Chief Systems Engineer - Surveillance Products Phoenix, Arizona

Chief Systems Engineer - Surveillance Products

About the job:
We are seeking a Chief Systems Engineer to lead product and technology initiatives within the Surveillance product line. This role is responsible for defining and driving the technology strategy, shaping system architectures, and ensuring technical excellence across development programs. The Chief Systems Engineer leads technology roadmap development, coordinates technical pursuits, supports R&D investment planning, and evaluates the R&D portfolio to identify technology discriminators and capability gaps.

This role serves as the technical approver for major product development design reviews and leads root‑cause investigations for significant technical issues. Close collaboration with engineering leadership, program management, and customers is central to success.

• Lead identification, development, and execution of Surveillance technology roadmaps
• Maintain awareness of disruptive technologies, emerging trends, innovation opportunities, and competitive landscapes
• Coordinate engineering pursuit activities including solution architectures, risk mitigation plans, and technical estimates
• Develop top‑level system specifications and manage requirements flow down to lower‑level specifications
• Develop Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and system use cases
• Partner with business and engineering leadership to align technology strategy with business priorities and growth opportunities
• Establish initial design requirements and guide risk‑reduction activities to ensure timely, high‑quality, compliant product designs
• Ensure system designs are traceable to customer, regulatory, and industry requirements
• Work directly with customers, operators, and partners to define requirements and develop competitive technical solutions
• Serve as technical authority and approver for product design reviews and major engineering decisions
• Lead root‑cause investigations and corrective action strategy for system‑level issues

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM‑related field with a minimum of 12 years of experience in an aviation product development environment, or a graduate degree with a minimum of 10 years of related experience
• Demonstrated experience in technology management, strategy development, and driving innovation aligned with business growth objectives
• Experience conducting independent technology development reviews and technical assessments
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to develop data‑driven conclusions and recommendations
• Experience with R&D portfolio management and technology roadmap mapping for complex hardware/software systems
• Expertise in one or more of the following surveillance domains is required:

• Transponder Systems:
  Mode S and Mode C design, test, and evaluation
• ADS‑B Systems and Applications: requirements definition, modeling, test, and qualification
• Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS): requirements definition, modeling, test, evaluation, and qualification
• Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS): requirements definition, modeling, test, evaluation, qualification, and database management

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly collaborative team player with strong critical‑thinking skills
• Self‑motivated, results‑driven professional requiring limited direction

• Strong project and technical leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Operational experience within the National Airspace System (e.g., pilot, air traffic control, or related roles)
• Experience with Intellectual Property Management
• Knowledge of Aerospace regulatory standards (e.g., 14 CFR, ARP
  4754A/B, DO‑178B/C, DO‑160B, DO‑254)

Real Time Consulting (RTC) exists to partner outstanding engineering talent to support our clients’ success. Unsurpassed service is delivered to our clients by upholding responsibility, teamwork and quality. Our primary commitment is to help our clients. Since 1997, RTC has been protecting and enhancing lives with safe, reliable, innovative solutions, providing full life‑cycle design, development and testing of…