Experienced Unmanned Aviation Engineer

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, or a related Science, Engineering or Mathematics field, plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree, plus a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience.

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS:Department of Defense Secret security clearance is obtainable within a reasonable amount of time after hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities for this Position

Responsibilities

Provide subject matter expertise in ISR and OWA mission requirements, including environmental constraints, EMI considerations, and operational integration challenges.

Assess and articulate the future evolution of UAS platforms and associated payload capabilities, identifying technology gaps and emerging requirements.

Leverage established relationships within the operational and acquisition communities to facilitate customer engagement, requirements elicitation, and solution validation.

Capture and communicate the pain points and unmet needs of platform operators and mission crews, translating them into system-level problem statements for engineering teams.

Serve as a payload systems architect, defining capability requirements, interface standards, and integration approaches across multi-domain payload configurations.

Collaborate with systems engineers and program managers to ensure customer requirements are reflected in program baselines and technical roadmaps.

Support capture activities, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) development, and proposal efforts as a technical resource.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience).

8+ years of experience in aviation, UAS, or airborne mission systems.

Demonstrated experience with ISR and/or OWA mission environments, including knowledge of environmental and EMI/RF considerations.

Hands-on understanding of payload systems architecture: capabilities definition, interface standards, and system integration.

Established network within the UAS operator, program office, or requirements community, with demonstrated ability to engage key stakeholders.

Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.

Desired Qualifications

Prior U.S. military service, particularly in aviation, ISR operations, or UAS operations.

Familiarity with current and emerging UAS programs of record and associated acquisition strategies.

Experience translating operational mission requirements into systems engineering artifacts (ConOps, ORDs, ICDs, etc.).

Active relationships with program offices, major commands, or FFRDC/UARC organizations relevant to UAS and ISR.

Recent operational experience (within the last 3–5 years) providing direct insight into current user pain points and capability gaps.

Why This Role

This position is ideal for a mid-career professional who is freshly transitioned from operational or program-side roles and remains closely connected to where the mission is heading. You'll have the opportunity to directly shape what GDMS builds next — not just respond to requirements, but help define them.

Our Commitment to You:

An exciting career path with opportunities for continuous learning and development.

Research oriented work, alongside award winning teams developing practical solutions for our nation’s security

Flexible schedules with every other Friday off work, if desired (9/80 schedule)

Competitive benefits, including 401k matching, flex time off, paid parental leave, healthcare benefits, health & wellness programs, employee resource and social groups, and more

See more at gdmissionsystems.com/careers/why-work-for-us/benefits

Workplace Options:This position is fully onsite in Manassas, VA.

Salary Note
This estimate represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors (geographic location, etc.). Actual pay may vary. This job posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Combined Salary Range
USD $156,965.00 - USD $174,134.00 /Yr.

Company Overview

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!