AD&D System Development Assurance Engineer

Job Summary

The AD&D System Development Assurance Engineer is responsible for planning and conducting aircraft and systems level development assurance activities for Advanced Design & Development projects. This role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, including aero, airframe, systems, safety, software, and certification engineers, as well as flight test, flight operations, and IT. This role will focus on the initial phases of aircraft development—ideation, hypothesis generation, stakeholder engagement, technology maturation, and conceptual design.

This role will work with small, agile teams to explore new user value propositions, challenge the status quo, and evolve ideas into developed conceptual designs with usable development assurance artifacts ready for detailed design and certification.

• Define AD&D system development assurance strategies, processes, methods, and tools and align those with core Product Development’s Systems Engineering practices.
• Develop, own, and execute system development plans, and supporting policies and practices.
• Develop, own, and execute upon requirements management plans and toolsets and validation and verification planning, including the creation and continuous improvement of checklists, guides, and best practices.
• Coordinate closely with systems engineering, system safety, integration test, and flight test teams.
• Support requirements capture and validation activities.
• Own the certification planning and coordination activities related to system development assurance, internal to Cirrus and with Civil Aviation Authorities.
• Support internal and external System Reviews.
• Conduct and document functional decompositions and allocation to systems work across AD&D.
• Guide, mentor, and train other engineers on system development assurance activities.
• Support the creation and maintenance of system design descriptions.
• Participate in trade studies and design reviews.
• Support safety of flight determination for prototype aircraft.
• Coordinate closely with and support the work of system and software architects, system safety, systems engineering, system integration and verification, electrical and mechanical systems design, flight deck designers, human factors engineers, and flight test.
• Travel up to 25% may be required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or relevant technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience with System Development Assurance activities.
• Must have a strong understanding of ARP 4754A and/or ARP 4754B.
• Must be able to conduct quick assessments and provide feedback on designs or architectures with only verbal direction or minimal documentation (whiteboard sketches, preliminary schematics, etc.).
• Must be able to work effectively in early product development phases, before full requirements or system descriptions are documented.
• Must be able to work with highly iterative or frequently changing designs.
• Must be able to demonstrate the ability to read, write and speak the English language.
• Ability to communicate technical knowledge in a clear and understandable manner.
• Intrinsic motivation to drive progress – to explore, challenge, and innovate – and to minimize administrative overhead.
• Must be innovation minded and willing to try new and different methods or approaches.
• Must be comfortable operating under tight deadlines with minimal direction and in a shop or lab environment.
• Must be proficient in reading and creating engineering design definition – 3D models, 2D drawings, sketches, schematics, BOMs.
• Ability to work both independently and across a variety of functional disciplines including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and software engineering.
• Ability to efficiently learn new skills and manage multiple tasks.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Visio).
• Must demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in English.

• Previous aircraft development program experience, from early concepts to entry into service.
• Private pilot certificate or personal aviation experience.
• Familiarity with ARP 4754B,…