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Business Unit Chief Engineer

The Business Unit Chief Engineer provides technical leadership and strategic direction for a portfolio of Maritime Imaging Systems (MIS), including Submarine, Surface Ship, and Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UxV) technologies. This role is responsible for the technical, cost, and schedule performance of a 100-person cross-functional engineering team.

Technical & Operational Responsibilities:

• Oversee the entire product development lifecycle from initial proposal and definition through production transition and long-term sustainment.
• Direct a group of 3–6 Program Chief Engineers to ensure successful project execution across the business portfolio.
• Accountable for the technical integrity and financial performance of both customer-funded projects and Internal Research and Development (IRAD) efforts.
• Act as the final decision-maker for high-level technical issues and complex engineering challenges.
• Manage engineering staffing demands by collaborating with matrixed functional organizations to ensure resource alignment.
• Review and approve Estimates to Complete (ETC), Basis of Estimates (BOE), and technical volumes for new business proposals.
• Implement disciplined Systems Engineering processes and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) methodologies.
• Guide and review Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) efforts to ensure continuous product improvement.

Functional & Leadership

Skills:

• Partner directly with the General Manager to achieve annual business objectives, including revenue and overhead budget management.
• Utilize Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS) and specific engineering metrics to analyze performance and apply corrective actions.
• Lead program baselining activities, including the approval of Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and Integrated Master Schedules (IMS).
• Represent the engineering organization as the primary point of contact for major customers and stakeholders.
• Facilitate the smooth transition of development programs into qualification and low-rate initial production.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on employee motivation, commitment, and best practices.

Behavioral

Skills:

• Strategic Vision:
  Ability to focus simultaneously on immediate program deliveries and long-term profitability goals.
• Collaboration:
  
  Skilled at working across organizational boundaries to ensure seamless deployment phases.
• Communication:
  Expert at presenting high-stakes technical briefs to internal leadership and external defense stakeholders.
• Analytical Thinking:
  Strong capability in risk and opportunity management within complex engineering environments.

Basic Qualifications:

• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Engineering (12+ years experience) OR a Master's degree/MBA (10+ years experience). Candidates without a degree require a minimum of 16 years of related experience.
• Leadership:
  Proven track record leading cross-functional teams, including at least one assignment managing a team of 40+ personnel.
• Technical Expertise:
  Deep knowledge of Maritime, Undersea, or Optical systems is highly preferred.
• Operational Knowledge:
  Experience with Control Account Management (CAM) and fixed-price development programs.