Jobs at Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc

Manages the systems engineering discipline and team within an aerospace organization. Responsibilities include staffing, budgeting, workload planning, technical guidance, requirements traceability, systems safety, test planning, flight-test data acquisition, performance evaluation, and continuous process improvement. The role supports product development from concept through production, coordinates with customers and engineering functions, and develops team capabilities and career paths. This is a fully on-site position in San Luis Obispo, California.

Manages front-desk operations, greets visitors, handles phone inquiries, schedules meetings and appointments, maintains office supplies, enforces visitor sign-in procedures, supports HR onboarding and offboarding, and prepares recurring reports. The role requires strong communication, organization, multitasking, independent judgment, and problem-solving skills in a fully onsite office environment.

Manages a software engineering team while contributing as an embedded software engineer. Responsibilities include staffing, budgeting, mentoring, performance management, product design, Agile development planning, software implementation, regulatory documentation, testing, debugging, and certification. Requires expertise in C, RTOS, I/O drivers, microcontrollers, and embedded software development across multiple engineering projects. The role is fully onsite in San Luis Obispo, California, with occasional domestic travel.

Administers and negotiates subcontracts and other contractual documents, evaluates clause and project risks, supports project managers and supply chain, ensures compliance with contractual and procurement requirements, manages changes, claims, disputes, closeouts, and contract records, and coordinates with counsel and leadership on significant issues.

Leads multidisciplinary flight sciences engineering teams covering GNC, CFD, flight simulation, and aerodynamic performance. Provides technical oversight, mission-readiness reviews, architecture ownership, mentorship, staffing, and career development. Oversees HIL verification and validation, embedded flight-control software deployment, wind-tunnel campaigns, flight testing, and readiness reviews. Requires extensive aerospace vehicle development experience, leadership background, advanced aerodynamics and flight-controls expertise, and proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink, CFD tools, and C/C++.

Leads full-cycle recruitment for technical, professional, and executive roles. Develops sourcing strategies, builds active and passive candidate pipelines, screens and interviews candidates, presents qualified applicants to hiring managers, and advises leaders on compliant recruiting practices. The role also supports staffing-function improvement projects, manages candidates throughout selection, and builds relationships with executives, hiring managers, colleagues, and candidates. This position is fully on-site and requires U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.

Provides strategic administrative and operational support to engineering leadership. Manages departmental workflows, reporting cadences, action-item tracking, capacity planning, metrics, compliance, budgets, software licenses, procurement, and process improvements. Coordinates across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, HR, and executive leadership while developing dashboards and executive summaries.

The Project Manager oversees project schedules, budgets, customer relations, and risk mitigation while ensuring quality and regulatory standards are met.

Serve as the technical lead connecting design, program management, and manufacturing: plan and execute engineering projects, manage schedule/budget/quality, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, drive issue resolution, maintain documentation/ECRs/BOMs, support hardware testing and build readiness, ensure compliance, assess risks, and mentor junior engineers.

Manage documentation, tracking, and control of engineering configurations. Execute CM plans, route and assess engineering change requests, lead configuration control boards, maintain traceability, prepare configuration data for design reviews, model SolidWorks PDM best practices, provide training, and drive process improvements to ensure compliant product lifecycle management.

Lead development and testing of flight control systems for fixed‑wing, rotorcraft, and VTOL platforms. Build flight dynamics simulations, design optimal/adaptive controllers, perform system identification, support integration and flight test, and collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, software, and systems teams to ensure airworthiness and reliability.

Manages and supports IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, software systems, workstations, user accounts, wireless networks, and cybersecurity initiatives. Troubleshoots hardware, software, connectivity, and outage issues; deploys updates; monitors performance; manages IT tickets; documents procedures; supports user training; tracks KPIs; and coordinates issue resolution. The role also supports manufacturing operations and maintains AS9100, NIST 800-171, and CMMC compliance.

Lead mechanical design for aircraft products including 3D CAD modeling, structural/thermal analysis, requirements and verification planning, documentation and configuration control, test support, manufacturability improvements, and mentoring junior engineers.

The Staff Flight Controls Engineer will lead the simulation and development of advanced control systems for various aircraft, collaborating across engineering disciplines for design and development phases.

Manage creation, review, negotiation, and administration of contracts and subcontracts. Support project managers and supply chain for compliance, risk identification, claims resolution, contract closeout, and documentation. Coordinate with counsel, prepare reports, and ensure flow-down of requirements to vendors and subcontractors.

Lead planning, execution, and analysis of UAV flight tests. Develop test plans, perform pre-flight checks, run flight tests, analyze data, perform root cause investigations, produce reports, and mentor junior engineers while collaborating across disciplines and suppliers.

The Flight Test Engineer will support multi-functional product development, assist with testing operations, and collaborate across engineering disciplines, primarily focused on vehicle testing and documentation.

The Test Engineer will support project testing, develop documentation, work with design teams, train personnel, and address production test issues.

Support lean aerospace production by replenishing materials/tools via Kanban/JIT, removing waste, delivering kits and calibrated tools, conducting basic inspections, maintaining ERP transactions, and following 5S/ISO/AS9100 and safety protocols while coordinating with inventory, logistics, and production teams.

The Staff Mechanical Engineer designs, develops, and validates mechanical components for aircraft, performing analyses and collaborating with teams throughout the product lifecycle.