Principal Engineering Cost Account Manager

TRIDENT SYSTEMS LLC•Littleton, VA

2d•$115,000 - $213,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems (SES) division, we believe in the power of using strong engineering principles to drive innovation and solve complex problems. We foster a culture of rigorous engineering and continuous improvement, leveraging the full knowledge of our organization through collaborative product development processes that include design and peer reviews. We combine our expertise in space electronics with right-sized development processes to create innovative, high-performance space-based electronic systems that meet our customers' evolving needs. We are a mission partner supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil space customers. We develop complex, radiation effects mitigated, designs that balance competing requirements in modern space programs, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to achieve more in space. The Principal Engineering Cost Account Manager (CAM) will drive the execution and financial control of complex, integrated hardware and software engineering developments for aerospace and defense programs. Acting as both the primary operational steward and a leader for critical program control accounts, the CAM is directly accountable for cost and schedule execution. The successful candidate will leverage an engineering background to deeply understand technical scope, coordinate cross-functional activities, and serve as the central execution leader for the development team. In this role, the CAM will proactively identify technical risks, track hardware/software integration dependencies, and partner with Program Management and functional leadership to resolve variances. Execution will require a strong command of both traditional Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) and Agile development methodologies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science/Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent relevant experience).
Minimum of 9 years of professional engineering and development experience within the aerospace and defense industry.
Prior experience serving as a Cost Account Manager (CAM) or working intimately within an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) framework.
Solid understanding of the full hardware and software development lifecycle, hardware/software integration, and Agile methodologies.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills with a proven ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams or serving as a technical lead/product owner.
Certified Scrum Master (CSM), SAFe Agilist/Scrum Master, or equivalent Agile certification.
Project Management Professional (PMP)

Responsibilities

Manage cost accounts, monitor budgets, and take full accountability for cost and schedule compliance.
Analyze weekly cost and schedule variances, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
Maintain accurate Estimates at Completion (EAC) based on actual engineering progress and remaining work.
Partner with schedulers to maintain a realistic, logic-driven Integrated Master Schedule (IMS).
Translate Agile engineering metrics (sprints, velocity) into traditional milestone tracking.
Forecast engineering staffing needs to ensure the team can meet upcoming deliverables.
Ability to support travel or off-site work, as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Health benefits
Medical
Dental
Vision
Basic life with AD&D
Short term disability
Long term disability
Ancillary (Voluntary life with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet)
Spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCFSA)
Paid time off
Holidays
401(k) (including company match)
Tuition reimbursement
Leaves (Parental, maternity, and military)
Annual discretionary bonus (for eligible roles)