Position: Sr. Systems Engineer

Location: Petaluma, CA (remote)

Duration: 12-month contract engagement. Annualized salary and benefits are offered for the duration of the contract through Alten Technology (medical, dental, vision, PTO, paid holidays, etc.). There is a strong possibility that this contract will be extended beyond the initial contract length.

Note: Due to nature of work, only US Persons (citizens or permanent residents) need apply for this position. 

Who We Are:

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company that provides solutions for engineering, technology, and product development projects. For decades, we’ve been helping our clients develop products that are changing the world, whether that’s by shaping the future of space exploration, saving lives with medical devices that set a new standard of care, or creating the fully autonomous electric taxi of tomorrow. Our team of more than 600 people works across industries including aerospace, medical devices and life sciences, unmanned systems and robotics, automotive OEM and tier 1 suppliers, commercial vehicle, electric vehicles, rail, and more. Our offices across the US have different industry focuses and engage with our clients in different ways, ranging from working on-site at client facilities to performing product development at our delivery centers. 

ALTEN Group, our parent company, has been a leader in engineering and information technology for more than 30 years. ALTEN Group operates in 30 countries across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and employs more than 36,000 people, 88% of whom are engineers. The company covers the whole development cycle and offers a choice of service levels, from technology consulting to complete project outsourcing. 

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you join a group of people passionate about collaborating to solve some of the world’s most technical engineering challenges. Our success is tied to taking care of our employees by building relationships and providing opportunities for mentorship and career growth. We offer comprehensive benefits for all full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer matching; paid time off (PTO); paid parental leave; and mentorship to help you take your career to the next level. You don’t have to take our word for it that we’re a great place to work—we were named on the 2023 Top Workplaces list thanks to feedback from our proud employees.  

Summary

The Senior Systems Engineer is responsible for the overall system design (architecture and interoperability requirements) for the Unmanned Air Vehicles and Ground Support Equipment. The Senior Systems Engineer works closely with equipment manufacturers, Engineering, and Program Management to select the appropriate equipment and ensure it will successfully integrate into the platform to meet the end customer’s requirements. This position is also a key resource for the development and review of specifications, CDRL’s, and ICD’s and assists both the Engineering and Flight Operations Departments to troubleshoot system integration, network protocol, and communication issues.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Engages with Program Manager and/or customer to understand current payload operations and emerging payload requirements.
• Creates and maintains necessary documentation, such as requirements, high-level design specifications, system limitations, and test plans.
• Maintains system configuration baselines and reviews Engineering Change Proposals
• Assists in the generation, evaluation and analysis of data items being generated including specifications, drawings, proposals, plans, cost estimates, SOWs, and reports.
• Assists in the review and analysis of proposals, specifications, and Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Works with internal and external customers leads to facilitate the resolution of technical issues, which may include formal root cause analysis efforts.
• Researches and evaluates vendor products, specifications, and manuals to determine appropriateness for application and feasibility of integration.
• Evaluates customer-provided documentation for compliance with requirements; and identifies system impacts, cost, schedule, and technical performance risks.
• Leads integration, verification, and validation activities for both internal and external projects and systems.
• Identifies, analyzes, and resolves system design weaknesses.
• Prepares technical presentations, and reports for technical design reviews/boards.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) field.
• 7 years of engineering experience with avionics in the aerospace or defense industries.
• Technical expertise in aerospace avionics systems to include payloads, communications, and guidance, navigation, and controls.

Qualifications: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. 

• FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), FMECA, FHA, Fault Tree, or SARS (Safety and Reliability Standards) experience required.
• Experience with signals intelligence technologies and sensors.
• Ability to walk around the facility on a regular basis to facilitate communication, coordinate tasks and resolve issues.
• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant).
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).

Desired skills:

• Familiarity with aircraft transponder systems and operations.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and ability to resolve technical issues efficiently and independently.
• Proven success collaborating with Electrical, Software, Mechanical and other System Engineers to define system architecture and integration details.
• Experience in trade studies and requirements/interface definitions.
• Master’s degree in an Engineering field.

Salary Range: $130-$200k