Deputy Program Manager, Engineering; DPME) Combatants and Mission Systems; FCMS

Deputy Program Manager, Engineering (DPME)

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) is seeking a highly skilled, motivated, and mission-focused Deputy Program Manager, Engineering (DPME) to join the Future Combatants and Mission Systems (FCMS) business area.

FCMS is at the forefront of designing, integrating, testing, and delivering mission systems for the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet. Our teams help transform operational needs into capable, fleet-ready solutions rapidly designing, integrating, and deploying critical products and upgrades to ships and Sailors. This is an opportunity to lead engineering across a dynamic portfolio that directly advances the surface-warfare capability the Fleet depends on.

We work across the full engineering and delivery lifecycle from defining requirements and developing solutions to integration, test, installation, and fielding so that high-quality products reach operational platforms quickly and reliably.

Position Overview

• The DPME is a key engineering leader responsible for guiding projects from concept through delivery and fleet deployment. You will lead cross-functional engineering execution to ensure technically sound, high-quality mission capabilities are designed, integrated, tested, and delivered on schedule and within program commitments. The successful candidate will combine disciplined systems engineering and program execution with a strong sense of ownership, urgency, and commitment to Fleet readiness.

• Key Responsibilities

  • Lead engineering execution from project initiation through integration, test, delivery, and fleet deployment.
  • Develop and maintain engineering plans that align technical requirements, customer needs, schedules, budgets, and delivery objectives.
  • Ensure engineering deliverables and technical documentation are complete, compliant, high quality, and delivered on schedule.
  • Validate system requirements and oversee system integration, verification, test, and readiness for operational use.
  • Establish and analyze engineering performance measures; implement corrective actions to resolve technical and programmatic issues.
  • Drive proactive technical risk, opportunity, and engineering change management to protect scope, cost, schedule, and customer commitments.
  • Lead collaboration across engineering, program management, operations, supply chain, test, installation, and customer organizations to accelerate mission-capability delivery.
  • Conduct lessons-learned activities and identify AI-enabled opportunities that improve engineering quality, efficiency, insight, and speed of execution.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Technical and Analytical

  • Strong problem-solving ability in complex, multi-disciplinary engineering and program environments.
  • Experience applying systems engineering and project management practices across multiple life cycles, including Agile execution.
  • Working knowledge of program performance and control methods, including SPI, CPI, Earned Value Management (EVM), Cost Account Management (CAM), and Statistical Process Control.
  • Ability to balance rapid execution with disciplined engineering, quality, system verification, cybersecurity, and mission readiness.
  • Ability to anticipate technology, process, and workforce needs that support program execution and growth.

  Leadership and Communication

  • Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams, align stakeholders, resolve conflicts, and manage competing priorities.
  • Strong communication, organizational, planning, and time-management skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex technical and programmatic information to diverse audiences.
  • Commitment to delivering reliable, mission-critical capability to the Fleet with urgency and accountability.

  Preferred Technical Skills and Experience

  The ideal candidate brings systems engineering leadership and practical experience with shipboard infrastructure, cybersecurity, networking, virtualization, and fleet delivery. Candidates are not expected to possess every skill listed; technical leadership and the ability to develop expertise rapidly are highly valued.

  • Total Ship Computing Environment (TSCE):
    Experience with TSCE architectures, software-baseline updates, engineering changes, MBSE tools such as Cameo or Magic Draw, cross-class configuration management, and fleet availability coordination.
  • Virtualization and infrastructure:
    Experience with VMware vSphere, ESXi, vCenter, clustering, virtual-machine lifecycle management, server consolidation, SAN storage, and isolated-network services such as Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP.
  • Networking and communications:
    Cisco CCNA-level knowledge or equivalent experience with switches, routers, firewalls, VPNs, VLANs, network segmentation, SATCOM, and multi-enclave shipboard network design.
  • Cybersecurity and accreditation:
    CompTIA Security+-level knowledge or equivalent experience with DISA STIGs, secure configuration management, vulnerability remediation, cyber-resilient design, Navy/DoD authorization processes, encryption, and IDS/IPS…