Director Software Development Jobs in Philadelphia, PA

Position Summary

The Senior Software Engineering Manager will lead the development, verification, certification, and lifecycle management of safety-critical embedded software for aerospace and avionics products. This role is responsible for providing technical and organizational leadership to software engineering teams developing airborne electronic equipment and Line Replaceable Units (LRUs).

The successful candidate will have strong experience with RTCA DO-178C, working knowledge of RTCA DO-254, and understanding of avionics communication interfaces and protocols including RS-422/RS-485, ARINC 429, ARINC 825 (CAN-based communication), and other equivalent aircraft data communication interfaces.

The position requires a combination of software engineering leadership, embedded systems, data communication expertise, certification knowledge, customer interaction, project execution, and cross-functional coordination with Systems, Hardware, Safety, Test, Quality, Program Management, and Certification teams.

This leader will manage a direct team of software engineers in Harleysville, PA, with dottedline leadership of a global support team in India and collaboration across engineering groups in Wichita, KS; Bothell, WA; and Bangalore, India. Success in this role requires deep technical credibility in safetycritical avionics software, strong people leadership, and disciplined execution in a regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

Technical & Certification Leadership

• Provide technical and organizational leadership for DO-178C certified software programs, including planning, execution, technical reviews, and Stage of Involvement (SOI) audits.
• Own software lifecycle compliance from concept development through certification, product release, and in-service support.
• Lead the review, analysis, and disposition of Open Problem Reports (OPRs) in accordance with AC 20-189 guidance and regulatory requirements.

• Ensure all software development and certification artifacts meet compliance and certification objectives, including:

 PSAC, SDP, SVP,SCMP, QAP, SRD, SDD,SVCP, SVRSCI and SAS

• High-level and low-level requirements
• Requirements traceability, verification evidence, and configuration baselines
• SOI audit preparation and checklist compliance.

• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) during certification activities, interfacing with regulatory authorities (FAA/EASA), certification representatives, customers, and audit teams.
• Drive compliance, risk mitigation, and continuous process improvement across software development, verification, quality assurance, and certification activities.

People & Team Leadership

• Lead and manage software engineering teams responsible for embedded avionics software development, integration, verification, and certification.

• Provide technical direction and mentoring to software engineers, software leads, and verification engineers.

• Establish software development plans, schedules, resource requirements, technical priorities, and execution strategies

•  Ensure software projects meet customer requirements, cost, schedule, quality, and certification objectives.
• Support resource planning, hiring, performance management, competency development, and succession planning within the software engineering function.

• Support hiring, onboarding, succession planning, and performance management of the team.

Program & CrossFunctional Execution

• Partner closely with systems engineering, hardware, quality, manufacturing, and program management to deliver integrated power system solutions.
• Translate systemlevel and certification requirements into executable software plans and schedules.
• Manage staffing, capacity, and technical risk across multiple concurrent programs.
• Escalate and resolve technical, schedule, or certification risks early and decisively.

Technology, Process, & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and maintain best practices for embedded and airborne software development, including coding standards, design reviews, and verification strategy.
• Drive continuous improvement in software engineering processes, tools, development environments, and verification methods.
• Champion disciplined use of requirements management, change control, and defect management tools.
• Mentor teams in modern but certappropriate development approaches (e.g., Agile within DO178 ,DO-254 and data communication constraints).
• Support application of DO-178C supplements such as DO-330, DO-331, DO-332, and DO-333 when applicable.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Typically, 10+ years of progressive software engineering experience in embedded or realtime systems.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity, decision-making, work quality, and to reduce costs. The successful candidate must be able to identify appropriate AI use cases and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs.
• Significant engineering leadership experience, including people management.
• Demonstrated ownership of RTCA DO178 C software programs, from planning through certification guidelines.

• Experience of avionics communication interfaces and protocols including RS-422/RS-485, ARINC 825 (CAN-based communication), and other equivalent aircraft data communication interfaces.
• Working Knowledge of RTCA DO-254.
• Experience of preparation and maintenance of DO-178 C/DO-254 Lifecycle data

• Strong understanding of safetycritical software architecture, verification independence, configuration management, and tool qualification considerations.
• Proven ability to lead multisite and global engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in relevant technical discipline.
• Experience with aircraft electrical power systems, avionics, or flightcritical control software.
• Experience with FAA, EASA, military airworthiness authorities, DERs, or equivalent. certification organizations Familiarity with:

• DOORS or equivalent requirements management tools
• Cybersecurity elements relevant to avionics (e.g., secure boot, encryption, hashing)
• Embedded C/C++, realtime operating systems (RTOS)

• Experience operating within matrixed or dottedline organizational structures.
• Experience with ARP4754A/ARP4754B and ARP4761/ARP4761A
• Experience with avionics LRUs, aircraft control electronics, power electronics controllers, actuation systems, cabin electronics, fuel management systems, or similar airborne equipment.

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Safetyfirst mindset with uncompromising attention to product quality.
• Strong technical judgment and ability to balance schedule, cost, and certification risk.
• Clear, concise communicator with engineers, executives, and external stakeholders.
• Comfortable making decisions in complex, regulated environments.
• Trusted leader who sets direction, removes obstacles, and develops talent.