Senior Manager, Project Engineering

TRIDENT SYSTEMS • Sterling, VA

3d

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Project Engineering leads and develops the project engineering team, whose members serve as integrating technical execution leads on Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems programs. The team owns the engineering execution baseline, including scope and work breakdown structure, integrated master schedule, cost account performance and estimate-to-complete, technical risk, configuration management, and the technical review cadence.

The role leads project engineering across multiple concurrent space electronics programs in partnership with Program Managers, who hold program accountability, and Chief Engineers, who hold design authority. It oversees technical governance, cost and schedule performance, and engineering execution while developing the team and holding it accountable to commitments. The role supports programs serving DoD, Intelligence Community, and civil space customers, and may require travel or off-site work as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science/Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• At least 12 years of professional engineering and development experience, or at least 10 years with a graduate degree, including aerospace and defense industry experience.
• Prior experience as a Technical Project Manager or Cost Account Manager, or intimate working experience within an EVMS framework, owning cost and schedule on complex hardware development programs, including WBS development, integrated scheduling, variance analysis, and EAC/ETC.
• Solid understanding of the full systems engineering development lifecycle, hardware/software integration, and Agile methodologies using JIRA.
• Experience planning and leading formal technical reviews such as SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR.
• Experience with requirements traceability and configuration management/change control.
• Experience providing technical direction or leading engineering teams or projects.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to clearly explain technical and programmatic status to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in a STEM field or engineering management.
• Prior line-management experience, including hiring, performance reviews, and salary planning.
• Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), SAFe Agilist/Scrum Master, or equivalent project management or Agile certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead the project engineering team across multiple concurrent programs as the integrating technical lead, in partnership with Program Managers and Chief Engineers.
• Own the definition of system and product scope and the engineering work breakdown structure.
• Establish and execute program governance and the technical review cadence, including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, ORR, and FRR.
• Ensure internal design reviews and customer technical reviews are completed to achieve program milestones.
• Manage and develop the project engineering team through performance management, goal setting, coaching, career development, regular one-on-ones, and performance reviews.
• Provide candid feedback and guidance, identify training, mentoring, and cross-training opportunities, support succession planning for critical skills, and foster a collaborative, transparent, and accountable team culture.
• Oversee cost account management across programs and hold the team accountable for cost and schedule compliance within an EVMS framework.
• Provide technical oversight to ensure weekly cost and schedule variance analysis, root cause identification, corrective action, and estimates at completion that reflect engineering progress and remaining work.
• Partner with Program Managers and schedulers to maintain realistic, logic-driven Integrated Master Schedules and program milestones.
• Ensure Agile engineering metrics, such as sprints and velocity, are translated into traditional milestone and earned-value reporting.
• Forecast engineering staffing needs across programs.
• Support travel or off-site work as needed and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Basic life insurance with AD&D
• Short-term disability
• Long-term disability
• Ancillary voluntary benefits, including life insurance with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet coverage
• Spending accounts, including HSA, FSA, and DCFSA
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• 401(k), including company match
• Tuition reimbursement
• Leaves, including parental, maternity, and military leave
• Annual discretionary bonus for eligible roles

What This Job Offers

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