UAV Systems Specialist III @ General Atomics

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.

We have an exciting opportunity for a UAS Ground Systems Specialist supporting Flight Operations at our flight operations facilities.

In this overarching technical role, the selected candidate serves as the lead technical authority responsible for the availability, security, and integrity of ground segment infrastructure, virtualized environments, mission communications, and operational server networks supporting Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations. Providing direct oversight and technical delegation to Flight Operations Systems Support Technicians, the administrator governs baseline configurations, network architecture, and advanced systems administration across Ground Control Stations (GCS), Air and Ground Datalink systems, and associated mission infrastructure.

The position serves as the operational anchor for ground systems governance, high-level troubleshooting escalation, and mission readiness across operational and future flight platforms.

The successful candidate will bridge flight operations execution with systems and network engineering, directing routine technical maintenance, executing complex infrastructure deployments, managing Level 2/Level 3 troubleshooting escalations, and ensuring strict compliance with defense cybersecurity frameworks.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Ground Systems Administration & Infrastructure Governance

• Serve as primary technical authority and custodian across the complete air-to-ground mission architecture, overseeing aircraft mission payloads and datalink systems alongside GCS, GDT, Mission Servers and SATCOM terminal network infrastructure.
• Architect, manage, and maintain local server networks, air-gapped environments, and virtual machines (VMware ESXi/vSphere, Hyper-V) supporting real-time flight operations.
• Configure, optimize, and troubleshoot complex Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) datalinks, RF communications chains, and ground-to-air network interfaces.
• Design, configure, and administer managed network switches, IP routing protocols, subnets, VLANs, and firewall security appliances across mission operations.
• Establish and govern baseline configurations for operating systems, application software, server firmware, and network addressing schemas; oversee technician deployment of standard disk images.
• Define preventive maintenance inspection protocols and oversee technician execution of hardware health sweeps, environmental monitoring, and physical infrastructure servicing.
• Manage system health forensics, capacity planning, CPU/memory performance thresholds, event log auditing, and network traffic integrity.
• Architect and supervise controlled patch management, software deployment scripts, and vulnerability remediation across air-gapped and secure operational networks.
• Establish and govern disaster recovery, automated backup policies, and failover validation testing to guarantee operational mission continuity.
• Maintain authoritatively updated network topology architecture diagrams, IP address allocation registries, and system configuration baselines.

Engineering Liaison, Quality & Technical Oversight

• Serve as the primary operational technical interface between Flight Operations and engineering organizations (Poway software, datalink, cybersecurity and network engineering teams).
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) investigations on recurring or complex system discrepancies, datalink dropouts, software anomalies, and configuration mismatches to drive formal corrective action.
• Direct and mentor Flight Operations Systems Support Technicians, delegating operational maintenance tasks, reviewing completed checklists, and handling Level 2/Level 3 technical escalations.
• Govern operational compliance with DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) standards and DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs); lead cybersecurity audits and checklist reviews.
• Author, review, and approve standard operating procedures (SOPs), technician maintenance inspection checklists, and configuration management change requests.

Additional Responsibilities

• Participate in operational readiness reviews, system design reviews, and Configuration Control Boards (CCBs) to represent flight operations infrastructure.
• Drive technical development and on-the-job training (OJT) for systems support technicians and cross-train avionics technicians on ground networks and datalinks.
• Assist training departments by developing and delivering advanced supplemental system training for emerging ground and datalink technologies.
• Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies and evolving system requirements to ensure long-term scalability and supportability of future UAS programs.
• Support offsite system turnups, field deployment exercises, and customer operational events as required (0–25% travel).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

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 education or formal training equivalent to the completion of a bachelor's degree and five or more years of professional engineering/military technical and/or documentation experience. Equivalent professional engineering/military technical, operations, and/or maintenance experience may be substituted in lieu of education/training.
• Advanced administration and troubleshooting knowledge of Windows Server and Linux operating system environments in air-gapped infrastructures.
• Demonstrated proficiency in configuring and managing virtualization platforms (VMware ESXi, vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V) including resource clustering, snapshotting, and VM deployments.
• Comprehensive understanding of network routing protocols, managed switch configurations, VLAN segmentation, firewalls, and enterprise DNS/DHCP architectures.
• Operational expertise in configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting LOS and BLOS datalinks, RF ground terminals (GDT), SATCOM systems, and GCS architectures.
• In-depth knowledge of DoD cybersecurity compliance frameworks, including DISA STIG implementation, SCAP scanning, and Risk Management Framework (RMF) controls.
• Proven capability in conducting systematic root cause analysis (RCA), log forensics, and formulating technical corrective action plans.
• Proficiency in configuration management, baseline control, and system imaging technologies.
• Demonstrated leadership ability to delegate technical tasks, review technician work products, and mentor developing technical personnel.
• Strong technical documentation, network architecture diagramming (Visio), and procedure-writing skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance is required.

Certifications (Preferred)

• CompTIA Security+, Network+, or Server+
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or CCNP
• VMware Certified Professional (VCP)