Director Avionics and Electrical Engineering

Job Summary

The Avionics and Electrical Engineering (A&E) Leader oversees a team of 70+ engineers specializing in avionics, software, electrical systems, and Electrical Wiring Interconnect Systems (EWIS). This team is responsible for the design, development, and integration of aircraft equipment, systems, and components, as well as their installation, in compliance with FAA Part 23 regulations. The A&E Leader provides strategic vision, leadership, and technical oversight, ensuring the quality and effectiveness of all technical approaches, products, and processes.

This role directly supervises the Avionics Leader, Electrical Engineering Leader, Software Leader, and EWIS Leader, fostering collaboration and alignment across all engineering disciplines.

Duties and Responsibilities/Essential Functions

Reporting to the Vice President of Engineering, the Director of Avionics & Electrical Engineering leads a team of engineers and technicians responsible for the design, development, integration, and testing of avionics and electrical systems at Cirrus Aircraft. This includes providing ongoing engineering support for all aspects of aircraft avionics and electrical in compliance with FAA Part 23 regulations. The Director delivers strategic leadership, technical oversight, and approval of engineering approaches, products, and processes to ensure quality, innovation, and regulatory adherence.

This position will deploy A&E Engineering Standard work on a broad basis using industry standards.

Technical areas of responsibility include:

• Manages the Company’s R&D direction to ensure continued industry leadership in creating new customer value through avionics and system integration.
• Develops and executes integrated organizational plans, policies and procedures while guiding the development of business and technical strategies, goals, and objectives.
• Provides oversight and input to the development of A&E system designs.
• Analysis and interpretation of requirements/technical specifications of aircraft equipment, software, components and systems and ensuring their successful integration onto aircraft.
• Specification of A&E systems interfaces compatible with the installation requirements.
• Definition of equipment, components, systems and installations specified to enable system testing, fault finding prior to installation and certification.
• Oversight of system architecture and system safety assessment to meet design requirements.
• Acquires resources for test activities, provides technical management oversight and leads process improvements.
• Provide feedback for mechanical requirements aspects of A&E designs.
• Development and certification plan and report writing and reviewing.
• Develops strong working relationships with all organizational stakeholders, peers, and direct reports.
• Manages, develops and motivates employees.
• The Director of A&E Engineering is responsible for developing, coaching, and mentoring of less experienced engineers and supervisors, resource allocation, staffing, and performance reviews, including creating and executing onboarding training plans. This individual supports the Engineering Department with budget planning and control, resource/project planning, and maintaining awareness of key deliverables and project milestones. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated history of fostering individual engagement and initiative, driving improvements to engineering process, and implementing design methodologies resulting in superior technical design and enhanced team productivity.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent required.
• 12 years related industry experience
• 8 years leadership experience
• Leading teams of 10 or more engineers working on multiple complex projects.
• Experience managing remote engineering teams and locations.
• Working knowledge of…