Vehicle Management Systems Architect – Lead or Principal
About the job
- Expertise in designing complex, scalable, and modular vehicle management system architectures.
- Understanding of aerospace vehicle subsystems, avionics, and integration requirements.
- Strong experience with embedded systems, real-time operating systems, and communication protocols.
- Knowledge of securing vehicle systems against cyber threats and complying with industry security standards.
- Ability to diagnose and resolve complex technical issues in system integration and performance.
- Experience leading technical teams and managing system development lifecycles.
- Familiarity with aerospace standards such as DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754, and safety certification processes.
- Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering with a focus in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aeronautical Engineering; Computer Science; Data Science; Mathematics; Physics; or Chemistry.
- For Level 5 (Lead), 14 or more years of work-related experience with a bachelor's degree, 12 or more years with a master's degree, or 9 or more years with a PhD.
- For Level 6 (Principal), 20 or more years of experience leading or working on similar projects, or teams, with a bachelor's degree or a combination of technical education and work-related experience with a master's degree.
- Education or experience typically acquired through advanced technical education from an accredited course of study in engineering, computer science, engineering data science, mathematics, physics, or chemistry, such as a bachelor's degree, and typically 14 or more years of related work experience for Level 5 or 20 or more years for Level 6, or an equivalent combination of technical education and experience or non-U.S. equivalent qualifications.
- In the United States, ABET accreditation is preferred but not required.
- Must be able to obtain a U.S. security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required for the clearance.
- An interim Secret clearance before starting and a final Secret clearance after starting are required.
- Must satisfy the company's Conflict of Interest assessment process.
- Must meet U.S. export control compliance requirements as a U.S. Person.
- Applicants are subject to drug testing under the stated company policy when its criteria are met.
- Design and develop the overall architecture of the Vehicle Management System, ensuring scalability, reliability, and integration with existing aerospace platforms.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define system requirements, establish design standards, and oversee implementation of software and hardware components.
- Lead technical reviews, troubleshoot system issues, and guide continuous improvement and maintenance of the vehicle management system in compliance with aerospace safety and regulatory standards.
- Apply relevant job practices, techniques, standards, principles, theories, and concepts.
- Develop statements of work and technical performance specifications.
- Analyze, translate, and implement customer requirements into system architecture, hardware design, and interface specifications, maintaining traceability throughout the product lifecycle.
- Define the test and validation approach to ensure system designs meet operational and functional requirements.
- Investigate emerging technologies to develop concepts for future product designs that meet projected requirements and may support internal business strategies.
- Drive evaluation and selection of emerging technologies to enhance vehicle system performance, cybersecurity, and data management capabilities.
- Mentor engineering teams on architectural best practices and ensure documentation aligns with Boeing's quality and compliance requirements.
- Knowledge of MSOSA and model-based systems engineering.
- Active Secret clearance or higher.
About the company
Boeing builds commercial airplanes, military aircraft and space systems for airlines, governments and other aerospace customers worldwide. Its passenger jet families include the 737 and 787, while its defense portfolio spans fighter aircraft, helicopters, tankers and satellites. Engineers design and integrate aircraft structures and systems, and factories assemble and test the finished products for delivery to customers. The company earns money through aircraft and equipment sales, government development contracts, and services such as maintenance, spare parts and flight training. Boeing was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia
Founded
1916
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Boeing brought fuselage production in house: December 2025's completed Spirit acquisition includes the 737 structures business.
- Demand supports long production programs: July 2026 reporting lists Boeing's commercial backlog above 6,200 airplanes.
- Eligible staff study without annual STEM tuition caps: Boeing pays partner schools directly under Learning Together.
What critics are saying
- Commercial recovery remains unprofitable: July 2026 reporting shows Boeing's airplane division lost $322 million in the second quarter.
- Boeing bears defense overruns: fixed-price deals supplied roughly 60% of its defense manufacturing and defense services revenue in 2025.
- Union negotiations shape Boeing factory careers: its U.S. workforce has 32 separate labor agreements with different expiration dates.
What makes Boeing unique
- Boeing dominates cargo aircraft: it says its freighters serve over 90% of the global air freight market.
- Service work extends beyond Boeing jets: Global Services supports equipment regardless of its original manufacturer.
- Heavy lifting uses two rotors: Boeing's Chinook places its lifting rotors in tandem for cargo missions.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
401(k) Retirement Plan
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
-2%1 year growth
-2%2 year growth
-2%Boeing's board now has far more aviation experience than the one that elected former chief executive David Calhoun, according to a Motley Fool analysis of company filings. Four current directors stand out: Bradley Tilden, a former Alaska Air Group chief executive; David Joyce, who retired as chief executive of GE Aviation in 2020; Akhil Johri, a former United Technologies chief financial officer; and David Gitlin, who ran two United Technologies aerospace businesses. The earlier board included several members without clear aviation expertise. Only Robert Bradway, John Richardson, and Lynn Good remain. That experience matters as chief executive Kelly Ortberg works to restore the balance sheet before developing a new airplane. He says Boeing needs "a couple more years" before committing to one. The company still holds a $715 billion backlog.
Boeing reported net income of $2.09 billion over the past twelve months, but its EBITDA for the same period was negative $2.9 billion. The company's operating margin stands at 0.00% on $93.99 billion of revenue, meaning its aircraft business earned nothing from operations. The positive net income came from items below the operating line, not from building and selling airplanes. Boeing generated $3.64 billion in operating cash flow, largely from customer deposits, but capital spending of $3.86 billion resulted in negative free cash flow of $220 million. The company carries debt of $48.36 billion against $19.3 billion of cash, yielding a debt-to-equity ratio of 790.88%. Boeing has paid no dividend since March 2020.
US stock index futures traded near flat on Wednesday as investors awaited key inflation data and semiconductor earnings. The personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, is due later today and expected to show inflation remaining above the central bank's 2% target. Boeing surged 3% in premarket trading after winning a contract worth over $20 billion to develop the US Navy's next-generation carrier-based strike fighter, the F/A-XX. The award beat rival Northrop Grumman and marks Boeing's second consecutive sixth-generation fighter programme win. Concentrix plunged 11.1% after reporting disappointing revenue and guidance. The company forecast fourth-quarter revenue to decline 3% to 5%, citing faster-than-expected AI automation among clients.
Boeing has won a Pentagon contract to develop the F/A-XX, the US Navy's next-generation stealth fighter jet designed to replace the F/A-18 Hornet, beating Northrop Grumman. This marks Boeing's second major fighter jet programme win this year, following its March victory over Lockheed Martin for the Air Force's F-47. The Navy has released limited details about the classified programme, including costs, procurement numbers, and operational timelines. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and his deputy initially opposed the F/A-XX, arguing the US defence industrial base couldn't handle two overlapping aircraft programmes, but Congress provided funding to proceed. Analysts question whether Boeing can secure adequate workforce for both programmes, particularly experienced engineers and production workers at its St Louis facility.
Boeing shares have fallen 9% this year and sit 21% below their peak, as production delays test the company's turnaround efforts. The main bottleneck is the 737 Max wing assembly in Renton, Washington, which has prevented Boeing from reaching its target of 47 aircraft per month. CEO Kelly Ortberg told investors in September that production remains unstable at the current 42-monthly cap set by the FAA in October 2025. Reaching 52 aircraft per month by year-end appears unlikely, as it depends on a new production line in Everett coming online. Higher oil prices, driven by US-Iran tensions, have also pressured airline margins. Despite challenges, second-quarter revenue rose to $24.56 billion from $22.75 billion, with commercial deliveries increasing to 171 from 150 aircraft.