Akash Agarwal
Systems Engineer
Milpitas,CA
Summary
Lead Systems Engineer directing payload verification, tracing 700+ requirements per program cycle, requirements compliance, and engineering documentation across complex space programs. Coordinates workload, resources, and stakeholder inputs to close verification gaps, resolve technical risks, and deliver 20+ Customer Furnished Equipment waivers and deviations per year on time. Partners with engineering and leadership teams to maintain traceability, train 4+ engineers per surge period, and support executive technical briefings.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Systems Engineering – MPL Lead Systems Engineer
Lockheed Martin – Space Systems
Sunnyvale, California
12.2022 - Current
- Track 90% documentation completion rate for engineering records and customer-ready deliverables.
- Coordinate 5-10 verification tasks per week across payload requirements, documentation, and issue closure.
- Lead team workload planning, resource prioritization, and task execution to meet program milestones and customer commitments.
- Mentor and onboard new Systems Engineers during surge periods while supporting day-to-day team readiness.
- Resolve system-level and customer-level requirement gaps, verification issues, and technical risks with internal and external stakeholders.
- Develop stakeholder integration processes for requirements management and engineering documentation workflows, including CFE waivers, deviations, and approval coordination.
- Support proposals, technical evaluations, contract activities, SEL integration and testing, and executive briefings for senior leadership.
Vehicle Engineering – Responsible Engineer – Aircraft Avionics
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
San Diego, California
06.2018 - 11.2022
- Maintained system uptime 99% in flight control room displays while supporting ground and flight test operations.
- Resolved 4 avionics discrepancies per test cycle during integration, verification, and customer certification events.
- Led aircraft avionics certification support for IFF and TCAS, covering ground and flight events with certification authorities.
- Developed system-level requirements, requirement reviews, and traceability for IFF, TCAS, and new avionics capabilities.
- Created and maintained test procedures, operational procedures, and technical briefs for avionics deployment and certification.
- Coordinated suppliers, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis for LRUs, test equipment, and COMSEC support activities.
- Built ADS-B Out test tools, generated air traffic management white papers, and trained junior engineers on avionics concepts.
Vehicle Engineering – Interim Development Program Manager and Cost Account Manager
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
San Diego, California
11.2018 - 12.2019
- Prepared $500k monthly cost and earned value reports for senior management and program managers.
- Tracked 5-10 program risks and opportunities weekly to keep development issues visible across Vehicle Engineering.
- Developed cost, schedule, and risk charts for internal and external customers, and briefed management in weekly stand-ups.
- Led monthly IPT earned value reviews, participated in control account reviews, and managed monthly budgets across Vehicle Engineering programs.
- Managed program deviations and extensions, then coordinated resolution of schedule and scope changes for current and future work.
- Built variance at completion reports and supported initial cost and schedule development at new program launch.
- Completed CAM training, passed the CAM exam, and maintained readiness for program accounting and management support.
Test Engineering – Test Planning and Requirements
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
San Diego, California
08.2017 - 06.2018
- Maintained uptime 99% during integration testing across ground and flight test activities.
- Tracked 10 test issues per sprint while validating requirements for SIL and HIL integration testing.
- Developed and maintained the integrated test plan, flight test request, and MBSE test model throughout the program.
- Built the cost and schedule status report to capture added scope and support program execution reviews.
- Identified risks and opportunities for the IPT and program, supporting ongoing risk management decisions.
- Prepared technical presentations and facilitated bi-weekly meetings to keep senior management and stakeholders aligned.
- Coordinated with SPO, CTF, and ACC to secure test assets, equipment, and range access while driving action items to closure.
Project Engineering – Change Integration
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
San Diego, California
02.2017 - 08.2017
- Delivered 10 technical review packages per proposal cycle to support submittal readiness and review timing.
- Prepared senior management status slides summarizing ECP progress, baseline efforts, and execution risks.
- Managed engineering change proposals through execution while controlling change requests and change notices in Team Center Enterprise.
- Facilitated Change Control Board sessions for Global Hawk Enterprise and coordinated decisions across stakeholders.
- Built technical review packages for proposal submittal and aligned content with baseline work after award.
- Co-led the summer intern project for Change Integration, providing coordination and day-to-day guidance.
Systems Engineering
GENERALATOMICS-AERONAUTICALSYSTEMSINC.
San Diego, California
06.2013 - 02.2017
- Coordinated technical meetings with engineering teams and stakeholders to align certification work to the FAA mandate by 2020.
- Developed and maintained project schedules, technical briefs, and monthly management updates covering accomplishments, risks, and next steps.
- Built requirements verification matrices, vendor information drawings, and configuration-controlled documentation for mission computer and camera subsystem changes.
- Supported verification, validation, and test events across avionics, mission computer, and maintenance procedures, including test planning and equipment coordination.
- Prepared engineering proposals, basis of estimates, and cost analyses by coordinating input from subject matter experts.
- Resolved maintenance manual change requests, customer comments, and non-concurrence memorandums while supporting field retrofits and acceptance testing.
- Reviewed qualification test reports, maintained avionics qualification matrices, and tracked DO-160 and MIL-STD testing status for management.
Reliability and System Safety
GENERALATOMICS-AERONAUTICALSYSTEMSINC.
San Diego, California
01.2008 - 06.2013
- Produce 20% traceable hazard analyses across UAS and airborne subsystems to support release decisions.
- Maintain 5 system safety reviews per program to support hazard tracking and verification planning.
- Performed LRU and UAS predictions using predictive methods and operational data to inform reliability assessments.
- Developed system safety analysis, FTA support, and system-level FMECAs for airborne and ground subsystems.
- Created a matrix mapping SPF to pilot procedures in the AFM to strengthen operational alignment and traceability.
- Developed predictions and FMECAs for R&D designs to identify reliability risks early in the design cycle.
- Support technical review discussions with clear analysis, documentation, and safety rationale for cross-functional stakeholders.
Education
Master of Science - Systems Engineering
Pennsylvania State University
08.2016
Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering
University of California-Riverside
06.2007
Skills
- JIRA
- SAP
- Team Center
- Windchill
- Microsoft Office
- Requirements management
- Verification and validation
- Requirements traceability
- Configuration management
- Test planning
- DOORS requirements management
- Systems integration planning
- Formal risk register management
- Systems architecture definition
- Technical documentation
- Stakeholder management
- Cross-functional coordination
- Risk management
- Program execution
- Technical review facilitation
- Resource planning
- Proposal development
- Contract deliverable management
- Executive briefing preparation
- Earned value management
Interests
Aviation, First Person View (FPV) Flying, Cooking, Build RC cars, Hiking, Soccer, Baseball, Football, Traveling
Timeline
Systems Engineering – MPL Lead Systems Engineer
Lockheed Martin – Space Systems
12.2022 - Current
Vehicle Engineering – Interim Development Program Manager and Cost Account Manager
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
11.2018 - 12.2019
Vehicle Engineering – Responsible Engineer – Aircraft Avionics
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
06.2018 - 11.2022
Test Engineering – Test Planning and Requirements
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
08.2017 - 06.2018
Project Engineering – Change Integration
Northrop Grumman – Autonomous Systems
02.2017 - 08.2017
Systems Engineering
GENERALATOMICS-AERONAUTICALSYSTEMSINC.
06.2013 - 02.2017
Reliability and System Safety
GENERALATOMICS-AERONAUTICALSYSTEMSINC.
01.2008 - 06.2013
Bachelor of Science - Electrical Engineering
University of California-Riverside
Master of Science - Systems Engineering
Pennsylvania State University