Flight Controls Tools and Software Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

We have an exciting opportunity for an early-career aerospace/software engineer to develop analysis tools & methodologies for flight-controls, guidance, and navigation systems. We’re looking for someone who enjoys both software development and controls analysis to contribute code, processes, and tests that will facilitate simulation and analysis for a large user base. Your work and innovations can span the entire lifecycle of aircraft development -- from conceptual design through flight testing and field support. This position is within the Flight Technologies department of GA-ASI in Poway, CA, in San Diego County. The Flight Technologies department is a growing technical organization focusing on many aspects of flight sciences; the Tools & Support group supports all disciplines within Flight Technologies.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design and execute controls-related software development under guidance from senior engineers. Software examples may include:
  • tools to translate aerodynamic and mass models into Simulink and run six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) simulations
  • scripts which automate and scale Monte Carlo analysis to parallel computing
  • visualizations scraping a database to compare simulated vs. test-logged data
  • statistical analysis of controller errors to evaluate mission performance.
• Learn, apply, and recommend improvements for existing controls-analysis tools and workflows.
• Participate in software-development sprints with buy-in from technical experts and peer developers.
• Contribute to efficiency enhancements in controls-analysis frameworks.
• Apply industry-standard practices for building models, storing and transferring data including use of version-control systems, and testing software.
  • Support configuration management and interface control of aero- and flight-controls-related artifacts.
• Prepare and present reports, code reviews, and other technical documentation to stakeholders across disciplines such as software, test, and systems engineering.
• Occasional travel to support wind-tunnels tests, flight-test campaigns, customer site visits, and conferences.
• Build and retain foundational capability to perform flight-controls analysis such as of aircraft stability and flying qualities.