Systems Engineer - Project Engineer V

About the role

The 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. This Level V engineer role represents engineering leadership at the enterprise level, contributing directly to organizational strategy, process improvement, and technology development initiatives. The hire will lead technical baseline definition, configuration management, and system integration planning while mentoring project engineers and functional leads. They will also chair or provide executive-level support for major design and integration reviews, ensuring readiness and compliance with technical performance metrics.

Key facts

What you'll do

Define and guide system architecture, integration, and verification strategies aligned with customer and mission objectives while overseeing engineering execution across multiple Integrated Product Teams and major subcontractors. Lead technical baseline definition, configuration management, and system integration planning to ensure coherent implementation. Chair or provide executive-level support for major design and integration reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR, confirming 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 with clarity and precision. Manage and approve Statements of Work, subcontractor technical deliverables, and major supplier design inputs to maintain strict contractual fidelity. Develop and implement advanced risk and opportunity management frameworks across enterprise-level programs, driving proactive identification and mitigation. Provide mentorship, coaching, and technical oversight to project engineers and functional leads, cultivating a high-performance technical environment. Support proposal development, cost estimation, and new business capture activities through deep technical insight and strategic alignment. Guide and enforce adherence to systems engineering standards, model-based engineering practices, and configuration control to ensure process integrity. Drive organizational engineering process improvements, knowledge management, and best practices to elevate program execution and outcomes.

Requirements

Must have or be able to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret Clearance as a non-negotiable security requirement. Demonstrated success leading large-scale, multi-disciplinary engineering projects through the full lifecycle - from concept development through verification, qualification, and delivery with consistent execution. Proven ability to develop and execute technical strategies aligned with business and program objectives, ensuring that solutions meet defined goals and constraints. Exceptional leadership, influencing, and mentoring abilities across engineering, program management, and customer teams to foster collaboration and accountability. Strong technical depth and judgment to guide architecture-level decisions and complex trade studies under uncertainty and competing demands. Proactive, strategic thinker with a continuous improvement mindset and commitment to technical excellence and mission success in challenging environments. Advanced knowledge of DoD acquisition frameworks, contract structures, and customer interface management to navigate complex regulatory contexts effectively.

Experience

Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in project engineering, systems engineering, or program-level technical leadership to build sufficient technical maturity. Proven experience managing large-scale DoD or MDA programs, including complex system integration and verification activities across distributed teams. Demonstrated success as a Control Account Manager and technical lead under EVMS-compliant contracts, showing fiscal and schedule discipline. Deep understanding of DoD acquisition lifecycle (DoDI 5000 series) and MIL-STD systems engineering processes to ensure compliant execution. Experience overseeing major subcontractors, suppliers, and multi-disciplinary engineering teams to coordinate efforts and resolve interface issues. Background in propulsion systems, flight vehicle integration, or complex electro-mechanical systems preferred for domain-specific insight. Prior experience leading customer engagements, proposal efforts, and engineering process improvement initiatives to strengthen organizational capabilities.

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 filed 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 while maintaining clarity of purpose. Expertise in system integration, verification planning, and risk-based engineering approaches to anticipate and resolve complex challenges. Strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills - capable of engaging executive and customer audiences with confidence and precision. Proficient with engineering management and project planning tools such as Microsoft Project, Primavera, or equivalent for schedule and resource control. Skilled in data-driven decision making, technical trade analysis, and configuration control to ensure rigor and traceability. Strong interpersonal skills for guiding and motivating diverse, high-performing teams across cultural and functional boundaries. Experienced with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio for documentation, reporting, and visualization needs.

Practical notes

Hours, travel, visa, or deadlines

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