Engineering Manager - Air to Air Refueling

Eaton’s AER MSD Mission System Division is currently seeking an Engineering Manager – Air to Air Refueling. This role is based in Davenport, IA. Relocation assistance will be provided to candidates within the hiring country.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $130,000 – $190,000 a year. This position is also eligible for a variable incentive program.

Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

Eaton Aerospace Group Mission Systems Division (MSD) has an opening for an Engineering Manager leading the Air-to-Air Refueling (AAR) team in Davenport, IA. The Engineering Manager – AAR Lead – position reports to the Senior Engineering Manager – Wimborne. The primary function of this position is to lead the development of AAR systems and products as part of the Davenport portfolio, including hose and drogue systems, fuel tanks, and refueling probes.

The primary responsibilities of the role include organizational capability development, global aerospace alignment, improved program execution using disciplined engineering processes, risk management, and portfolio/resource planning using leading indicators & metrics. Additional areas of focus will be the implementation of organizational performance measures, the development of best‑cost country (BCC) engineering capabilities, the refinement and implementation of technology strategy for specific business units, and the advancement of engineering capabilities to support the development of next‑generation products and systems.

• Lead a global team of up to 40 highly professional & technical engineering staff to develop AAR systems and components. The team is responsible for initial customer engagement, bid and proposal activities, product development through qualification, and support to the sustaining engineering team.
• Lead the development program execution using robust design practices and implementation of efficient methods.
• Organize and build a talent base within the AAR engineering team; create opportunities for growth and development and provide functional leadership for engineering managers and teams.
• Assure that efforts to improve the efficiency of the engineering functions emphasize creative organizational management, effective use of engineering tools, appropriate training, and continuous improvement.
• Drive consistency and best practices across the organization with respect to product documentation, design standards, and related material specifications. This is accomplished on a cooperative global basis to improve efficiency by avoiding duplication and to provide a basis for product strategy and enhanced corporate image as a global supplier.
• Assure that product designs are competitive on a global basis with respect to quality, reliability, and cost.
• Establish customer relationships to enable successful product execution.
• Collaborate with Sr. Manager – AAR Wimborne on development projects, innovation, and processes.
• Collaborate with peers across MSD to build skill depth, share best practices, and assist in achieving site and divisional goals.
• Use best practices of robust design (Design for Six Sigma, DFSS) and promote an “analysis first” mindset.
• Build capability in the AAR team utilizing digital processes aligned to the aerospace group strategy, e.g., MBD and MBSE.
• Assure that proprietary rights and product liability concerns of the aerospace group are addressed by interacting with corporate legal staff.
• Establish an engineering strategy and implement tactical measures to ensure implementation is realized.
• Lead the team efforts supporting the continued growth and productivity of the Pune, India engineering center.
• Identify key engineering metrics, monitor performance, and implement improvements accordingly.
• Maintain close liaison with the Operational Excellence organization to ensure high quality and year‑over‑year manufacturing cost reductions.
• Establish and maintain contacts with universities to develop advanced products and potential new hires.
• Other…