Jonathan Chad Sixt

Software Engineering Manager / Development Lead

Lead the development, modernization, and deployment of aircraft-maintenance and technical-information software supporting defense aviation operations. Direct distributed software teams while coordinating application engineering, data engineering, infrastructure, cybersecurity, AI experimentation, customer priorities, and long-term modernization strategy. Active Secret clearance.

• Lead a multidisciplinary organization of approximately 20 software engineers supporting multiple applications and technical products, while serving as functional manager for a group of engineers responsible for performance, professional development, promotions, and career growth.
• Direct development and sustainment of Java, Angular, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Python, and containerized software used in aircraft-maintenance and operational-support environments.
• Manage sprint planning, backlog execution, delivery commitments, engineering quality, technical reviews, stakeholder communication, and risk resolution using Agile practices and Jira.
• Led migration of the CI/CD environment to GitLab in AWS GovCloud and advanced the use of automated builds, testing, static analysis, security scanning, and repeatable delivery processes.
• Guide modernization from application-centric, file-based workflows toward governed enterprise data, aircraft-centric data models, APIs, shared processing services, and Digital Thread capabilities.
• Lead and contribute to data-engineering initiatives involving PostgreSQL, NiFi, Docker, Tableau, data ingestion, schema design, data validation, and reusable enterprise datasets.
• Shape emerging AI and intelligent-search efforts involving semantic search, natural-language data interaction, knowledge representation, and the data foundations required for predictive maintenance and decision support.
• Develop technical strategy and white papers on operational Digital Thread, enterprise data architecture, AI readiness, cognitive infrastructure, and future aircraft-intelligence capabilities.
• Build working relationships with government customers, end users, engineering teams, program leadership, vendors, and industry partners to align technology delivery with mission needs.

Adjunct Instructor, Applied Data Science

Teach graduate-level data engineering and applied data-science courses while designing curriculum, lectures, labs, assignments, and technical demonstrations that connect foundational concepts with contemporary engineering practice.

• Design and deliver graduate instruction in practical data engineering, cloud data platforms, relational databases, data pipelines, schema design, distributed data systems, and Python-based workflows.
• Create hands-on labs using AWS services such as Amazon Redshift, Aurora, RDS, and related cloud infrastructure.
• Develop course content that integrates modern data-engineering practices, AI-assisted workflows, query optimization, data modeling, performance tuning, and responsible human oversight.
• Evaluate student work and provide technical, academic, and professional feedback that supports both mastery of course objectives and career development.

Engineering Mentor / Manager

Managed and mentored early-career engineers in an accelerator designed to provide recent graduates with practical product-development experience, professional guidance, and a pathway into engineering careers.

• Managed six engineers developing a MERN web application in collaboration with user-experience and product-management teams.
• Introduced a structured Agile delivery process using two-week sprints, daily stand-ups, design reviews, acceptance reviews, releases, and retrospectives.
• Led migration of the application deployment environment from Heroku to AWS.
• Provided technical mentoring, performance feedback, career coaching, and guidance on professional engineering practices.

Chief Technology Officer

Directed technical strategy for a pre-funded medical-device startup developing computer-vision capabilities to identify and measure potentially injury-causing events, including head impacts.

• Developed software and systems road maps for proprietary monitoring and analytics technology.
• Led prototype development using Python and OpenCV.
• Managed work performed by interns and third-party engineering resources.
• Collaborated with company leadership on investor presentations, grant proposals, intellectual-property strategy, and product direction.

Data Engineering Mentor

• Mentored students completing a structured data-engineering program and capstone projects.
• Provided guidance on technical concepts, architecture decisions, project execution, motivation, and career development.
• Helped students translate coursework into demonstrable engineering skills and professional portfolios.

R&D Principal Engineer / Architect

Recruited by the founder to lead software-development efforts for AcQMap™, an advanced cardiac mapping medical device. Played a foundational role in architecture, product development, technical-team formation, research support, external development, clinical workflow understanding, regulatory documentation, and company growth.

• Reported directly to the CEO and Vice President of R&D on software, firmware, systems, and technical-development activities.
• Architected early software and firmware solutions for data acquisition, signal processing, storage, visualization, analysis, and delivery.
• Created software architectures and technical tools supporting scientific discovery, electronics prototyping, algorithm development, and clinical evaluation.
• Developed and maintained data-acquisition and analysis software using MATLAB and C++.
• Managed third-party and distributed development teams responsible for user-interface, desktop-application, and product capabilities, including C# and WPF development.
• Led system-development activities from requirements elicitation and architectural design through integration, testing, deployment, and customer support.
• Created an AWS-based training environment that allowed device software to operate without physical medical-device hardware.
• Led integration of external medical devices and related data into the AcQMap platform.
• Created, reviewed, and maintained documentation supporting CE Mark and FDA 510(k) submissions.
• Worked within medical-device quality and risk environments involving 21 CFR Part 11, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and IEC 62304.
• Helped build the initial technical software and firmware teams and contributed to the company's growth from an early-stage startup into a publicly traded organization.

Software Consultant

• Worked directly with the Vice President of R&D and product managers to create customer-facing procedure-analysis, data-analysis, and reporting tools.
• Led development of web-based tools using the LAMP stack.
• Designed XML data-storage schemas and implemented solutions using the eXist native XML database.
• Administered virtual Linux servers running CentOS, Apache, MySQL, shell scripts, and related platform services.
• Deployed applications to virtual private-server and cloud environments and trained domestic and international customers.

SOA Architect, Software / Systems

• Provided customer-facing Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance to government organizations.
• Participated in proposal development, technical solutioning, and customer presentations supporting the SETA contract.
• Facilitated information-dominance and interoperability initiatives involving data modeling, NIEM, UCORE, service-oriented architecture, and C4ISR workflows.
• Provided Agile software-development coaching and technical support for defense-system modernization efforts.
• Developed an iOS marketing application using Objective-C.

Senior Systems Engineer / Systems Engineering Manager

• Managed and mentored a team of eight systems engineers supporting complex defense-software and systems-engineering programs.
• Conducted performance evaluations, professional development, resource planning, and performance-improvement activities.
• Developed and tested CORBA-based C++ and Java modules supporting Department of Defense systems.
• Managed the planning, design, implementation, testing, and deployment of a complex data-migration system for a defense customer.
• Worked in a CMMI Level 5 environment focused on disciplined engineering execution and continuous process improvement.

Assistant Coach / Program Leadership

• Support practice design, infield development, speed and agility, player performance, bench management, game planning, and team execution.
• Develop productive working relationships with players, coaches, parents, administrators, and the broader school community.

Head / Assistant Baseball Coach, 14U–18U

• Direct practices, game plans, defensive alignments, substitutions, offensive lineups, pitcher usage, pitch counts, and player development.
• Teach fundamentals to developing athletes and advanced concepts to experienced high-school players.

Held head and assistant coaching roles with Poway High School, Tri-City Christian High School, San Diego Crush Baseball Academy, and San Diego Eagles Baseball. Responsibilities included hitting, infield play, base running, speed and agility, player management, tournament travel, college-scout communication, practice organization, game strategy, private instruction, and long-term athlete development.