Department of Defense

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Senior Manager, Systems Engineering | Aerospace & Defense Leadership | Waco, TX

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Senior Manager, Systems Engineering

📍 Waco, Texas (Onsite)
🕒 9/80 Schedule – Every Other Friday Off
💰 $190,000 - $220,000 Base Salary
🚚 Relocation Assistance Available
✈️ Aerospace, Defense & Advanced Mission Systems
👥 Engineering Leadership Opportunity

Lead High-Impact Engineering Teams Supporting Advanced Aerospace & Defense Programs

An industry-leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a Senior Manager, Systems Engineering to lead and develop multidisciplinary engineering teams supporting complex aircraft modification, systems integration, mission systems, and advanced technology programs.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced engineering leader who combines strong technical depth with proven people leadership, strategic planning, and program execution capabilities.

You'll oversee teams responsible for the design, integration, and delivery of sophisticated systems supporting both military and commercial customers while playing a key role in shaping departmental strategy, workforce planning, technical excellence, and long-term business growth.

If you're passionate about leading engineers, solving complex technical challenges, influencing organizational strategy, and delivering mission-critical solutions, this role offers outstanding visibility, responsibility, and career progression.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This is not a traditional engineering management role.

You'll operate at the intersection of engineering leadership, program execution, customer engagement, workforce planning, and strategic business growth.

You'll help define how engineering teams support future programs, influence hiring and staffing strategies, drive technical excellence, and partner directly with senior leadership to ensure successful program execution.

Highlights include:

  • Lead multiple engineering teams supporting complex aerospace and defense programs

  • Direct influence on departmental strategy and workforce growth

  • High visibility with executive leadership and customers

  • Opportunity to shape future engineering capabilities and talent development

  • Significant involvement in proposal development and business growth initiatives

  • Exposure to both military and commercial aviation programs

  • Strong technical and leadership career progression opportunities

What You'll Be Doing

Engineering Leadership & Team Development

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse team of Systems Engineers and technical professionals

  • Create a culture focused on technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

  • Establish training and professional development plans to support long-term organizational goals

  • Support employee growth, performance management, succession planning, and talent development initiatives

  • Foster strong collaboration across engineering, program management, operations, and customer teams

Strategic Workforce Planning

  • Forecast engineering resource requirements based on current and future program demand

  • Develop hiring strategies and workforce plans to support business growth

  • Lead recruiting efforts and participate in candidate selection processes

  • Ensure teams are appropriately staffed to meet program commitments and customer expectations

  • Support long-term capability development across the engineering organization

Program & Technical Leadership

  • Provide leadership and oversight across multiple engineering programs and integration efforts

  • Partner closely with Program Managers and Project Engineers to ensure successful execution

  • Review engineering schedules, budgets, risks, and resource allocations

  • Support engineering teams throughout the full program lifecycle

  • Ensure technical solutions align with customer requirements, budgets, and schedules

Systems Engineering Excellence

  • Lead and review systems engineering activities including:

    • Requirements analysis

    • System architecture development

    • Trade studies

    • System integration planning

    • Verification and validation activities

    • Technical baseline management

  • Ensure customer requirements are translated into clear, verifiable system-level requirements

  • Review engineering trade studies for technical accuracy, completeness, and feasibility

  • Support development of complex integrated system architectures

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

  • Serve as a key technical leader during customer interactions

  • Build strong relationships with military, government, commercial, and internal stakeholders

  • Present technical information to executive leadership, customers, and engineering teams

  • Represent the organization during technical reviews, program meetings, and customer engagements

  • Facilitate collaboration between engineering, program management, and customers to ensure alignment and success

Business Growth & Proposal Support

  • Support new business capture activities and proposal development efforts

  • Participate in labor estimating, Basis of Estimate (BOE) creation, and technical proposal development

  • Contribute to growth strategies and future program planning

  • Support investment planning and technical roadmap development

Department Operations & Financial Management

  • Manage departmental budgets and overhead spending

  • Ensure engineering teams have the tools, resources, and infrastructure required to succeed

