Engineering Manager – Configuration Management & Design

Overview

Engineering Manager – Configuration Management & Design Support

Job details

General information

Entity

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.

Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.

Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.

Reference number

Job details

Domain

Research, design and development

Job field / Job profile

Architecture and systems engineering - Engineering methods and tools

Job title

Engineering Manager – Configuration Management & Design Support

Employment type

Permanent

Professional category

Professional, Engineer & Manager

Part time / Full time

Full-time

Job description

Job Summary:

The Engineering Manager – Configuration Management & Design Support at SEDA USA in Irvine, CA, leads a team focused on maintaining the integrity, traceability, and accuracy of engineering data and documentation throughout the entire product lifecycle. This role champions configuration management best practices and provides comprehensive design support to engineering teams, ensuring robust processes and superior technical outcomes in alignment with SAFRAN global standards.

The Engineering Manager engages and develops the team, drives continuous improvement initiatives, and acts as a key technical and managerial resource within the organization.

Essential Job Functions:

• Lead, develop, and motivate a team specializing in configuration management and design support; team may include configuration analysts, drawing checkers, and designers.
• Oversee and optimize configuration management policies, procedures, and tools to ensure SEDA USA's compliance with SAFRAN standards and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Manage and enforce engineering change processes: oversee change requests, product baselines, document control, and effective communication of changes across project teams.
• Support the design engineering team by ensuring accurate and timely management of product data and documentation, enabling seamless project execution.
• Guide the team through rigorous product development processes to deliver predictable and high-quality results.
• Act as the initial point of escalation for any issues impacting configuration integrity or design data within SEDA USA projects.
• Develop and implement training and mentorship programs to foster technical mastery, compliance awareness, and positive team morale.
• Plan and conduct internal audits and reviews of configuration management processes, preparing the team for external compliance assessments.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and project management teams to ensure the consistent application of configuration control and integration of design requirements.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders—including other Safran entities, customers, and suppliers—to clarify requirements and resolve issues related to product data and configuration.
• Regularly report project status, risks, and corrective actions to SEDA engineering leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement for configuration management and design support practices, identifying and implementing process enhancements.
• Coordinate with international SAFRAN manufacturing sites when needed to support configuration management through development and serial production phases.

But what else?…