Chief Engineer - Defense Capability Development

Join our team as a Chief Engineer and lead the charge in innovation and efficiency. Leverage cutting-edge technology and your unparalleled expertise to drive our projects beyond the boundaries of possibility. As a Chief Engineer you will play a pivotal role in providing technical leadership, guidance, and oversight throughout the product development lifecycle. You will be responsible for maintaining technical baselines, ensuring consistency across multiple programs, and providing input on technical investment needs and staffing forecasts. Additionally, you will review and approve proposals and provide operational guidance to project engineers.The ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Aviation, and Security (IAS) business area is a leader in ISR and aviation, it is a leading prime manned and unmanned aircraft systems integrator for innovative, high-performance ISR and aviation systems. Its end-to-end Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities encompass design, integration, test, certification, ground/flight training and complete logistics support. IAS tailors solutions to customer cost, performance, and schedule requirements and designs to consistently exceed expectations – with an unrivaled record of on time and on (or under) budget deliveries.

Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical guidance and oversight throughout the product lifecycle, from concept design to final release.

Technical Baseline Management

• Develop and maintain product line technical baselines that support multiple programs, ensuring consistency, continuity, and configuration control.

Project Oversight

• Oversee and manage technology projects, ensuring alignment with business unit strategy and customer requirements.

Proposal Review

• Review and approve proposal technical and cost volumes to ensure alignment with company standards and customer expectations.

Operational Guidance

• Provide operational guidance to Project Engineers, ensuring technical alignment and project goal achievement.

Customer Interface

• Interface with customers to shape requirements and provide technical support during early pursuit phases.

Technical Reviews

• Support program and technical reviews, providing guidance on technical solution synthesis.

Team Management

• Assist in building the team, including hiring and managing several direct reports and overseeing them in their program roles and career development.
• Work with engineering mangers and functional engineering leads to recruit, hire, train, and support the engineering team.

Business Capture

• Create or oversee external and leadership-facing marketing content, along with supporting critical capture meetings and summits
  

Technical roadmap

• Contribute to, improve, and execute the technical road map of the product line and ensure internal investments are executed in line with this road map.

Qualifications You Must Have:

•  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aerospace, or a related field.
•  14+ years of engineering experience with at least 8+ years in a leadership role.
•  Higher level relevant degree may substitute for experience.
•  Thorough understanding of all phases of design lifecycle management to include requirements, design, integration, test, and sustainment. 
•  Advanced knowledge and understanding of industry best practices and techniques for program management, science, and engineering programs.
•  Possess advanced technical knowledge and experience; working knowledge of industry trends and historical context.
•  Proven ability to work with department-level business leaders and to provide leadership within the workplace. 
•  Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, including the ability to clearly express technical concepts in verbal and written forms; ability to tailor conversations to adapt to technical vs. non-technical audiences.
•  Prior experience developing and maintaining product line technical baselines that support multiple programs, ensuring consistency, continuity, and configuration control.
•  Experience developing technical proposals and cost volumes.
•  Ability to support program and technical reviews, and provide guidance to staff on technical solution synthesis.
• Shows strong decision-making skills by clearly stating the BLUF (bottom line up front), highlighting what matters most, simplifying complex information, & making timely, well-reasoned decisions that drive the biggest impact (80/20).
• Cross-disciplinary engineering expertise and ability to understand, critique, and direct engineering activities for all major facts of mission system integration (IE, Mechanical, Electrical, Structural, Systems, Software, etc.)
• Experience with technical risk identification and management approaches and processes
• Ability to manage complex situations, delegate authority, lead and inspire your team, drive innovative thinking, instill collaboration, drive for success, challenge status quo and demonstrate ability to adapt to dynamic situations

Qualifications We Prefer:

•  Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
•  8-10 years relevant leadership and/or project management experience.
•  Familiarity with industry standards and regulations in the Aerospace and Defense sector.
•  Experience with advanced engineering tools and methodologies.
•  Proven leadership abilities inclusive of successful change management, mentoring, career development, training, succession planning, holding people accountable, and conducting yearly reviews.
•  Proven experience and skills in team building, time management, conflict resolution, communication, briefing, presentation, and strategic thinking.
•  Ability to quickly grasp technical concepts and understand complex technical and program interdependencies. 
•  Previous management experience; ability to recruit employees; assign, direct, and evaluate their work; and oversee staffing development and maintenance. 
•  Demonstrated passion for ideation and innovation, as well as motivating others to act by creating a shared sense of vision or purpose.
•  Possess a strategic mindset, linking technology and business.
•  Team oriented with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision. 
•  Background in the Aerospace and Defense Industry, the US Department of Defense (Civilian), NASA/Civil or commercial space and/or US Military, with an understanding of defense, aerospace, intelligence, and adjacent markets.
• Experience in the Air Defense industry and in integration of mission systems for air defense and Counter UAS products

Essential Functions:

•  Ability to work primarily in an office or hybrid environment.
•  Ability to lift up to 10 pounds occasionally.
•  Prolonged periods of working on a computer.
•  Hand and finger dexterity for computer use.
•  Occasional travel to customer or field locations may be required.
•  Capability to work in potentially hazardous environments when visiting project sites.

This posting will be open for application for a minimum of 5 days and may be extended based on business needs.

Estimated Starting Salary Range: $232,581.24 - $319,799.21. Compensation varies depending on a wide array of factors, such as candidates' key skills, relevant work experience, and education/training/certifications. The disclosed range estimate may be adjusted for any applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled.

SNC offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.

SNC offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance. The Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF), a federal government agency, handles the adjudicative aspects of the security clearance eligibility process for industry applicants. Adjudicative factors which affect the outcome of the eligibility determination include, but are not limited to, allegiance to the U.S., foreign influence, foreign preference, criminal conduct, security violations and illegal drug use.

Learn more about the background check process for Security Clearances.

SNC is a global leader in aerospace and national security committed to moving the American Dream forward. We’re known and respected for our mission and execution focus, agility, and disruptive and rapid innovation. We provide leading edge technologies and transformative solutions that support our nation’s most critical security needs. If you are mission-focused, thrive in collaborative environments, and want to make our country stronger with state-of-the-art technologies that safeguard freedom, join our team!

SNC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an environment free of discrimination.  Employment decisions are made based on merit without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.