Project Engineer (Aerospace)

Project Engineer

We are seeking a highly motivated Project Engineer to drive the technical execution of complex aerospace projects. This role bridges engineering disciplines, ensuring coordination between design, manufacturing, supply chains, and test teams to ensure technical alignment and timely delivery. The Project Engineer serves as the technical point of contact, working closely with the Chief Engineer, engineering team, and management team to align technical execution with the overall system architecture, risk posture, and long-term technology strategy.

Karman Space & Defense provides concept-to-production solutions for mission-critical systems on spacecraft, launch vehicles, missiles, hypersonics, and integrated defense systems. We believe that solving the industry's most complex and mission-critical challenges requires relentless determination and a willingness to push the boundaries of possibility. Karman Space & Defense brings to bear unparalleled production capabilities, unmatched engineering expertise, and unflinching analysis to render the impossible, possible.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead engineering execution across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring project milestones are met.
• Work across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and testing teams to resolve challenges.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the engineering team and Chief Engineering, ensuring alignment on technical decisions, risk management, and system maturation planning.
• Identify and mitigate technical and programmatic risks, escalating critical issues to the Chief Engineer, engineering, and management team as needed.
• Oversee design reviews, test planning, and verification activities to ensure compliance with specifications.
• Assist in developing technical documentation, including test plans, reports, and risk assessments.
• Work with Program Management to balance technical scope, schedule, and cost constraints.
• Support maturation planning, working with the Chief Engineer to define technical roadmaps, technology readiness levels (TRLs), and critical development milestones.
• Drive continuous improvement in engineering execution, process efficiency, and risk mitigation strategies.

Education and Experience

• B.S. or M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent
• Typically possesses 5+ years aerospace and/or defense experience, system engineering, or project execution roles.
• Strong understanding of aerospace design, manufacturing, and testing processes.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a hands-on approach to resolving technical challenges.
• Experience coordinating between engineering teams, suppliers, and leadership.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present technical trade-offs and risk assessments to leadership.
• Experience with requirement management
• Demonstrated technical leadership with strong ability to develop, plan and execute multidisciplinary projects.
• Self-motivated, able to multi-task, work independently on assignments with minimal oversight or direction
• Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain a DoD SECRET clearance

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, certain positions may require applicants to be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

No travel required for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Karman is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis ("protected class") including, but not limited to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform servicemember status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.