Section Manager - Assembly Integration and Test

Leidos • Huntsville, AL

1d • $131,300 - $237,350

About The Position

Leidos Defense Systems is seeking a Section Manager for Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) within the Advanced Materials and Test Division. The role supports multiple hypersonics programs and the nation’s leading Hypersonic Production Program. The Section Manager leads AI&T engineers in integrating, testing, and fielding hypersonic vehicles, and is accountable for technical direction, schedule adherence, cross-functional coordination, and ensuring manufacturability and testability throughout the assembly, integration, and testing cycle. The position calls for hands-on experience with hypersonic or comparable aerospace vehicle assembly and integration, metrology, dynamic and environmental testing, mass properties testing, assembly and checkout, manufacturing processes, inspection workflows, and integration processes for complex aerospace assemblies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline with 12–15 years of relevant experience, or a master’s degree with 10–13 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience on multidisciplinary engineering teams performing AI&T of hypersonic or comparable aerospace vehicles.
• Practical knowledge of hypersonic or comparable aerospace vehicle assembly, integration, and test.
• Familiarity with producibility, fabrication processes, inspection, and manufacturing acceptance criteria.
• Proven ability to plan and run verification and validation campaigns and coordinate acceptance testing.
• Familiarity with packaging, transport, and handling requirements for missile hardware.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information to diverse stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, conflict-resolution, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Experience working with government or defense customers and knowledge of program lifecycle and contractual considerations.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a final secret clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering.
• Prior experience specifically with glide bodies, reentry vehicles, or guided munitions.
• Familiarity with relevant standards, such as MIL-STD, SAE, or ASTM.
• Experience working on prototype programs within an AS9100 production environment.
• Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a section of Metrology and AI&T engineers to deliver hypersonic vehicles according to Technical Data Package requirements, within scope, schedule, and budget.
• Oversee assembly, integration, and testing of hypersonic vehicles to ensure systems meet design and performance requirements; drive process improvement, test design and planning, test execution, and cross-functional coordination.
• Ensure compliance with system requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), safety policies, and applicable aerospace standards and regulations.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and quality teams to ensure producibility, maintain schedule commitments, and resolve nonconformances and build issues.
• Guide test planning and execution for environmental, structural, and functional verification of hypersonic vehicle components and assemblies.
• Manage technical risks through mitigation plans, verification of risk closure, and schedule or requirements adjustments as applicable.
• Maintain program-level documentation, configuration control, and technical data.
• Interface with program management, customers, and cross-program integrated product teams (IPTs) to align priorities and report technical status.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior