Development Engineer

Development Engineer – Ensign‑Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company – Moorpark, CA

Position summary:

An experienced engineer who can lead cross‑functional teams and drive the full lifecycle of mechanical and energetic systems from design through qualification to production.

• Lead a cross‑functional team through the design, development, qualification and transition to production of mechanical and energetic systems.
• Create a cohesive team environment and lead the product team through the product lifecycle process to meet program milestones.
• Translate the integrated project schedule into actionable daily and weekly engineering tasks, managing team action items through structured communication and removal of roadblocks.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules in MS Project, managing task interdependencies and shifting priorities.
• Guide teams through upset conditions, drive recovery plans and reestablish forward progress toward key milestones.
• Collaborate with Program Management to plan customer deliverables, design reviews, test events, hardware builds and qualification activities aligned with program objectives.
• Provide strategic technical guidance to the Program Manager on schedule, cost and technical risks.
• Lead project team meetings using a visual management system, ensuring alignment on priorities and transparent status communication.
• Generate, allocate and verify requirements, ensuring compliance with customer and government/military specifications.
• Lead internal reviews:
  Spec Req Review, Risk Review, Design Concept Review, Preliminary Design Reviews, Preliminary Technical Data Package Drawing Review, Long‑Lead Procurement Design Reviews, DFMEA Creation, DVT Test Readiness Reviews, Critical Design Reviews, Production Technical Data Package Review.
• Manage risk mitigation planning, including margin assessment and verification strategy in DVT.
• Develop and maintain the technical data package through design trade studies, tolerance analyses and hand calculations.
• Interact with suppliers for rapid prototype parts and risk reduction testing.
• Plan and oversee Development Verification Testing (DVT), including test requirement development and validation of performance with appropriate margin.
• Interface directly with customers and suppliers on technical, schedule and execution matters.
• Coordinate closely with manufacturing, quality and supply chain teams to ensure producibility and smooth transition to production.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical or Aerospace preferred).
• Minimum of 7years of experience in project engineering, product development or technical program leadership.
• Experience leading multi‑function technical teams through product development.
• Demonstrated ability to manage detailed project schedules and drive execution to milestones.
• Experience applying customer requirements and government/military specifications.
• Strong problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis capability.
• Technical competence in mechanical design fundamentals, including GD&T interpretation and tolerance analysis.
• Demonstrated experience generating 3D models and 2D drawings;
  Solid Works preferred.
• Experience supporting or leading product development and qualification testing.
• Experience with cost estimating and technical proposal support.
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office tools (MS Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Must have or be able to obtain a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) security clearance and be capable of working on DoD and ITAR restricted products.

Salary Range: $120,000 – $150,000 per year.

Ensign‑Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin or veteran status.