At Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD), we believe that our strengths are built on our most important resource - our people. Join EBAD and you'll be a part of a team who creates cutting edge technology that will blast us into the future. No other company can match the innovative energetic solutions that we provide. At EBAD you will actively contribute to successful missions putting men, women and satellites into space, and protecting our armed service men and women around the world. If this is the culture and work environment you are seeking, then EBAD is the place for you!

Job Description

The Proposal Development Engineer is responsible for the coordination of proposals in support of new business activity.

Responsibilities:

• Lead multi-discipline teams in the preparation of complex proposals

• Coordinate proposal activities including review of RFP requirements and flow-down to team. Create schedules, track actions, and organize review meetings

• Work with Program Manager/Director on proposal strategy and pricing recommendations

• Responsible for preparing proposal documentation, cost estimates, and pricing recommendations to management

• Maintains accurate proposal database and records

• Continuous improvements activities

Requirements:

• BS Degree in Engineering or Business is required.

• 5+ years of experience in engineering or project management

• Excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills required

• Proficiency in MS Excel and MS Word

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

Preferred Skills:

• Aerospace and Defense Industry experience including working knowledge of company product lines

• 3-5 years of experience in cost estimating is preferred

Compensation:

Salary Range: $90,000 - $125,000 per year. Salary is determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and alignment with market data.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status.

About the company

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense provides high-reliability payload release and spacecraft deployment solutions for space and defense missions. Its main products, Multi Point Payload Release Mechanisms (PRM) and Hold Down Release Mechanisms (HDRM), are precision mechanical systems that hold payloads securely during launch and release them on command to enable safe satellite deployment. The company differentiates itself with decades of aerospace heritage dating back to 1836, plus tailored engineering, rigorous testing, and strong collaboration with government and private sector clients to ensure safety and performance. The goal is to deliver dependable, proven hardware that helps customers achieve mission success while supporting STEM education and community initiatives.

Company Size

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Company Stage

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Total Funding

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Headquarters

Simsbury, Connecticut

Founded

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

January 2026 Falcon 9 Twilight mission proved PRM9103 flight success.
March 2026 Navy MK8 order and January 2026 MK68 sourcing show sticky demand.
EBAD's 2026 hiring and Top Workplace status signal continued production expansion.

What critics are saying

Beyond Gravity's 2024 suit exposed pricing leverage fights tied to Amazon Kuiper deliveries.
EBAD's customer concentration in NASA, SpaceX, and Navy programs ties revenue to few winners.
A failed Artemis III, PRM9106, or Kuiper qualification cycle would crush credibility.

What makes Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company unique

EBAD's NEA heritage still wins sole-source DoD awards in 2026.
Artemis II validated EBAD separation hardware across NASA's 2026 lunar mission.
PRM family spans 150-kilogram to 2,000-kilogram spacecraft, unlike narrow-point competitors.

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Benefits

Professional Development Budget
Health Insurance
Paid Vacation

Company News

Ebad

Sep 3rd, 2026

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Simsbury-based aerospace manufacturer honored for 190 years of innovation and its critical role in NASA's historic Artemis II mission. SIMSBURY, Conn. - September 1, 2026 - Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD) was inducted into the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame yesterday at the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Lisa Brown, EBAD's Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles, accepted the honor on behalf of the company. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal presented the induction, with Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer Kirti Patel also in attendance. The induction recognizes EBAD's 190-year manufacturing legacy in Simsbury, dating back to 1836 and William Bickford's invention of the safety fuse, as well as the company's role as a critical supplier on NASA's Artemis II mission. Hardware designed and built by EBAD performed successfully throughout Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years. During the nearly 10-day mission, which launched April 1, 2026, four astronauts traveled approximately 1.4 million miles, reaching a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth before safely returning home. EBAD engineered the critical separation hardware that helped separate Orion's Crew Module from its Service Module, a crucial step ahead of the astronauts' return to Earth. "From the same Simsbury factory where this all began, we are honored to be recognized alongside Connecticut's most iconic manufacturing innovators," said Lisa Brown, Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles, EBAD. "This induction belongs to every EBAD employee, past and present, whose precision and dedication have helped carry Connecticut manufacturing from mining safety caps to the Moon and beyond." The Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, presented by Connecticut Office of Manufacturing, brought together manufacturers, educators and state leaders to explore the technologies, strategies and workforce solutions shaping the industry's future. EBAD served as an event sponsor alongside RBC Bearings, Trumpf, CLA and Raymond James, with Fox61 as media partner. Founded in 2014, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame honors Connecticut's manufacturing and innovation legacy, celebrating a state that has served as a birthplace of innovation for more than 350 years - from the helicopter and the nuclear submarine to the first spacesuit worn on the Moon. americanmanufacturinghof.com

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

Proposal Development Engineer

About the job