AD&D System Automation Engineer Principal

Job Category
:
Engineering

Requisition Number
: ADDSY
013323

• Posted :
  April 24, 2026
• Full-Time
• On-site
• Salary Range: $ USD to $ USD

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As the AD&D Principal Engineer for System Automation, this role serves as the technical authority for systems management and automation related development and architecture for the Cirrus Advanced Design and Development (AD&D) Group. This role establishes the long‑term automation technology roadmap, defines architecture principles and guardrails, and leads early‑stage concept development from initial ideation and hypothesis generation through prototyping, simulation, and technology maturation.

Operating at the intersection of sensing, controls, avionics, embedded systems, networking, and flight deck technologies, the position ensures strong cross‑functional alignment and cohesive system integration.

Beyond technical direction and execution, this role drives early safety, certification planning, and verification strategy for automated behaviors in collaboration with certification, safety and program leadership. The Principal Engineer will work closely with Subject Matter Experts in avionics, electrical, mechanical, human factors, software systems and flight test. This role also leads iterative learning cycles to refine concepts through rapid prototyping, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

As a senior technical authority, the Principal Engineer coaches engineers and internal and external stakeholders, elevating the organization’s capability in aircraft automation and strengthening the engineering culture that supports innovation and technical excellence.

Duties and Responsibilities/Essential Functions

• Serve as AD&D technical authority for system automation to reduce pilot workload, simplify vehicle operations, and increase safety.
• Work closely with Chief Engineers, systems engineering, avionics, software engineers, test pilots, and human factors engineers to develop desired system functions, behaviors, and pilot interaction.
• Define automation mode logic and system behavior (including failure management, annunciation, and crew alerting) in partnership with systems engineers, human factors, and flight test.
• Develop, prototype, and validate architectures for aircraft system management and automation, including integration and scalability considerations.
• Architect and prototype embedded control solutions involving sensing, actuation, and feedback logic.
• Lead requirements engineering, stakeholder alignment, concept validation, and rapid experimentation and maintain traceability to test evidence appropriate to the development stage.
• Lead technical reviews and drive resolution of risks, hazards, and integration issues.
• Define validation and verification strategies across SIL/HIL/lab/flight test environments including objective entry/exit criteria for each phase of development.
• Establish reusable engineering frameworks, standards, and patterns for controls, networking, sensing and software integration.
• Conduct early phase system safety and system development assurance activities (FHA, PSSA, FMEAs, requirements reviews, requirements validation, etc.) in collaboration with system safety and certification stakeholders.
• Generate engineering data and documentation, such as trade studies, interface definitions, design notes, schematics, models, drawings, specifications, test plans, and reports.
• Translate verbal direction and vision into actionable design objectives and development strategies.
• Foster a culture of rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration, learning from both success and failure while maintaining disciplined engineering practices.
• Support early phases of certification projects, including interfacing with civil aviation authorities and ODA members and contribution to compliance planning and artifact readiness.
• Define and lead execution of Technical Readiness Level (TRL) maturation plans including transition criteria to Product Development.
• Complete assigned tasks on time and budget.
• Communicate effectively and efficiently to diverse audiences.
• Travel up to 25% may be required.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform…