Systems Engineer - Project Engineer V

Job Summary:

The Systems Engineer - Project Engineer V serves as a senior technical authority and strategic integrator for high-complexity defense and aerospace programs. The individual provides technical direction and programmatic oversight across engineering disciplines, ensuring alignment of design, performance, and risk with mission and contractual requirements. The Level V engineer represents engineering leadership at the enterprise level, contributing to organizational strategy, process improvement, and technology development initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as chief project engineer or senior technical lead for large, multi-phase, or multi-contract defense and aerospace programs
• Define and guide system architecture, integration, and verification strategies aligned with customer and mission objectives
• Oversee engineering execution across multiple Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and major subcontractors, ensuring technical, cost, and schedule compliance
• Lead technical baseline definition, configuration management, and system integration planning
• Chair or provide executive-level support for major design and integration reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure readiness and compliance with technical performance metrics
• Serve as the primary engineering interface to executive management and DoD customers , supporting technical interchange meetings and milestone reviews
• Manage and approve Statements of Work (SOWs), subcontractor technical deliverables, and major supplier design inputs
• Develop and implement advanced risk and opportunity management frameworks across enterprise-level programs
• Provide mentorship, coaching, and technical oversight to project engineers and functional leads
• Support proposal development, cost estimation, and new business capture activities
• Guide and enforce adherence to systems engineering standards, model-based engineering practices, and configuration control
• Drive organizational engineering process improvements, knowledge management, and best practices

Required Qualifications:

• Must have or be able to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret Clearance
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale, multi-disciplinary engineering projects through the full lifecycle—from concept development through verification, qualification, and delivery
• Proven ability to develop and execute technical strategies aligned with business and program objectives
• Exceptional leadership, influencing, and mentoring abilities across engineering, program management, and customer teams
• Strong technical depth and judgment to guide architecture-level decisions and complex trade studies
• Proactive, strategic thinker with a continuous improvement mindset and commitment to technical excellence and mission success
• Advanced knowledge of DoD acquisition frameworks , contract structures, and customer interface management

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in project engineering, systems engineering, or program-level technical leadership
• Proven experience managing large-scale DoD or MDA programs , including complex system integration and verification activities
• Demonstrated success as a Control Account Manager (CAM) and technical lead under EVMS-compliant contracts
• Deep understanding of DoD acquisition lifecycle (DoDI 5000 series) and MIL-STD systems engineering processes
• Experience overseeing major subcontractors, suppliers, and multi-disciplinary engineering teams
• Background in propulsion systems, flight vehicle integration, or complex electro-mechanical systems preferred
• Prior experience leading customer engagements, proposal efforts, and engineering process improvement initiatives

Education:

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, or related STEM field with 10 years of experience in project engineering OR Master’s degree in project engineering or related STEM field with 8 years of experience OR 14 years of experience in project engineering in lieu of a degree OR High School Diploma or Equivalent

Skills:

• Advanced technical and organizational leadership skills, with the ability to manage ambiguity and competing priorities
• Expertise in system integration, verification planning, and risk-based engineering approaches
• Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills—capable of engaging executive and customer audiences
• Proficient with engineering management and project planning tools ( Microsoft Project, Primavera, or equivalent )
• Skilled in data-driven decision making, technical trade analysis, and configuration control
• Strong interpersonal skills for guiding and motivating diverse, high-performing teams
• Experienced with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio

Others:

• Must be able to travel approximately 10% of the time to support program and customer needs
• Must be comfortable working in secure or classified environments, as required
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven development environment
• Ability to balance multiple priorities across concurrent workstreams
• Committed to mission success, technical integrity, and collaborative execution in a national defense environment