Sr Systems Engineer, Integration & Flight Test

Ideal Aerosmith•Rockville, MD

6h•Onsite

About The Position

Ideal Aerosmith is a leading supplier of precision inertial guidance test systems, flight motion simulators, and a premier provider of aerospace test engineering services, ATE system engineering, and quality contract manufacturing services to the aerospace industry. The company is known for innovative engineering, manufacturing, and sustainment of world-class motion and electric test solutions and services, fostering a lean culture through continuous improvement. The Senior Systems Engineer will lead the integration, test, and fielding of avionics and mission systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). This role emphasizes hands-on system integration, flight test execution, and rapid iteration in real-world environments. The ideal candidate will have experience across electrical, software, and mechanical domains, with a strong understanding of how complex subsystems integrate into operational unmanned platforms. This position is critical for ensuring systems are well-designed, deployable, testable, and production-ready.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
10+ years of experience in systems engineering, integration, or test, preferably in aerospace, defense, or unmanned systems.
Demonstrated experience supporting hardware integration and flight/field testing, not just system design.
Ability to work effectively across electrical, software, and mechanical disciplines in a fast-paced environment.
Hands-on experience integrating and testing: COTS autopilots and flight control systems
Hands-on experience integrating and testing: Communications systems and Ground Control Stations (GCS)
Hands-on experience integrating and testing: Stores management systems and payload integrations
Hands-on experience integrating and testing: Electrical and mechanical interfaces across subsystems
Familiarity with embedded systems, firmware interaction, and system-level debugging
Experience working with sensors, navigation systems, and mission payloads
Ability to travel (domestic and internationally) and obtain a passport.
Due to federal contract requirements, candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3).
Strong system-level troubleshooting skills with the ability to diagnose issues across hardware and software boundaries
Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, mechanical drawings, and interface control documents (ICDs)
Experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, etc.) and field test setups
Familiarity with integration labs, HIL/SIL environments, and flight test instrumentation
Strong communication skills and ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary teams
Comfortable working in fast-paced, iterative development environments with evolving requirements
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and mission success

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end system integration of avionics, electronics, and mission systems for UAVs and USVs, from lab bring-up through field deployment and flight test.
Plan and execute ground and flight test activities, including test procedure development, data collection, troubleshooting, and post-test analysis.
Integrate and validate COTS autopilots, flight control systems, stores management systems, and communications/GCS links.
Define and manage electrical, mechanical, and software interfaces, ensuring compatibility and performance across subsystems.
Collaborate closely with electrical, software, and mechanical engineering teams to resolve integration issues and drive system-level solutions.
Support rapid prototyping and iterative development, including hardware bring-up, debugging, and system tuning in lab and field environments.
Assist in requirements development, ensuring traceability from system-level requirements through validation and verification.
Identify and mitigate technical risks through hands-on testing, experimentation, and system-level analysis.
Support transition from prototype to production, ensuring designs are robust, manufacturable, and scalable.