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.