Director of Engineering

Description

The Director of Engineering leads GMRE’s Engineering organization and is accountable for its people, technical capabilities, processes, resources, and performance in support of current programs and future business objectives. This position ensures disciplined engineering and successful program execution by developing engineering talent, allocating qualified resources, overseeing technical processes and reviews, and partnering with Program Managers, the Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineers, Program Engineers and Functional Leads. The ideal candidate combines proven engineering leadership and systems engineering expertise with strong business judgment, communication, decision-making, and customer relationship skills.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the GMRE Engineering organization, establishing clear priorities, accountability, performance expectations, and alignment with company objectives. 
• Develop and execute an engineering strategy that supports current programs, customer needs, and future business growth. 
• Recruit, manage, mentor, develop, and retain a high-performing, multidisciplinary engineering workforce. 
• Establish workforce and succession plans that address current staffing requirements, future capability needs, and technical-leadership continuity. 
• Allocate qualified engineering personnel across programs based on contractual commitments, company priorities, technical risk, and available capacity. 
• Develop and sustain the engineering competencies, tools, laboratories, infrastructure, and external partnerships required for successful execution. 
• Establish, approve, and continuously improve engineering policies, processes, procedures, methods, and performance measures. 
• Ensure programs apply disciplined systems-engineering practices throughout requirements development, design, integration, verification, production, installation, and sustainment. 
• Provide organizational oversight of engineering execution while preserving the Lead Systems Engineer’s authority over the program technical baseline. 
• Ensure programs conduct rigorous requirements, preliminary design, critical design, test-readiness, production-readiness, and other technical reviews. 
• Monitor engineering performance across the program portfolio and intervene when staffing, capability, process, technical risk, or execution issues threaten program success. 
• Review technical approaches and engineering products for feasibility, process compliance, resource sufficiency, and alignment with organizational capabilities. 
• Develop and approve credible engineering staffing plans, resource estimates, schedules, bases of estimate, and proposal commitments. 
• Advise senior leadership on engineering capacity, workforce needs, technical and organizational risks, capability investments, and strategic priorities. 
• Build effective relationships with customers, stakeholders, Program Managers, the Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineers, Functional Leads, partners, suppliers, and other GMRE organizations. 

WHY WORK FOR GMRE?

GMRE is a small veteran-owned company who cares about our employees. We offer health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), vacation, Paid Time Off (PTO), or Paid Sick Leave (PSL) based on state laws, paid holidays, and life insurance to all permanent full-time employees. GMRE’s mission is to provide high quality engineering and technical services to help our customers grow and succeed. 

GMRE is an equal opportunity employer. GMRE is committed to making employment decisions based on valid requirements, without regard to age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other applicable status protected by state or local laws.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. 

Requirements

REQUIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES 

• Education and technical experience: Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline, with substantial progressive experience leading complex, multidisciplinary engineering programs or organizations; an advanced technical or business degree is preferred. 
• Engineering leadership: Demonstrated ability to recruit, lead, mentor, develop, and retain high-performing engineering teams while managing staffing, performance, succession planning, and competing program priorities. 
• Systems engineering expertise: Strong knowledge of requirements development, system architecture, design, integration, verification, validation, configuration management, production, installation, and sustainment across the product life cycle. 
• Business and program management: Experience developing technical strategies, proposals, staffing plans, resource estimates, bases of estimate, schedules, risk assessments, and executable engineering commitments. 
• Communication and decision-making: Strong judgment and ability to communicate complex technical and organizational issues, resolve cross-functional challenges, influence senior leaders, and build effective relationships with customers, program teams, partners, and employees.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor of Science in Management or Engineering AND 15 years of technical experience in aviation or adjacent technological field
• 10 years of program and personnel management experience
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products
• Oral and written communication skills

SECURITY CLEARANCE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a minimum of an active U.S. SECRET clearance and be subject to a government security investigation. 
• Driving or renting a car for company business is expected with some frequency. For insurance purposes, a valid driver’s license is required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff.
• Oversees the daily workflow of the department.
• Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations
• Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. 

TRAVEL REQUIRED

• Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position for meetings, trainings, and/or site visits.
• Position could travel up to 30% of the time out of state and overnight to fulfill contract requirements.