Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

LEAD ENGINEER - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER - Senior Avionics Systems Engineer - Oklahoma City, OK

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) • $120K — $150K *
Oklahoma City, OK 73160In-Person
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Reposted 1 week ago
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Systems, or Electrical Engineering
  • 10+ years in avionics systems engineering with experience in architecture development
  • 10+ years experience with integration and flightworthy fielding
  • 10+ years of multi-disciplinary leadership across avionics, software, electrical, and mechanical engineering
  • 10+ years in managing systems integration and customer compliance processes
  • A valid driver’s license is required.

Responsibilities

  • Define avionics system architectures and requirements for LRUs/SRUs ensuring compliance across program lifecycle
  • Lead integration planning from concept to flightworthy fielding, focusing on verification strategy and risk reduction
  • Serve as technical integrator for multidisciplinary teams to control interfaces and resolve issues
  • Shape compliance evidence and align engineering execution to customer approvals for certification
  • Drive modernization and sustainment plans by assessing obsolescence and translating insights into execution plans
  • Translate customer needs into actionable avionics requirements and manage requirement conflicts
  • Conduct architecture reviews and ensure verification evidence aligns with customer audit readiness.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare plan
  • Flexible working hours
  • Career advancement opportunities
  • Involvement in cutting-edge technology projects
  • Collaborative and dynamic work environment
Full Job Description
  • Define end-to-end avionics system architectures and requirements for complex LRUs/SRUs, ensuring full traceability and compliance to platform, safety, and customer mission needs across the program lifecycle.
  • Lead integration planning and execution from concept through flightworthy fielding-interfaces, verification strategy, airworthiness artifacts, and risk reduction-accelerating delivery with predictable outcomes.
  • Serve as the technical integrator across multidisciplinary teams, providing direction to avionics, software, electrical, and test staff to resolve issues, control interfaces, and drive decisions to closure.
  • Ensure government process readiness by shaping compliance evidence (V&V plans, ICDs, reviews, test readiness) and aligning engineering execution to customer approvals, enabling smooth certification and operational acceptance.
  • Drive modernization and sustainment roadmaps by assessing obsolescence, upgrade options, and technical tradeoffs for avionics LRUs/SRUs, translating insights into executable plans that improve reliability, maintainability, and mission readiness.

  • Translate customer/platform needs into actionable avionics requirements; update traceability, ICDs, and architecture artifacts; resolve requirement conflicts and drive decisions to closure.
  • Lead integration execution across LRU/SRU, software, EE, and test teams-manage interfaces, troubleshoot system issues, and coordinate lab/aircraft integration activities.
  • Maintain the program's technical "battle rhythm" (standups, action tracking, risk/RAID), ensuring blockers are removed and engineering products stay aligned to the baseline and schedule.
  • Conduct architecture and requirements reviews (SRR/PDR/CDR support), publish verification plans/matrices, and ensure V&V evidence is collected, controlled, and audit-ready for customer approval.
  • Lead integration/test readiness and compliance cadence-review DT/OT plans, coordinate airworthiness/flightworthiness artifacts, and brief customer/stakeholders on status, risks, and next steps.

  • Requires a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.
  • 10+ years: Expert avionics systems engineering: develop architecture, allocate requirements, and maintain end-to-end traceability for complex LRUs/SRUs; strong interface definition (ICDs) and configuration discipline across the lifecycle.
  • 10+ years: Proven integration/flightworthy fielding experience: lead V&V strategy, test readiness, and airworthiness artifacts; navigate USAF/government reviews and acceptance processes to deliver operationally ready systems.
  • 10+ years: Strong multi-disciplinary technical leadership: drive decisions across avionics, software, EE, ME, and test teams; resolve integration issues quickly with structured problem-solving and clear technical direction.
  • 10+ years: Systems integration rigor: manage interfaces, timing/data buses, power/thermal constraints, and lab-to-aircraft integration; produce clear technical baselines, risk management, and customer-ready documentation/briefs.
  • A valid/clear driver's license is required.

About Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is a non-profit research and development organization headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The institute was founded in 1947 and has since grown to employ over 3,000 people across multiple locations in the United States. SwRI provides research and development services to a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, and energy. The institute's research areas include automation and data systems, chemistry and chemical engineering, and space science and engineering. SwRI has a long history of working with government agencies, including NASA and the Department of Defense, as well as private companies.
Learn more about Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
* Ladders Estimates

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