Job Description Summary Help define the future of flight at GE Aerospace! The Technical Manager will lead an avionics networking engineering team within the ION (Input/Output & Networking) organization, delivering networking products for civil and military platforms. The role supports the business and Application Engineering teams in defining a strategy for growth, drives continuous improvement of performance and processes, and ensures successful project execution that delivers value for the company and our customers.
This is a People Leader role for a team of roughly 8–10 interdisciplinary engineers, including Subject Matter Experts, Systems Engineers, and Engineering Project Managers. It requires a talented individual who uses experience, knowledge, influence, and initiative to set strategy, manage team competency development, and drive engineering execution excellence. The manager will lead daily execution, conduct performance reviews, and serve as the technical escalation point for the team. The role reports directly to the ION Section Manager with moderate autonomy and requires high levels of operational judgment.
This opportunity is bonus eligible. This position is based on-site in Grand Rapids, MI. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.
Job Description
Roles and Responsibilities
- Lead an avionics networking engineering team to deliver engineering excellence across bids and proposals, program execution, product development, integration, verification, certification, and customer support.
- Grow and sustain the team through workforce planning, recruiting, onboarding, coaching, and technical mentoring, fostering a healthy, inclusive, high-performing culture.
- Drive execution of safety-critical avionics networking programs requiring compliance with DO-178C and DO-254, with particular emphasis on the rigor, planning, traceability, verification discipline, and cross-functional coordination expected in DAL A environments.
- Provide leadership for development and execution strategies covering requirements definition, system architecture, integration, verification, validation, certification support, and lifecycle planning for avionics networking products.
- Lead daily execution rhythms, including stand-ups and FLIGHT DECK Daily Management, and serve as the technical escalation point to speed decision-making and problem resolution.
- Manage the sub-section to achieve functional, business, and company objectives, including engineering planning, staffing, budgeting, culture development, process discipline, and execution excellence.
- Create and execute structured development plans for each team member, and conduct performance reviews with clear expectations and defined metrics.
- Partner closely with technical leaders and Engineering Project Managers to balance development priorities with customer commitments.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, technical rigor, lean principles, and clear communication.
- Ensure engineering execution complies with internal engineering processes, customer contractual requirements, and applicable aerospace development and certification standards.
- Allocate qualified engineering resources and manage outsourced activities to meet project needs.
- Support reporting and escalation rhythms with clear communication, a firm understanding of status, active issue ownership, and disciplined risk and opportunity management.
- Hold teams accountable for delivering measurable results against Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC) objectives.
- Assist project and program leadership in resolving engineering issues related to design, validation, integration, verification, safety, certification, closure, and field support.
- Develop influential working relationships with customers and stakeholders at multiple levels.
- Help define engineering strategies that differentiate GE Aerospace in the avionics networking market and strengthen the organization for the future.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Aviation, Aerospace, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related technical field from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum of 8–10 years of systems engineering, embedded software, or technical/project leadership experience in a highly technical engineering environment, preferably in avionics or safety-critical aerospace applications.
- Demonstrated experience leading or supporting development of complex avionics, networking, or integrated hardware/software systems.
- Demonstrated experience working on programs governed by aerospace development and certification processes, including DO-178C.
- This position requires U.S. citizenship status.
Desired Characteristics
- Master’s degree in Aviation, Aerospace, Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- Prior experience as a people leader with demonstrated success developing technical talent and building strong teams.
- Background in avionics networking, including ARINC 664 (AFDX) and/or Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN).
- Experience with DAL A programs and a strong understanding of DO-178C objectives, certification lifecycle artifacts, traceability, configuration management, and change control.
- Familiarity with related standards such as ARP4754A, ARP4761, and DO-254.
- Strong ability to partner across matrixed organizations and drive alignment among engineering, program, business, and customer stakeholders.
- Visible, hands-on leadership style with high standards for accountability, quality, and technical rigor.
- Financial and budget planning knowledge, including Earned Value methods.
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale projects or programs in systems engineering or embedded avionics development.
- Ability to operate effectively amid ambiguity, especially when applying new technologies, tools, or processes.
- Excellent communication, influencing, organization, and presentation skills.
- Effective at active listening, trust building, inclusion, coaching, and corrective feedback.
- Lean mindset with a focus on continuous improvement, visual management, and standard work.
The base pay range for this position is $130,000.00 - $173,000.00 USD Annually. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set. This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus based on a percentage of your base salary/ commission based on the plan. This posting is expected to close on 12/31/26. GE Aerospace offers comprehensive benefits and programs to support your health and, along with programs like HealthAhead, your physical, emotional, financial and social wellbeing. Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to a Health Coach from GE Aerospace; and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and paid time-off for vacation or illness.
GE Aerospace (General Electric Company or the Company) and its affiliates each sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs (i.e., is a “Sponsor”). Each Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a Sponsor’s welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.
This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. Therefore, employment will be contingent upon the ability to prove that you meet the status of a U.S. Person as one of the following: U.S. lawful permanent resident, U.S. Citizen, have been granted asylee or refugee status (i.e., a protected individual under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).
Additional Information GE Aerospace offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
GE Aerospace will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable). Employees may also be subject to random and reasonable-suspicion drug and alcohol testing.
Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes
