Demo

Software Engineering Manager III

General Atomics
General Atomics Salary
Poway, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 5/25/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/24/2026
Job Summary

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.

As a Software Engineering Manager at General Atomics, you will lead a high-performing team of software supervisors and engineers developing advanced software solutions for safety/mission-critical aerospace and defense systems that have meaningful real-world impact. Guide your team through the full software development lifecycle within a disciplined engineering environment. Collaborate with cross-functional partners including systems engineering, integration labs, program leadership, and other engineering disciplines to deliver reliable, high-quality software for the UAS. This position reports to an engineering director and requires strong technical leadership, sound engineering judgment, and the ability to coordinate development efforts across interconnected systems and teams.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Lead and mentor software supervisors and engineers through task assignments, technical guidance, and performance feedback
  • Oversee all Software Development Lifecycle phases from inception through release, including planning, design, development, validation, and deployment
  • Develop and implement technical, schedule, quality, and financial objectives in collaboration with program managers and executive management
  • Provide technical oversight of software architecture, implementation approaches, and integration strategies while driving process improvements
  • Serve as one of the primary software engineering contacts to external departments
  • Support proposal preparation and new business development
  • Manage proprietary technology security and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
  • Ensure technical excellence through talent attraction, selection, retention, and development
  • Other duties as assigned or required

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

  • Typically requires a bachelor's, master's or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as nine (11) or more years of progressively complex engineering experience with at least three (5) of those years having management responsibilities. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
  • Proven experience leading all aspects of the Software Development Lifecycle
  • Technical expertise in software development principles, concepts, theory, and practices
  • Experience developing software for complex integrated systems (distributed, real-time, embedded, or hardware-software integrated environments)
  • Experience with configuration-controlled software delivery, formal configuration management, and traceable releases across multiple system configurations
  • Strong project management skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordinating workloads
  • Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills with ability to interface effectively across all organizational levels and with customers
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively, with flexibility for extended hours and travel
  • Ability to obtain and maintain DoD security clearance is required.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience working in regulated, safety-critical, or mission-critical software environment
  • Experience with multi-configuration or product-line software development
  • Experience with automated testing, build systems, or development environment provisioning
  • Experience supporting formal software releases or customer deliveries
  • Experience developing software for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or remotely piloted aircraft
  • Experience supporting software development in accordance with DO-178 or similar certification standards
  • Experience integrating AI-assisted development tools into team workflows while maintaining engineering rigor, configuration control, and verification of generated artifacts
  • Prior technical lead or supervisor/manager experience

Salary.com Estimation for Software Engineering Manager III in Poway, CA
$169,788 to $204,006
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