AMERICAN SYSTEMS is an employee-owned federal government contractor supporting national priority programs through our strategic solutions in Information Technology, Test & Evaluation, Engineering & Analysis, and Training.
As our next Software Engineer/ developer for NAVAIR, you'll collaborate with talented professionals to create innovative, mission-critical solutions that empower naval aviation and defense operations. Your expertise will help shape cutting-edge systems, enhance national security, and drive technological advancement for our nation.
ResponsibilitiesThe Software Systems Engineer will provide direct engineering, acquisition, and test & evaluation (T&E) support for the PMA-268 Stingray MQ-25A program. Serving as a key technical interface between NAVAIR, prime contractors, and other government activities, this role focuses on providing technical oversight for software development, system integration, and support Formal Qualification Testing (FQT). The successful candidate will deliver optimized technical solutions within cost, schedule, and technology constraints while ensuring compliance with stringent system requirements and airworthiness standards.
Key Responsibilities
Software Development & Acquisition Support:
- Track software execution across Computer Software Configuration Items (CSCIs), analyze development metrics, and actively identify and elevate technical blockers to software development and test program leadership.
- Assist Senior Leads with technical evaluations of vendor proposals and draft engineering inputs for future Statements of Work (SOWs) and contracts.
- Provide technical oversight into the Program Increment (PI) priority workloads and evaluate contractor-proposed changes to processes and Software Development Plans (SDPs).
- The incumbent serves as a representative for NAVAIR, interfacing with headquarters, contractors, and other government activities involved in the program.
Technical Documentation Review:
- Conduct deep-dive engineering reviews of vendor deliverables to ensure compliance with system requirements and Airworthiness standards.
- Provide meaningful technical comments on complex artifacts, including Software Requirements Specifications (SRS), Software Design Descriptions (SDD), Software Architecture Descriptions (SAD), Software Development Plans (SDP), and Software Test Plans (STP).
Software Test Support:
- Serve as the designated Government witness and Quality Assurance (QA) representation for Formal Qualification Testing (FQT), requiring travel to contractor facilities.
- Assess vendor readiness to execute FQT by verifying test procedure completion and tracking the resolution of Problem Reports (PRs).
Defect Analysis & Process Improvement:
- Provide technical analysis during multi-party Problem Report Review Boards (PRRBs), System Safety Working Groups, and Risk Boards. Support Software Safety Program Level of Rigor (LOR) assessments.
- Evaluate engineering workflows to identify and implement technical process improvements within the software development lifecycle, test execution, and defect tracking processes.
General Day-to-Day tasks:
Qualifications
- Must have an active DoW Secret clearance, must be a U.S. citizen.
- Technical 4-yr degree and 1+ years of experience (see below).
- Experience in engineering or computer science with an emphasis on software engineering/development of software systems.
- Experience in software requirements allocation, design, software process management, open architecture principles, software integration and test.
- Knowledge of processes for software system design, test and interoperability, planning and management.
- Knowledge of military avionics systems, components and software and related design attributes. (highly desired)
- Knowledge of systems engineering procedures, processes, practices and tools as related to Avionics and Weapons systems and technology. (highly desired)
- Proven ability to effectively communicate at all levels within an organization, with effective interpersonal skills and an ability to resolve conflicting views and information.
EEO StatementEEO Race/Sex/Disability Status/Veteran Status
Skills Required
- Active Department of War Secret clearance
- U.S. citizenship
- Technical four-year degree
- At least one year of relevant experience
- Experience in engineering or computer science with emphasis on software engineering or software systems development
- Experience with software requirements allocation, design, software process management, open architecture principles, software integration, and testing
- Knowledge of software system design, testing, interoperability, planning, and management processes
- Knowledge of military avionics systems, components, software, and related design attributes
- Knowledge of systems engineering procedures, processes, practices, and tools related to avionics and weapons systems
- Strong communication, interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and stakeholder management skills
AMERICAN SYSTEMS Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about AMERICAN SYSTEMS and has not been reviewed or approved by AMERICAN SYSTEMS.
-
Equity Value & Accessibility — The ESOP provides an ownership stake that adds long-term financial value and complements base pay. This employee-ownership structure stands out within the overall package.
-
Retirement Support — A 401(k) with automatic enrollment and broad investment options, alongside the ESOP, strengthens retirement pathways beyond salary. These features are presented as competitive within the defense contracting space.
-
Fair & Transparent Compensation — Base pay is considered fair or comparable to industry peers, particularly for technical roles. Starting compensation is described as solid for areas like cybersecurity, systems administration, and IT engineering.
AMERICAN SYSTEMS Insights
What We Do
AMERICAN SYSTEMS is an employee-owned government services contractor that delivers professional, technical, information technology, engineering, analysis, testing, evaluation, and training solutions for complex national-priority programs. Based in McLean, Virginia, the company supports federal customers—particularly defense and other Department of Defense missions—with mission-essential and information engineering, digital engineering, systems integration, cybersecurity, cloud, data, and lifecycle IT services across critical public-sector environments.
