John Davis

John brings more than 40 years of real-time embedded software experience across commercial aviation, military and space programs. He specializes in DO-178B/C and DO-254 certification at Levels A through D. His work spans the full software life cycle: requirements, architecture, low-level hardware/software integration, MC/DC structural coverage, verification and certification liaison. He is known for recovering programs that are in trouble and bringing them to certification.

His program history includes software team lead for the C-130J Nacelle Interface Unit (DO-178B Level A), structural coverage on the F-22 Auxiliary Power Generation System, and multiple releases of the Bombardier Global Express Power Distribution System. He also worked on generator and bus control units for the Boeing P-8 and Airbus A350. More recently he led the software effort for an Auxiliary Fuel System on the Boeing BBJ/737 MAX through ODA STC, acting as liaison between the developer, the DER and the ODA. He has reverse-engineered FPGA and PLD designs to support DO-254 Level C approvals, including SOI audits and DER sign-off. He has also served as a NASA IV&V systems engineer on satellite software.

John is a contributing editor on the IEEE 1012 (Verification & Validation) Standards Working Group and a past RTCA corporate member. He co-authored an IEEE paper on using machine learning to evaluate code risk from complexity metrics. He founded Nasteks, Inc., a safety-critical software consultancy, and holds a B.S. in Computer Science, cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.