General and Operations Manager, Senior & Chief Engineer

Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Work Location: NAWS China Lake, CA

Pay: $175,000 - $225,000 / year

Systems Application & Technologies, Inc. (SA-TECH) is a progressive and well-established Department of Defense (DoD) contractor specializing in Range operations and maintenance (O&M); weapons testing; facilities management; aerial, ground and seaborne targets O&M; technical, logistics and other engineering support; systems integration; electronics and communications maintenance services; and a growing cybersecurity business. We are highly focused and, among other efforts, currently operate a dozen active test and/or training ranges for the Army, Air Force and Navy. Our 36-year heritage is founded on supporting complex and diverse DoD programs and we’ve developed a standout reputation for providing the highest quality services, superior workmanship and cost-effective results while achieving complete customer satisfaction.

SA-TECH is submitting a proposal for the WSISS program to support the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at NAWS China Lake, which is the weapons systems integration and software support activity for several aircraft Integrated Product Teams (IPTs). IPTs and Program Support Offices currently operating at the NAWCWD include the F/A-18 & EA-18G, AV-8B, T45, AH-1, F-35, and Unmanned Systems. Other aircraft may also be assigned in the future. Our mission will be to provide research, development, test, evaluation, systems integration, and programmatic support for weapons systems and associated tactical computer systems embedded within or carried on aircraft, including related systems, support equipment, and interoperability initiatives. These efforts are integral to the Navy’s ability to achieve Integrated & Interoperable (I&I) Warfighting Capabilities (platforms, sensors and weapons operating seamlessly in a Systems of Systems (SoS) environment) that produce an immediate and sustainable increase in warfighting effectiveness and battlespace dominance.

As part of our proposal, we are seeking a dual-hatted General and Operations Manager, Senior, who will also function as the Chief Engineer for the program.

Shape the future of naval aviation warfare. Lead a multi-disciplinary engineering workforce delivering next-generation weapons integration, software validation, and flight test architecture for NAWCWD China Lake. This critical role serves as both an operational contract authority and the principal systems engineering champion for advanced tactical platforms.

In this high-yield career opportunity, you'll be responsible for:

• Performing as the principal technical authority and operational co-lead for the contract.
• Serving as the principal technical interface to the Navy's internal Technical Directors and Integrated Product Team (IPT) leads.
• Governing the entire systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements derivation, system architecture validation, configuration control boards (CCBs), and hardware/software airworthiness readiness.
• Establishing contract-wide engineering methodologies, safety-of-flight processes, and cybersecurity compliance for advanced weapon systems.
• Working in tandem with the Executive Program Manager, helping translate the Navy's strategic warfare objectives into executable systems engineering workflows.
• Overseeing the technical output of lower-level engineering teams across avionics, uncrewed systems, and range instrumentation networks.
• Managing multi-disciplinary engineering teams across weapon system development, flight test integration, software verification, and possibly laboratory operations.
• Managing, guiding and directing lower-level technical/engineering managers, and providing technical support on advanced engineering issues.
• Other responsibilities, as needed.

Core Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Technical Governance & Architecture: Serve as the final technical authority for systems engineering, hardware/software development, and network architecture supporting NAWCWD platforms.
• Resource & Labor Loading: Forecast technical staffing needs, manage labor loading metrics, and align engineering expertise against complex task orders.
• Interdisciplinary Leadership: Direct cross-functional Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) spanning aerospace, electrical, cybersecurity, and data-product fields.
• Systems Verification & Validation: Oversee requirements management, configuration definition, trade studies, and the review/approval of engineering drawings, test plans, and qualification metrics.
• Client Interface: Function as the primary technical point of contact for Government program authorities, providing senior-level technical briefs, risk analyses, and status updates.
• Risk & Lifecycle Management: Drive root-cause analyses, system safety protocols, failure mode assessments (FMEA), and rapid-response correction plans for uncrewed or platform systems

Why Join the Mission at China Lake?

• Pioneering Impact: Direct influence over the tactical systems deployed by the U.S. Navy fleet worldwide.
• Long-Term Stability: Leadership role anchored within a multi-year, highly stable technical support vehicle.
• Premier Testing Environment: Work directly alongside elite military test squadrons in a world-class live-fire testing range network.