  • Monitor departmental performance against strategic goals and operating plans

  • Drive process improvements and operational efficiencies across the organization

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline

  • Minimum 12 years of relevant engineering experience with a Bachelor's Degree

OR

  • Minimum 10 years of relevant engineering experience with an advanced degree

  • Previous engineering leadership or management experience

  • Strong understanding of Systems Engineering principles and methodologies

  • Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams

  • Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills

Highly Preferred Experience

Systems Engineering

  • Requirements management

  • System architecture development

  • Trade study execution and evaluation

  • System integration

  • Verification & validation

  • Technical baseline management

  • Full engineering lifecycle experience

Leadership & Program Management

  • Functional management experience

  • IPT (Integrated Product Team) leadership

  • Workforce planning and hiring

  • Resource forecasting

  • Budget management

  • Engineering operations leadership

  • Strategic planning and execution

Business Development

  • Proposal development

  • Basis of Estimate (BOE) creation

  • Technical volume development

  • Customer engagement and presentations

Aerospace, Defense & Mission Systems

Experience supporting:

  • Aircraft modification programs

  • Avionics integration

  • Mission systems

  • Defense platforms

  • Government programs

  • Complex system integration efforts

Cybersecurity Experience

Experience supporting cybersecurity-focused engineering teams or cybersecurity programs is considered a strong plus.

Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

  • Strategic thinking and planning

  • Exceptional problem-solving abilities

  • Strong business acumen

  • Critical thinking and sound decision-making

  • Team leadership and coaching skills

  • Executive-level communication capabilities

  • Accountability and ownership mentality

  • Ability to influence across multiple functions and stakeholder groups

Security & Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred

  • Active Secret Clearance

Compensation & Benefits

💰 Base Salary: $190,000 - $220,000

Additional benefits include:

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

  • Retirement savings plans

  • Paid time off and company holidays

  • Professional development opportunities

  • Relocation assistance for qualified candidates

  • Interview travel reimbursement

  • Long-term career advancement opportunities

  • 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off

Why Join?

This is an outstanding opportunity to lead talented engineering teams working on complex, high-visibility aerospace and defense programs that have a direct impact on mission success.

You'll help shape engineering strategy, influence future business growth, develop the next generation of engineering talent, and work alongside some of the industry's most respected technical professionals.

If you're an experienced engineering leader looking for a role that combines technical depth, people leadership, business impact, and long-term career growth, we'd love to hear from you.

 

Lead Electrical Engineer – Aircraft Systems Integration | Aerospace & Defense | Waco, TX

Lead Electrical Engineer – Aircraft Systems Integration

📍 Waco, Texas (100% Onsite)
💰 $150,000 - $170,000 Base Salary
🚚 Relocation Assistance Available
🕒 9/80 Schedule – Every Other Friday Off
✈️ Aerospace, Defense & Aircraft Modification Programs

Design the Systems That Power Mission-Critical Aircraft

An industry-leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to support advanced aircraft modification and systems integration programs.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced electrical engineer who enjoys hands-on engineering, solving complex integration challenges, and seeing their designs deployed on real-world aircraft platforms.

You'll play a key role in the design, integration, testing, and verification of aircraft electrical systems, supporting major avionics upgrades, mission system integrations, power distribution systems, and aircraft modernization initiatives.

Whether your experience comes from aerospace, transportation, automotive, military vehicles, rail, heavy equipment, industrial controls, or other complex electrical systems environments, this role offers the chance to apply your expertise to some of the most advanced airborne platforms in operation today.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This isn't a desk-only design role.

You'll be involved throughout the full engineering lifecycle—from requirements and design through integration, troubleshooting, aircraft testing, and operational deployment.

You'll work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams while gaining direct exposure to aircraft systems, advanced avionics technologies, and mission-critical defense programs.

