Principle Systems Engineer

Cruz Associates Inc. of Yorktown, VA (www.cruzinc.us) has a position open and is looking for qualified candidates for a highly skilled Systems Engineer a background in flight or vehicle testing. The ideal candidate will play a pivotal role in the design, development, and validation of complex avionics/aerospace systems, ensuring that our products meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability. The job location is Fort Campbell, Kentucky in support of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). Salary is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Scope of Performance: Provide systems engineering support to US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC), Systems Integration Management Office (SIMO) with focus on future cockpit integration. SIMO’s primary areas of emphasis include capability development of A/MH-6, MH-47, MH-60, MQ-1, avionics, sensors, aircraft survivability equipment (ASE), and weapon programs.

Responsibilities:

Systems Engineering

• Conduct requirements analysis, systems design, and integration activities.

• Develop and maintain system specifications, interface control documents, and verification plans.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including design, manufacturing, and quality assurance, to ensure system-level integration and performance.

• Work closely with engineering counterparts, to include, but not limited to the Aviation Engineering Directorate (AED) and the Technology Application Program Office (TAPO).

• Participate as a member of Technical Interface Meetings (TIM), Program Reviews, Test Integration Working Groups (TIWG), and System Safety Working Groups (SSWG).

• Support risk management and mitigation activities throughout the project lifecycle.

Flight Testing

• Plan, coordinate, and execute flight test campaigns for new and existing systems.

• Develop test plans, procedures, and instrumentation requirements.

• Analyze flight test data to validate system models and ensure compliance with design specifications.

• Prepare supporting documentation necessary for test and or production airworthiness certification.

• Conduct and or participate in various data gathering, analysis and reports generation for, vibration and load analysis, electrical loads analysis, electromagnetic environmental effects, and armament and stores integration, as consistent with T&E Engineer’s qualified engineering discipline.

• Participate in aerial flight in Flight Test Engineering capacity.

• Troubleshoot and resolve issues encountered during flight testing.

Modeling & Simulation (M&S)

• Develop, validate, and maintain detailed models and simulations of avionics/aerospace systems.

• Utilize M&S tools to predict system behavior, assess performance, and identify potential issues.

• Perform trade studies and optimization analyses to support design decisions.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers.

• Stay current with advancements in M&S tools, flight test methodologies, and aerospace engineering best practices.

• Present technical findings and project status to stakeholders, including management and customers.

Education and Experience (Required):

• Ability to obtain and maintain an Interim Secret/Secret security clearance.

• Bachelor’s degree in systems engineering, or an emphasis in systems engineering with aerospace, electrical, mechanical engineering.

• Minimum of 4 years of experience in systems engineering.

• Experience with M&S tools such as DOORS, MATLAB/Simulink, STK, or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of aerospace systems, including avionics, propulsion, and aerodynamics, desired.

• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering, desired.

• Experience with planning and conducting flight tests, desired.

• At least 10 years’ experience working in Special Operations Aviation, desired.

• At least 3 years’ exposure to the Defense Acquisition process, desired.

• Experience with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or commercial aviation.

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and standards for flight testing.

• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation and test.

Working Conditions:

• Primarily office-based with occasional travel to test sites and customer locations.

• Ability to work in a lab environment and on the flight line during testing.