Director of Systems Engineering

DIRECTOR OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

THE COMPANY

For over 40 years, Aero Simulation, Inc. (ASI) has provided quality flight training devices to the US Military. ASI has successfully built numerous training systems with a primary focus on aircrew and maintenance training systems. Our current programs include, but are not limited to, the B-1 Training Systems (Air Force), E-2D Training Systems (Navy), CH-53E Training Devices (USMC), IMOMS (Coast Guard), Navigation, Seamanship, Shiphandling Trainer – NSST (Navy). To learn more about ASI visit Programs- Aero Simulation, Inc.

ASI is a 100% employee-owned engineering and manufacturing company committed to supporting the nation’s warfighters. Being 100% employee-owned directly impacts our culture: it drives our decision-making, motivates our teams, increases our productivity, improves retention and contributes to the future success of our company. Our culture is one where we work hard for our clients and for each other – and we have fun collaborating, sharing experience and expertise, and learning along the way. We strive to deliver exceptional quality, elevate client relationships, and enrich the careers and lives of our employee-owners. As Employee-Owners, we are invested in the success and continued development of each other and the company.

In addition to the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), we offer a flexible work environment, generous paid time off, professional development opportunities, industry competitive compensation, and superior benefits to include medical, dental, 401k and more!

ASI is a great place to build a career and grow with a company that is dedicated to quality, service and to fostering a community of support for each and every member of the team. To learn more about this opportunity, keep reading!

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Systems Engineering provides leadership and oversight of the company’s Systems and Software Engineering organizations and is responsible for ensuring the engineering organization has the technical capabilities, processes, tools, and resources necessary to successfully execute current and future programs.

The Director establishes engineering priorities and standards, develops engineering leadership and technical talent, resolves cross-program resource and technical challenges, and promotes effective systems engineering and integration across ASI programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversees Software and Systems Engineering personnel, capabilities, processes, and resources to effectively support program requirements.
• Manages engineering staffing, workload, utilization, and resource allocation across programs; resolves resource conflicts and elevates significant capacity concerns to the COO as appropriate.
• Provides guidance and support to Project Engineers in addressing technical challenges, engineering coordination, resource needs, and execution concerns.
• Establishes and maintains engineering standards, processes, tools, and best practices and drives improvements in engineering efficiency, consistency, quality, and technical capability.
• Partners with Human Resources and Group Leaders on workforce planning, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, employee development, succession planning, and retention of engineering personnel.
• Develops Group Leaders, Project Engineers, and engineering personnel through coaching, mentoring, cross-training, knowledge transfer, and professional development.
• Supports proposal activities by providing engineering staffing, labor estimates, technical input, resource requirements, and identification of execution risks.
• Ensures engineering activities comply with applicable company processes, quality requirements, configuration management practices, and technical standards.
• Keeps the COO informed of significant engineering performance, staffing, resource, technical, or capability concerns.

LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

• Provides leadership and direct supervision of Systems Engineering Group Leaders establishing priorities, expectations, and accountability for engineering performance.
• The Director maintains oversight of engineering performance without replacing the technical authority of Project Engineers and ensures engineering teams have the resources, processes, capabilities, and organizational support necessary for successful program execution.

Requirements

• EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible engineering experience in a complex technical environment.

• Minimum of 7 years of engineering leadership or management experience, including responsibility for engineering personnel, resources, and technical execution.

• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and complex systems and software development, integration, and test activities.

• Experience within the flight simulation, aerospace, defense, aviation, training systems, or similar complex technical industry strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience with systems engineering principles and practices, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration, verification, and validation.

• Demonstrated experience managing engineering resources across multiple concurrent programs and competing priorities.

• Experience with engineering planning, labor estimating, resource forecasting, technical risk management, and performance monitoring.

• Experience supporting the complete engineering lifecycle from requirements and design through integration, verification, validation, testing, and delivery.

• Demonstrated experience developing engineering leaders and technical personnel.

• Experience supporting proposals, technical estimates, and transition from contract award to execution preferred.

• Working knowledge of ISO 9001, configuration management, cybersecurity requirements, and government contracting environments preferred.

• Demonstrated success improving engineering processes, organizational effectiveness, technical execution, and accountability.

• ADDITIONAL REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong understanding of systems engineering and software engineering principles and their application within complex integrated systems.

• Strong understanding of the engineering lifecycle, including requirements, architecture, design, development, integration, verification, validation, testing, configuration management, and release.

• Ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering organizations while balancing technical requirements with cost, schedule, resource, quality, and customer considerations.

• Strong workforce planning, resource management, prioritization, and organizational skills.

• Ability to evaluate complex technical issues and determine when additional technical or executive involvement is necessary.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills.

• Demonstrated ability to develop leaders, establish accountability, and manage organizational performance.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with technical personnel, program leadership, executives, customers, and other stakeholders.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and make timely decisions in a multi-program environment.

• Strong commitment to technical excellence, quality, continuous improvement, collaboration, and customer success.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline required.

• Master's degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Business Administration (MBA), or a related field (preferred).

• Equivalent combination of education and significant relevant engineering leadership experience may be considered.

• EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. Citizenship Required: As a federal contractor supporting the U.S. warfighter, it is required that all employees in this role be United States citizens in compliance with government contract and security requirements.

• Background Check: Must be able to successfully pass an initial background screening.

• Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain and maintain an active Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance. The selected candidate will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information, as required by the position.

• Work Schedule Flexibility: Occasional overtime and alternate shifts may be required to meet customer schedules, critical deadlines, or program milestones.

• Travel

• Requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and, on occasion, internationally to customer sites, partner locations, or project meetings in support of contract objectives.

• Drug-Free Workplace: ASI maintains a Drug-Free Workplace. Applicants and employees are subject to pre-employment and random drug testing