Highlights include:

  • Work directly on operational aircraft platforms

  • Lead complex electrical integration and modification projects

  • Design and validate aircraft power and signal interfaces

  • Participate in lab testing and aircraft testing activities

  • Influence technical solutions and engineering decisions

  • Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership

  • Outstanding long-term growth opportunities within aerospace and defense

What You'll Be Doing

Aircraft Electrical Systems Design

  • Design and develop electrical integration solutions for aircraft modification programs

  • Support avionics upgrades and aircraft systems modernization initiatives

  • Develop electrical interface designs and power distribution solutions

  • Apply electrical requirements and design standards to complex integration efforts

  • Generate professional engineering drawings, documentation, and technical reports

Systems Integration & Verification

  • Support integration of electrical, avionics, and mission systems

  • Evaluate wiring architectures, signal interfaces, and power requirements

  • Verify electrical interfaces and system compatibility

  • Troubleshoot integration issues and identify root causes

  • Support hardware installation and aircraft modification activities

Testing & Validation

  • Develop electrical test plans and verification procedures

  • Conduct testing in laboratory and aircraft environments

  • Analyze test results and resolve technical issues

  • Support qualification, acceptance, and operational testing activities

  • Ensure systems meet performance and customer requirements

Technical Leadership

  • Serve as a technical leader within the Electrical Engineering team

  • Support project planning, budget tracking, and schedule management

  • Mentor and develop junior engineers

  • Coordinate activities across engineering disciplines

  • Drive technical excellence and engineering best practices

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline

AND

  • Minimum 9 years of relevant engineering experience

OR

  • Master's Degree with 7+ years of relevant experience

OR

  • 13+ years of relevant experience in lieu of degree

Required Technical Experience

  • Electrical systems integration

  • Wiring and signal interface design

  • Electrical design for complex systems

  • Troubleshooting and verification testing

  • Interface control and systems integration activities

  • Experience with at least one electrical CAD platform

CAD Tool Experience

Experience with one or more of the following:

  • Visual Engineer

  • AutoCAD Electrical

  • Capital Harness

  • Similar electrical design and harness development tools

Highly Preferred Experience

Wire Harness & Interconnect Design

Candidates with experience in:

  • Wire harness design

  • Electrical routing

  • Connector selection

  • Signal integrity

  • Power distribution systems

  • Interface design

will be especially attractive.

Industry-specific aerospace experience is not required. Candidates from other complex engineering environments with strong electrical integration backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Aerospace & Military Standards

Exposure to any of the following is beneficial:

  • SAE AS50881

  • MIL-STD-704

  • MIL-E-7016

  • SAE ARP4754

  • MIL-STD-461

  • MIL-STD-810

  • MIL-STD-882

  • MIL-HDBK-516

Additional Preferred Experience

  • Aircraft systems integration

  • Avionics upgrades

  • Military aircraft modification programs

  • Power distribution systems

  • Digital and analog signal interfaces

  • System troubleshooting and root cause analysis

  • Engineering leadership or task leadership experience

Technical Knowledge Areas

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of:

  • Digital and analog signal interfaces

  • Voltage drop considerations

  • Timing requirements

  • Data communications and handshaking protocols

  • Electrical power distribution

  • System-level integration challenges

  • Verification and validation processes

Work Environment

This role combines office, laboratory, and aircraft environments.

Candidates should be comfortable:

  • Working directly on aircraft

  • Operating in aircraft hangars

  • Climbing into and around aircraft

  • Supporting installation and test activities

  • Working in confined areas when necessary

  • Participating in hands-on troubleshooting efforts

Security Requirements

Candidates must:

  • Be U.S. Citizens

  • Be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense Security Clearance

Preferred

  • Active DoD Secret Clearance

Travel & Schedule

✈️ Less than 10% travel

🕒 9/80 Schedule

Enjoy every other Friday off while supporting exciting aerospace programs.

Occasional overtime may be required based on program schedules and testing activities.

