Senior Project Engineer

Senior Project Engineer

A leading defense technology company is expanding its Systems Engineering portfolio into terrestrial High Energy Laser (HEL) technologies, supporting products in the 300-500kW class. As the Senior Project Engineer, you will serve as the team's first dedicated representative in this space, focusing on execution ownership rather than system design. You will work within a 'Triad' leadership model alongside a Program Manager and a Chief Engineer.

Own program execution from cradle-to-grave, including proposal phase, award, execution, and closeout.

Shape the program baseline by allocating budgets, setting technical tasks, and scheduling post-contract award.

Serve as the technical point of contact for program execution, identifying risks and developing solutions.

Support Integrated Project Teams by resolving cross-subsystem disagreements to optimize overall system performance.

Coordinate with functional managers to build and staff the right team for program needs.

Support internal budget negotiations and represent the program in follow-on proposal activities.

Contribute to technical design reviews by preparing system readiness packages and collaborating with the Chief Engineer.

12+ years of relevant engineering and/or project engineering experience.

Direct experience with solid-state lasers, fiber lasers, High Energy lasers, or high power laser systems.

Working knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals, including requirements flow-down and system interplay.

Familiarity with technical design review milestones such as SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, MRR.

Ability to obtain and maintain a high-level U.S. government security clearance.

Engineering or related technical degree preferred.

Experience with Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and Integrated Master Schedules (IMS).

Earned Value Management (EVM) experience.

Prior DOD/defense industry experience is useful but not required.

Familiarity with Solid Works and/or Microsoft Project.

Experience in adjacent technical domains like missile defense or satellite systems is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

This is an onsite role, supporting three of the company's four P&Ls, covering space systems and payloads, and expanding into terrestrial HEL. As the Project Engineer, you will own the execution, funding/budget negotiation, technical tasking, risk identification, and subsystem optimization.

This is a Permanent position based out of Poway, CA.

The pay range for this position is $128000.00 - $229000.00/yr.

Benefits through GA. Direct placement.