In this episode of The Techne Connect, Dan Scheuer, Director of Engineering (Space) at General Atomics, lifts the lid on building and operating end-to-end space systems.
He traces his path from San Diego aviation fan to leading a 130-strong, full-discipline team delivering optical payloads, space vehicles and ground operations—sharing highlights from MQ-9 Block 50 control stations to weather satellites, wildlife-tracking missions and coronagraphs.
Dan dives into leadership at scale—vision, strategy and the hard art of letting go—plus why ownership, fast decision-making and bi-directional loyalty shape resilient engineering cultures. He unpacks how modern conflict is driving proliferated, replaceable architectures, why digital engineering and electrical design talent are in urgent demand, and how AI should be used for analysis over autopilot. Expect candid advice for graduates, insights on career mobility, and a grounded take on building mission-critical teams that deliver from concept to launch and beyond.
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