Company Sponsored Events

• Employee Referral Program

Aireon is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or status as a protected veteran. EOE of Minorities/Females/Vets/Disability and other protected categories.