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.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is seeking a Senior (Principal-Level) Autonomy Test Automation Architect to define, lead, and scale the enterprise validation architecture for mission autonomy systems across operational aircraft and distributed autonomous platforms.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
This is a technical leadership and organizational impact role, not an individual contributor test architect.
This position establishes the technical vision, architecture, governance, and organizational strategy for validating AI-driven mission autonomy at operational scale - spanning MIL, SIL, HIL, flight test, and fielded fleet analytics.
You will define how GA-ASI engineers trust, certifies, fields, and continuously improves autonomy systems operating in contested and degraded environments.
Enterprise Autonomy Validation Architecture (Strategic Ownership)
Define and govern the enterprise autonomy verification & validation (V&V) architecture
Establish standardized frameworks spanning MIL SIL HIL flight test fleet feedback loops
Drive traceability from autonomy requirements to mission-level performance outcomes
Establish reusable validation infrastructure across multiple autonomy programs
Define certification-ready validation artifacts aligned with customer and regulatory requirements
AI Confidence & Trust Engineering
Architect statistical confidence frameworks for AI robustness, safety, and mission effectiveness
Define measurable autonomy readiness and deployment thresholds
Establish adversarial, resilience, and edge-case stress strategies
Develop explainability, traceability, and mission-decision accountability frameworks
Lead AI assurance methodologies aligned with emerging DoD autonomy governance standards
We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.
Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in computer science, information systems or related discipline and progressive software development experience as follows; fifteen or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, thirteen or more years of experience with a masters degree, or ten or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
Experience:
Extensive experience in autonomy systems, AI/ML validation, or large-scale safety-critical system verification
Demonstrated experience architecting complex automation frameworks
Experience leading technical teams or enterprise initiatives preferred
Technical Depth Required:
Autonomy & AI validation methodologies
MIL/SIL/HIL integration
Modeling & Simulation ecosystems
Distributed systems testing
DevSecOps, MLOps, CI/CD
Statistical performance evaluation
Python, C++, or equivalent autonomy test languages
Other Requirements:
Strong executive communication and briefing skills
Ability to influence across matrixed organizations
Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret / SCI security clearance is required (active clearance strongly preferred).