Project Engineering Manager

Job Summary

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and produces a variety of high-technology systems. GA-EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missiles, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Project Engineering Manager to join our team in Rancho Bernardo, CA. This position leads a team of Project Engineers who serve as engineering leads responsible for driving multi-disciplinary engineering teams through the product development lifecycle with particular emphasis on systems engineering. This position reports to the leadership of our ALRE Program Engineering Super-directorate and is responsible for the lifecycle engineering management predominantly supporting the U.S. Navy Ford-class Aircraft Launch and Recovery (ALRE) carrier programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversees a department of project engineers and engineering control account managers who in turn manage activities for engineering project(s) including planning and managing technical performance to ensure technical, quality, business, and financial objectives are attained.
• Manage and implement current, annual and long-term technical, schedule, quality, business, and financial objectives for the engineering unit(s) and may also participate in the development of Group/Company objectives.
• As necessary participate in and coordinate the establishment of design concepts, criteria, and engineering approaches for product research, development, testing, and integration.
• Interact with internal and external representatives at various levels concerning resolution of technical and scheduling issues. Act as primary contact for engineering activities.
• Oversees project engineers who participate in the preparation of proposals, business plans, proposal work statements and specifications, operating budgets and financial terms/conditions of contract(s). May perform the same role directly.
• Ensure technical leadership and excellence is maintained by participating in the planning, attraction, selection, retention, and development of the required management, professional, and technical talent.
• Oversees project engineers who hold progress review sessions to discuss cost, schedule, and technical performance. Routinely holds review sessions to discuss performance of project engineering team with functional management colleagues
• Identify engineering issues (technical, staffing, execution, or schedule related) and provide leadership in developing solutions, such as re-allocation of staff or alternate plans.
• Works with other engineering managers and project managers to aide in resolution of conflicts relating to plans, resources, infrastructure and approach for engineering efforts.
• May participate in the development of new business opportunities and expansion of existing business opportunities.
• Manage the development of and ensure the security of the unit's proprietary technology, and maintain the strict confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Responsible for ensuring all laws, regulations and other applicable obligations are observed wherever and whenever business is conducted on behalf of the Company. Responsible for ensuring work is accomplished in a safe manner in accordance with established operating procedures and practices.
• Balances department workload and assignments of staff. Works in concert with project leadership and planning staff to understand long term needs and supports hiring and internal searches for project engineers to assign to programs or proposals.
• Develops strategies and implements improvements for systems engineering and project engineer and proliferates throughout the organization.
• Assigns Project Engineers for proposals; works with other managers to identify surge support, and obtain tasking during periods of low workload.
• Establishes yearly performance goals for the department personnel; Generates and provides performance feedback on a recurring basis through one-on-one meetings and yearly performance reviews.
• Provides oversight and support to direct reports in Project Engineering and delegates performing Project Engineering roles. May also serve as a Project Engineer on a program.
• Provides guidance, support, and mentorship, or ensures they have access to these resources.
• Works with management (their own, functional, & programmatic) to establish standards of work & best practices; Ensures implementation of best practices for systems engineering, project engineering, planning, work breakdown, and overall engineering program approach.
• Regularly holds meetings to report aggregate project engineering performance to management
• This role is responsible for the performance of Project Engineers with the following general responsibilities:
  • Accountable for engineering team, plan, tasks and performance.
  • Leads the team in the formulation of the tailored engineering plan that implements company processes and appropriate SE and AI&T practices.
  • Lead the execution and implementation of the engineering process in concert with the Chief Engineer and Project Manager.
  • Ensure that program technical resource needs are defined and met by working with engineering functional departments.
  • Leads engineering activities of a cross-functional engineering team and execute program plans to conform to cost, schedule, and performance commitments.
  • May represent the engineering functional organization in interactions with senior leadership and project management organizations.
  • Works with engineering functional management to resolve issues limiting progress.
  • Organize engineering work and gather engineering inputs to support the development and maintenance of the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS):
    • Provide day-to-day prioritization of tasks in the engineering schedule.
    • Works with others to maintain up to date engineering manpower estimates.
    • Manage the planning, execution, and tracking/reporting of all technical aspects of the engineering development for company systems.
    • Responsible for the implementation and execution of the engineering processes.
    • Lead the engineering team through traditional product development and systems engineering processes, phases, and traditional milestone reviews.
    • Leads Engineering planning and estimation for proposals and white papers; works with engineering staff to develop Bases of Estimates.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as eleven or more years of progressively complex engineering experience with at least 5 of those years having management responsibilities. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
• Demonstrates broad technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice with the ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads to meet established deadlines or milestones, with significant experience in project leadership and project management.
• Must possess the ability to resolve management and technical problems.
• Requires strong skills in management, project management, leadership, communication, systems engineering, and engineering technical disciplines.
• Extensive experience and knowledge systems engineering processes, and best-practices.
• Detailed knowledge and extensive application of risk management, change management, scope management, earned value management, schedule management
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of system verification and validation
• Experience with lifecycle planning, and integration for DOD systems is desired.
• Strong communication, leadership, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to enable an effective interface with other departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, potential customers, and government representatives
• Must be capable of representing the organization as a prime technical contact, as well as providing leadership and guidance to less experienced professionals.
• Customer focused, must be able to work on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
• Contract orientation: understand and apply statement of work requirements, familiarize stakeholders with contract and organization requirements.
• Detailed working knowledge of PLM/Windchill is desired.
• Strong computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project) are required.
• Multi-tasking team player with a hands-on approach; customer-focused, formulates plans based on the development of innovative new designs in resolving advanced technical engineering problems.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads of technical team to meet established deadlines or milestones
• Broad, multi-disciplinary technical expertise and a history of applying of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice in a dynamic environment.
• Previous DOD experience highly desirable.
• Must be customer focused and able to work on a self-initiated basis or in a team environment and able to work extended hours and travel as required. Travel Expectations: 10-20%
• Ability to obtain and maintain DoD Secret or higher security clearance is required.