Lead System Engineer - FAA

NIRA Inc. is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer with hands-on experience in ground-based air traffic management and airport operational systems. The position requires a technical leader who can translate operational needs into measurable requirements, evaluate integrated hardware/software solutions, and lead engineering activities through verification and operational readiness.

Candidates must bring practical experience with real-time sensor or surveillance information, operator-facing displays, communications interfaces, and safety-critical system integration.

Required Technical Qualifications

• At least 10 years of relevant engineering experience, including five years supporting ground-based air traffic management, airport operational systems, or closely related aviation applications, and three years in a substantive technical-lead role.

• Demonstrated experience integrating real-time operational systems that combine field equipment or sensors, communications networks, processing software, and operator interfaces. Candidates must be able to evaluate system-level performance and identify dependencies affecting operational use.

• Hands-on requirements and architecture experience, including personally developing or leading system requirements, interface control documents, architecture descriptions, technical trade studies, and requirements-to-verification traceability.

• Practical knowledge of performance and resilience, including latency, timing and synchronization, bandwidth, data quality, redundancy, common-mode failures, degraded operation, and restoration.

• Experience supporting safety-critical engineering reviews, including coordination of system-safety, software-assurance, cybersecurity, human-factors, and maintainability inputs into design and verification activities.

• Ability to lead technical discussions with government stakeholders and suppliers, identify incomplete or unsupported engineering claims, and produce clear recommendations that address performance, implementation, supportability, cost, and schedule implications.

Preferred Experience

Direct FAA/NAS engineering experience; integration of sensor-based situational-awareness or operational-display systems; field deployment of aviation systems; and development or review of technical evidence supporting government acceptance or operational authorization.

Education & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of experience in a technical (math, science, engineering) field

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint

• Excellent written, oral, and presentation communication skills

• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and critical-thinking ability

• Ability to work effectively in both independent and team-oriented environments

• Must be able to pass a Public Trust background investigation