Section Manager - Assembly Integration and Test

Leidos • Huntsville, AL

5d

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 responsible for integrating, testing, and fielding hypersonic vehicles, and is accountable for technical direction, schedule adherence, cross-functional coordination, manufacturability, and testability throughout the assembly, integration, and testing cycle.

The position requires hands-on experience with hypersonic or comparable aerospace vehicle assembly and integration, along with familiarity with metrology, dynamic testing, environmental testing, and mass properties testing. The Section Manager develops and implements inspection workflows and integration processes for complex aerospace assemblies, manages technical risks and program documentation, and works with program management, customers, and cross-program teams to deliver vehicles in accordance with technical requirements, scope, schedule, and budget.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline and 12–15 years of relevant experience, or a master’s degree and 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 testing.
• Familiarity with producibility, fabrication processes, inspection, and manufacturing acceptance criteria.
• Ability to plan and conduct verification/validation campaigns and coordinate acceptance testing.
• Familiarity with packaging, transport, and handling requirements for missile hardware.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presenting 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 with glide bodies, reentry vehicles, or guided munitions.
• Familiarity with relevant standards such as MIL-STD, SAE, and ASTM.
• Experience working on prototype programs in 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 the assembly, integration, and testing of hypersonic vehicles to ensure systems meet design and performance requirements.
• Lead process improvement, assembly, integration, test design, test planning, and test execution, coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Ensure compliance with system requirements, interface control documents, 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 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 to align priorities and report technical status.

What This Job Offers

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