Development Engineer

Development Engineer

This opportunity is located within our Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company business, a global leader of mission-critical hardware and systems solutions including precision energetics systems and innovative explosive solutions.

Job Description

EBAD's continued growth requires an experienced engineer for the position of Development Engineer, for the A&D side of the business (Products: CAD/PAD & Explosive & Inert Mechanisms) reporting to the Product Development Lead. The position is located in Moorpark, CA.

This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned engineer to expand their leadership capabilities while driving impactful project execution through technical expertise, project management, and process improvement.

Responsibilities:

The Development Engineer is a technically oriented project engineer focused on detailed project planning, technical execution, and disciplined delivery of aerospace and defense products in development. This role leads a cross- functional team through the design, development, qualification, and transition to production of mechanical and energetic systems.

The Development Engineer owns both technical integrity and schedule performance, ensuring programs meet customer requirements while maintaining margin, mitigating risk, and driving execution.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Create a cohesive team environment and lead the product team through the EBAD product lifecycle process in support of overall program milestones, deliverables, and objectives.
• Translate the integrated project schedule into actionable daily and weekly engineering tasks, managing team action items through structured communication, accountability, and proactive removal of roadblocks.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules in MS Project, understanding task interdependencies and managing shifting priorities.
• Guide teams through upset conditions; drive recovery plans and reestablish forward progress toward key milestones.
• Collaborate with Program Management to proactively plan customer deliverables, design reviews, test events, hardware builds, and qualification activities aligned with overall program objectives.
• Provide strategic technical guidance to the Program Manager on schedule, cost, and technical risks to enable informed decision- making.
• Utilize visual management system to lead project team meetings, ensuring alignment on priorities, performance tracking, and transparent status communication.
• Generate, allocate, and verify requirements; ensure compliance to customer and government/ military specifications.
• Lead internal reviews:
  Spec Req Review, Risk Review, Design Concept Review, Prelim Design Reviews, Prelim 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 by performing design trade studies, tolerance analyses, and hand calculations to support sound technical decisions.
• Interact with suppliers to rapid prototype parts for risk reduction testing.
• Plan and oversee Development Verification Testing ( DVT), including test requirement development, procedure review, and validation of performance to requirements 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 from development through qualification into production.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required ( Mechanical or Aerospace preferred).
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in project engineering, product development, or technical program leadership ( or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 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.
• Stro…