Job Information
Scientific Systems Company, Inc. Autonomy Software Engineering Director in Burlington, Massachusetts
This role will lead and oversee the development, release, and maintenance of SSCI’s portfolio of AI-enabled Autonomy Software for cutting-edge aerospace and unmanned systems. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in managing the end-to-end lifecycle of Aerospace, Maritime or other Mission-critical Enterprise or Embedded Software products, from requirements through deployment, with a focus on delivering high-quality, mission-critical systems.
The Autonomy Software Engineering Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the technical direction of our software products, managing cross-functional teams, shepherding a transformation to Digital Engineering practices, and ensuring that our software meets both internal standards and regulatory requirements. This is a leadership role that requires technical expertise, strong management skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
If you are an experienced aerospace/mission-critical software professional with a passion for innovation, mission success, and team leadership, we encourage you to apply and be part of a company dedicated to advancing the future of AI-enabled Autonomy technology.
Essential Functions:
Lead the company’s Autonomy Software Digital Engineering efforts.
Manage and mentor a team of software engineers in the development, integration, and maintenance of AI-enabled Autonomy Software for unmanned systems of critical national significance.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and technical excellence within an agile software development team aligned with modern DevSecOps and Digital Engineering principles.
Oversee the full software lifecycle, from requirements definition through development, integration, testing, release, and post-deployment support.
Work closely with autonomy Technology, Solutions and Product development teams on the integration and test of advanced AI-enabled Autonomy Software interfaces, architecture, and functionality.
Lead the team in adopting and executing Agile software development practices, including sprint planning, backlog grooming, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.
Ensure timely delivery of software releases while maintaining high quality and meeting mission requirements.
Drive the adoption and integration of Platform One DevSecOps and Digital Engineering methodologies for secure and scalable software deployment pipelines.
Ensure software security, compliance, and risk management standards are embedded throughout the software development lifecycle.
Manage software releases, including configuration management, documentation, maintenance and lifecycle support.
Coordinate with other Integrated Product Teams to ensure smooth deployment and updates for mission-critical systems.
Lead troubleshooting, diagnostics, and root cause analysis for post-launch software issues.
Serve as the primary point of contact for technical discussions regarding Autonomy Software products, providing updates and risk assessments to senior management, stakeholders, and customers.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of software development activities with program goals and customer needs.
Ensure adherence to industry standards and best practices for Autonomy Software development, testing, and deployment.
Identify opportunities for process improvement, automation, and optimization in software development and maintenance workflows.
Requirements
Basic Qualifications:
12+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 7 years in a leadership role managing enterprise-level Software development teams for aerospace, maritime or mission-critical systems.
Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
Proven experience with AI or Autonomy Software product development, including successful software releases and long-term software maintenance for aerospace or defense systems.
Strong knowledge of aerospace, maritime and/or C2 mission systems and their specific software requirements.
Demonstrated experience with Agile software development practices, including Scrum or Kanban, and integration with DevSecOps principles.
Demonstrated experience with Platform One DevSecOps framework and tools (or equivalent), including CI/CD, automated testing, security scanning, and infrastructure as code (IaC), using DevSecOps tools such as Jira, Confluence, and Gitlab.
Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in Aerospace, Real-time Embedded and/or Mission-critical Software development (e.g., C, C++, Python).
Familiarity with software verification and validation processes for aerospace and/or mission critical systems, including functional and performance testing.
Prior experience leading, mentoring, and developing high-performance engineering teams.
Strong project management skills with a history of managing multiple projects and competing priorities.
Preferred Addition Skills:
Experience in AI and/or Autonomy Software is a plus.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Experience with enterprise software architecture, design, implementation, product delivery and support of complex, mission-critical systems for US Gov’t customers.
Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) and their use in aerospace/mission-critical applications.
Experience in model-based systems engineering (e.g., SysML, Cameo) and model-based development (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink) for aerospace/mission-critical and/or C2 software applications.
Benefits
Salary is competitive with market rates, with annual bonus awards based on company and individual performance. SSCI benefits package includes 401K, Health/Life/Disability Insurance.