Senior Systems Engineer (Avionics Systems)

Job Title: Principal Avionics Systems Engineer Job Description
The Principal Avionics Systems Engineer will lead the development of complex avionics system solutions for advanced aerospace platforms. This role oversees avionics architecture, system design, integration, testing, verification, and certification activities across the full product lifecycle. The engineer provides technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams and drives key system-level decisions involving avionics subsystems such as cockpit displays and controls, flight management systems, navigation sensors, communication systems, surveillance equipment, audio systems, and autopilot functionality.
Responsibilities
- Lead the development of top-level avionics system architectures for advanced aerospace platforms.
- Define system interfaces across avionics components and external systems to ensure seamless integration.
- Develop, allocate, and manage system-level requirements down to subsystem levels, maintaining clear ownership and accountability.
- Ensure full requirements traceability from mission needs through verification activities using tools such as DOORS.
- Define and oversee integration strategies across multiple avionics systems to achieve reliable and robust system performance.
- Lead system integration and troubleshooting activities, resolving complex technical issues across hardware and software domains.
- Define verification methods, including analysis, test, inspection, and demonstration, to confirm compliance with requirements.
- Lead system-level test planning and execution in System Integration Labs and on aircraft.
- Contribute to the preparation and conduct of design reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR, ensuring high-quality technical documentation and decision-making.
- Mentor junior systems engineers, providing guidance, coaching, and technical direction to support their development.
- Drive alignment across stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, contractors, and internal teams, to ensure coherent system solutions.
- Support system safety assessments, including activities such as Functional Hazard Assessment (FHA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA).
Essential Skills
- Bachelors degree in engineering (Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Science, Systems) or another related technical field from an accredited institution.
- Minimum of 10 years of systems engineering experience in avionics or complex aerospace systems.
- Proven experience in systems integration for avionics or complex aerospace platforms.
- Hands-on experience with requirements management and change tracking tools such as DOORS and ADO.
- Strong knowledge of regulatory design guidelines, including ARP4754B, DO-178B/C, and DO-254.
- Expertise in avionics architectures such as Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) and federated systems.
- Deep understanding of avionics data buses and communication standards, including MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, ARINC 664, and Ethernet.
- Experience applying Safety Assessment process guidelines such as ARP4761A.
- Experience working with System Integration Labs for avionics systems development and testing.
- Solid foundation in electrical engineering and systems engineering principles.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and make system-level technical decisions.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Advanced knowledge of systems integration software tools and methodologies.
- Experience contributing to and leading formal design reviews such as SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for complex system integration and troubleshooting.
- Effective communication skills for collaborating with customers, suppliers, contractors, and internal teams.
- Ability to mentor and develop junior engineers within a systems engineering environment.
- Familiarity with audio systems, cockpit displays and controls, flight management systems, navigation sensors, communication systems, surveillance equipment, and autopilot functionality.
Work Environment
This role operates in a highly technical aerospace engineering environment focused on the development and integration of advanced avionics systems. The engineer works closely with multidisciplinary teams in office and lab settings, including System Integration Labs equipped with avionics hardware, data buses such as MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, ARINC 664, and Ethernet-based networks, and associated test equipment. Work includes both lab-based system-level testing and aircraft-based integration and verification activities. The environment emphasizes rigorous adherence to regulatory guidelines such as ARP4754B, DO-178B/C, DO-254, and ARP4761A, and supports collaboration across customers, suppliers, contractors, and internal engineering groups in a professional, safety-conscious setting.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Phoenix, AZ.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $75.00 - $100.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Phoenix,AZ.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 2026. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.