Compensation & Benefits

💰 Base Salary: $150,000 - $170,000

Additional benefits include:

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

  • Retirement savings plans

  • Paid time off and company holidays

  • Relocation assistance for qualified candidates

  • Interview travel reimbursement

  • Professional development opportunities

  • Long-term career advancement within a growing aerospace organization

Why Join?

This is a unique opportunity to work on highly visible aircraft modernization and systems integration programs where your engineering expertise will directly influence the performance, reliability, and capability of mission-critical aircraft.

You'll join a team that values technical excellence, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning while offering exposure to cutting-edge aerospace technologies and complex engineering challenges.

If you're an experienced Electrical Engineer with strong systems integration and wire harness design experience looking for your next career-defining opportunity, we'd love to hear from you.

 

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Senior Engineering Manager – Undersea Systems – Canonsburg, PA - $195,000 - $205,000 (Flexible DOE)

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Senior Engineering Manager – Undersea Systems – Canonsburg, PA - $195,000 - $205,000 (Flexible DOE)

 

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced Senior Engineering Manager (SEM) to lead a world-class engineering team dedicated to the development of advanced weapon systems. In this role, you will oversee the design, testing, and production support of cutting-edge systems for the Department of Defense. You will play a key role in managing complex projects while ensuring the performance excellence of a mid-sized engineering department. The successful candidate will balance leadership responsibilities with direct involvement in program tasking, driving both technical and managerial success.

 

 Key Responsibilities 

-          Lead and manage engineering teams in System Engineering, Integration & Test (SEIT), Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Configuration/Data Management. 

-          Provide leadership in the development and execution of engineering tasks for complex DoD programs, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and system performance. 

-          Oversee all aspects of team management including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, career development, coaching/mentoring, and performance management. 

-          Collaborate with the Program Manager, Chief Engineer, and program leads to make critical decisions on system architecture, design, and technology choices. 

-          Lead the creation of proposals, technical strategies, and cost estimates. 

-          Drive risk mitigation efforts and ensure all engineering teams contribute to risk management plans. 

-          Promote innovative technology initiatives and ensure cross-functional collaboration. 

-          Establish operational objectives, work plans, and performance measures, and delegate assignments effectively. 

-          Conduct senior management reviews to evaluate the success of engineering operations and adjust strategies as necessary.

 

 Qualifications 

-          Basic Qualifications: 

-          Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Software, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering, plus a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree with at least 8 years of experience. 

-          Leadership experience managing engineering teams and overseeing development and production programs, including budget and scheduling responsibilities. 

 

- Preferred Skills: 

-          Hands-on engineering experience in complex embedded electronics programs within the past 4 years. 

-          Proven experience leading weapon system development and embedded electronics programs. 

-          Expertise in real-time systems, high-reliability performance, and operations in extreme environments. 

-          Excellent technical leadership, including guiding teams through design, test, integration, and production. 

-          Strong ability to communicate and negotiate effectively with stakeholders. 

-          Experience in managing geographically dispersed teams and collaborating across functional areas. 

-          Ability to deliver design artifacts, engineering models, proof-of-design units, manufacturing units, and factory test equipment. 

 

 Clearance Requirements 

-          Department of Defense Secret security clearance must be obtainable within a reasonable amount of time from hire. U.S. citizenship is required due to the nature of the work performed.

 

 What Sets You Apart 

-          Experience developing complex integrated hardware and software systems requiring high reliability and real-time performance. 

-          Demonstrated success in building and managing high-performing teams. 

-          Proven track record of leading engineering projects from concept to production. 

-          Strong negotiation and consensus-building skills with customers and internal teams. 

-          Technical and management credibility in the defense sector. 

 

 Our Commitment to You 

-          An exciting career path with opportunities for continuous learning and development. 

-          Competitive benefits package, including 401k matching, flexible time off, healthcare benefits, health and wellness programs, and more. 

-          Research-oriented work on security-critical systems alongside award-winning teams. 

-          Flexible schedules, including the option of a 9/80 schedule (every other Friday off). 

 

If you are ready to make an impact on national security and lead a team of innovative engineers, we encourage you to apply.

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