CHIEF ENGINEER, ISR PROGRAMS

AeroTEC Inc.•Seattle, WA

2d•$170,000 - $203,000•Onsite

About The Position

AeroTEC is an aerospace engineering company providing a wide array of high-end services and turnkey solutions ranging from aircraft level analysis and design engineering, all the way to prototype flight testing and complete airworthiness certification. Our highly experienced aerospace engineering, testing, and program management teams work closely with customers to address their unique needs in a safe and cost-effective manner, utilizing proven in-house development methodologies and tools. About the Team AeroTEC’s Engineering Department provides comprehensive, full-service aerospace engineering across the full aircraft development lifecycle — design, analysis, integration, test, and certification. Spanning Structures and Flight Sciences, Design and Stress, Mechanical Systems, Aircraft Systems, Systems Engineering and Certification, Test and Evaluation, and Product Innovation, the Department delivers the technical capability behind AeroTEC’s customer programs and its own products, and is central to the company’s mission to pioneer the future of sustainable aerospace. About the Role The Chief Engineer, ISR Programs is a senior individual contributor and technical authority responsible for leading AeroTEC’s engineering execution on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) programs. This role serves as the primary technical focal point for ISR aircraft systems integration, sensor payload engineering, mission systems certification, and airworthiness compliance — working across internal disciplines and directly with customers, government stakeholders, and certification authorities. The Chief Engineer operates with a high degree of autonomy, exercises independent technical judgment on matters of significance, and is accountable for the technical integrity and quality of all AeroTEC engineering deliverables on assigned ISR programs. This role does not carry direct people management responsibility but is expected to provide technical mentorship, cross-functional guidance, and program-level engineering leadership.

Requirements

Four (4) year degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline. Other engineering fields may be considered with demonstrated ISR domain expertise.
Minimum ten (10) years of aerospace engineering experience, with at least three (3) years of substantive, hands-on work directly in ISR aircraft systems, mission system integration, sensor payload engineering, or closely related surveillance and reconnaissance domains.
Demonstrated experience functioning at a Group Lead or equivalent technical leadership level — setting technical direction, independently reviewing deliverables, and serving as a recognized engineering authority on ISR or mission systems programs.
Proven experience with aircraft certification for ISR modifications or ISR-specific platforms, including working with FAA DERs, government airworthiness authorities, or military airworthiness reviewers to achieve airworthiness approval of mission system installations.
Experience supporting flight test operations in an engineering technical lead or chief engineer capacity — including test planning, execution, and anomaly resolution for mission system verification — is highly valued.
Experience working in or interfacing with DoD/DoW, intelligence community, or government program office environments is preferred; familiarity with applicable export control and security requirements (ITAR, EAR, applicable classification frameworks) is expected.
Ability to obtain a U.S. government security clearance is required; the level of clearance required will be commensurate with program assignments and customer requirements.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and/or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms. Must have the ability to sit for long periods of time. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Travel of approximately 25–35% — domestic and international — to customer sites, government facilities, flight test operations at Moses Lake, and AeroTEC offices.
Valid state driver’s license and clean driving record required.
This position must meet export control compliance requirements. To meet export control compliance requirements, a “U.S. Person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. §120.15 is required. “U.S. Person” includes U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant engineering discipline is advantageous.
Experience with STC, MTC, or supplemental airworthiness approval programs for ISR or special mission aircraft is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

ISR Program Technical Leadership: Serve as the senior technical authority for all AeroTEC engineering activities on ISR programs, providing authoritative technical direction across systems integration, sensor payload installation, mission systems, and airworthiness compliance.
Define, own, and continuously improve the technical approach for assigned ISR programs — including systems architecture, integration strategy, certification basis, and verification methodology — from program inception through final airworthiness approval.
Lead technical planning and execution across key program milestones including CoDR, PDR, CDR, and Final Release — independently reviewing deliverables at each gate and ensuring technical quality prior to release.
Identify, communicate, and actively manage technical risks on ISR programs; develop mitigation strategies and report technical status, risks, and issues to Program Management, customers, and senior leadership.
ISR Systems Engineering and Integration: Lead systems-level integration engineering for ISR missions, including sensor payload installation and interfaces (EO/IR, SAR, SIGINT, and related sensors), mission management systems, data links, communications architectures, and operator interfaces.
Develop and lead maintenance of system-level requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), and integration architectures for ISR aircraft modifications and purpose-built ISR platforms; ensure requirements are correctly flowed, allocated, and verified across all integrated subsystems.
Oversee installation design and structural integration of ISR payloads, pods, antennas, apertures, and mission equipment bays in coordination with Design & Stress, Mechanical Systems, and Electrical/Avionics disciplines.
Assess and manage the EWIS and avionics integration for mission systems, including power distribution, signal integrity, EMI/HIRF/RF interference analysis, shielding, grounding, and antenna co-site compatibility.
Assess and manage the aerodynamic, structural, and performance impacts of ISR payload installations, including drag, weight and balance, and mass properties effects on aircraft airworthiness.
Certification and Airworthiness: Lead the development and execution of certification strategies for ISR aircraft modifications and new ISR platform programs under applicable regulatory frameworks (FAA, EASA, TCCA, and/or military airworthiness authorities as applicable), including STC, MTC, and field approval pathways.
Develop and manage Certification Plans, compliance matrices, means of compliance, and verification test plans; coordinate with DERs and regulatory authorities to achieve timely and efficient airworthiness approval.
Author, review, and/or approve engineering certification deliverables including substantiation reports, qualification test plans and reports, system safety assessments, and compliance documentation.
Ensure ISR mission system software and hardware meet applicable DO-160, DO-178, DO-254, and ARP 4754/4761 requirements as applicable to the certification basis; coordinate with system safety and software engineering specialists accordingly.
Flight Test and Verification Support: Define ISR system-level flight test requirements; develop and review ground and flight test plans and procedures for ISR payload and mission system verification in coordination with the Test & Evaluation team.
Support flight test operations at AeroTEC’s Moses Lake Flight Test Center and at customer-designated sites; provide real-time technical judgment on mission system and integration anomalies encountered during test.
Review and approve flight test reports, data analysis, and final verification evidence packages for ISR program certification closeout.
Customer, Stakeholder, and Cross-Functional Engagement: Serve as AeroTEC’s primary technical representative to ISR customers, government program offices, and prime contractors — presenting technical solutions, status, and compliance positions with authority and credibility.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Systems Engineering & Certification, Design & Stress, Mechanical Systems, Avionics/EWIS, and Test & Evaluation to ensure integrated engineering execution on ISR programs.
Support Program Management in developing ISR program plans, work breakdown structures, cost estimates, and technical risk registers; provide technical input to proposals and bids for new ISR work.
Provide technical mentorship to engineers assigned to ISR programs; share domain expertise, promote engineering best practices, and support the development of ISR capability within the Engineering Department.
Complete special projects and other duties as assigned by the Head of Engineering.