Senior Systems Engineer

Skyways•Austin, TX

About The Position

Skyways is hiring a Senior Systems Engineer to own meaningful aircraft systems engineering workstreams from requirements definition through integration, verification, and closure. You will be a trusted technical expert for your assigned area, coordinating decisions across Electrical, Mechanical, Software, Flight Test, Manufacturing, and Operations teams while shaping related interfaces and practices. You will set priorities within team direction, close gaps proactively, and deliver measurable progress toward team and company goals.

Requirements

Engineering education or equivalent practical experience relevant to aircraft systems, robotics, or other complex hardware and software products.
Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of meaningful engineering workstreams that measurably improved product performance, integration quality, test completion, or team delivery.
Deep expertise in systems engineering or an aircraft subsystem, with the judgment to assess interactions across hardware, software, and operational use.
Strong experience with requirements traceability, interface control, engineering trade studies, configuration changes, and verification and validation.
Ability to explain technical decisions, evidence, uncertainty, and risks clearly to engineers, project owners, and other stakeholders.
Proven ability to set priorities within team direction, resolve ambiguous problems, coordinate dependencies, and close technical gaps without waiting for detailed task assignments.
Evidence of improving others' work through mentorship, documentation, technical review, or practical standards; proficiency with engineering analysis tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience taking autonomous aircraft or complex electromechanical systems through integration and operational evaluation.
Familiarity with ArduPilot, MAVLink, DroneCAN, or comparable flight-control and communications tools.
Experience with aircraft safety analysis, failure-mode analysis, or cross-subsystem root-cause investigations.
Experience developing reusable simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, test automation, or requirements and verification practices.

Responsibilities

Define scope, requirements, interfaces, acceptance criteria, dependencies, and verification plans.
Carry assigned work through integration and closure, with clear evidence of delivered outcomes.
Lead analysis of architecture and interface choices within your scope.
Assess performance, safety, reliability, and integration implications; document recommendations and coordinate decisions with affected owners.
Set the test approach, readiness criteria, and configuration baseline for your workstream.
Coordinate bench, simulation, ground, and flight verification, resolve discrepancies, and demonstrate that requirements are met.
Set priorities within team direction, anticipate cross-team dependencies, and lead investigation of complex system anomalies.
Work with Reliability Engineering and subsystem owners to verify corrective actions and track measurable results.
Improve documentation, design and test reviews, and working standards in your area.
Mentor less-experienced engineers where present and share reusable methods that help peers make sound technical decisions.