Sr. Engineer - Audits, Assessments & Independent Operational Assessmen

Akiva Ai•Arlington, VA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

AKIVA is seeking a senior engineer to lead the technical execution of FAA Air Traffic Organization audits, assessments, and Independent Operational Assessments (IOAs). You will plan and conduct on-site and remote assessments, develop assessment documentation, and provide engineering judgement on Air Traffic Control and Technical Operations issues. The role suits a senior systems engineer who has run audits or operational assessments in regulated, mission-critical environments.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Aviation, or a related field (equivalent experience may be substituted)
8+ years of professional engineering experience
5+ years performing or leading audits, operational assessments, IOAs, or comparable safety/quality reviews in a regulated industry
Demonstrated experience producing federal-grade technical documentation, including audit/assessment plans, procedures, and reports
Demonstrated subject matter expertise in Air Traffic Control or Technical Operations processes and procedures
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and executive-level business-writing skills
Ability and willingness to travel up to four weeks at a time, including possible night and weekend shifts at FAA field facilities
Ability to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credential
Must be authorized to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline
Project Management Professional (PMP) or comparable program management credential
Prior FAA Air Traffic Organization, FAA Office of Airports, or DoD test and evaluation experience
Familiarity with ATO Audits and Assessments (JO 2900.2), ATO Quality Assurance (JO 7210.633A), and ATO Quality Control (JO 7210.634A)
Familiarity with the FAA Independent Operational Assessment (IOA) process and the In-Service Decision (ISD)
Section 508 Trusted Tester certification
Familiarity with AI-assisted assessment and report-generation tools

Responsibilities

Conduct audits and assessments (remote or at FAA field facilities) on ATO Service Units' safety policies, procedures, training, SMS performance and maturity, and hazard mitigation controls
Plan, collect, and analyze data during audits and assessments; provide subject matter expertise for planning, data collection, analysis, and report-writing
Develop draft audit and assessment documentation through an iterative process, including planning schedules, briefings, strategies, plans, procedures, reports, and white papers
Develop and maintain training and tools for audit and assessment activities
Develop draft annual program management plans through an iterative process
Maintain a file-sharing platform with a consistent program file structure, including archived historical data
Conduct system assessments on systems and capabilities deployed in the National Airspace System; support surge hours, night/weekend shifts, and extended on-site travel as required
Provide Air Traffic Control and Technical Operations subject matter expertise during assessments
Provide technical input and prepare draft IOA Implementation Strategy and Planning Documents, IOA Program Management Plans, IOA plans, IOA procedures, and IOA reports
Provide strategy and planning input for IOA programs, including scope considerations and resource estimates
Collect and analyze IOA data, organize data in databases, identify potential safety and operational risks, and produce reports and graphics
Ensure all deliverables are Section 508 compliant