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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

Manufactures high-reliability payload release systems

Integrated Product Team Leader

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Senior, Expert
Bachelor's
Graham, KY, USA
In Person10% travel may be required.
Project & Program ManagementProject Management
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline is required.
  • Five to ten years of experience in engineering, project execution, or operations within a complex manufacturing environment such as aerospace or defense is required.
  • Demonstrated experience managing cost, schedule, and scope for projects is required.
  • Experience developing cost estimates, establishing cost baselines, and managing project budgets is required.
  • The ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority and drive accountability to commitments is required.
  • Strong planning and organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities are required.
  • Experience identifying risks and implementing mitigation strategies to protect project outcomes is required.
  • Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret project performance data and drive corrective actions, are required.
  • Effective communication skills and the ability to engage across functions and organizational levels are required.
Responsibilities
  • Own full lifecycle execution of assigned projects, including scope, schedule, cost, and risk, with authority to make day-to-day execution and prioritization decisions.
  • Lead cross-functional integrated product teams across engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and finance and drive alignment to meet project commitments.
  • Develop and drive executable project plans, schedules, and milestones aligned to customer requirements and business objectives.
  • Lead cost, schedule, and technical trade decisions within program scope, escalating when impacts exceed defined thresholds.
  • Partner with Program Managers to align scope, execution, customer expectations, and contractual requirements, escalating when outside defined thresholds.
  • Drive execution through the Ensign Bickford Operating System, establishing operating cadence and visual management to manage risk, schedule, and cost.
  • Hold cross-functional teams accountable to commitments and drive on-time delivery.
  • Identify risks and issues, implement mitigation plans, and drive closure to protect cost and schedule.
  • Own project cost performance from estimate to execution, including modeling, budgeting, and recovery actions.
  • Drive cost variance identification and corrective action to meet financial targets.
  • Provide clear visibility into project status, risks, cost performance, and recovery plans, escalating issues with recommended solutions to maintain delivery commitments.
  • Lead structured problem-solving and continuous improvement (Kaizen) to eliminate root causes and improve execution performance.
  • Contribute to proposal development by owning execution planning inputs and ensuring scope, cost, and schedules are executable and incorporate risk appropriately.
  • Ensure effective transition of projects from development to production with cross-functional alignment.
  • Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, statement of work, and internal processes.
  • Capture lessons learned and implement improvements to strengthen future project execution.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in both development and production project environments is preferred.
  • Familiarity with lean principles, visual management, and structured problem-solving methodologies is preferred.
  • Experience supporting or leading proposal efforts, including cost and schedule development, is preferred.
  • Understanding of financial management concepts, including forecasting, estimate at completion, and variance analysis, is preferred.
  • Experience operating within structured execution systems such as EBOS is preferred.

About the company

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Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company

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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

N/A

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Simsbury, Connecticut

Founded

N/A

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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 h...

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