General and Operations Manager, Senior & Chief Engineer

General And Operations Manager, Senior / Chief Engineer

Shape the future of naval aviation warfare. Lead a multi-disciplinary engineering workforce delivering next-generation weapons integration, software validation, and flight test architecture for NAWCWD China Lake. This critical role serves as both an operational contract authority and the principal systems engineering champion for advanced tactical platforms.

In this high-yield career opportunity, you'll be responsible for:

• Performing as the principal technical authority and operational co-lead for the contract.
• Serving as the principal technical interface to the Navy's internal Technical Directors and Integrated Product Team (IPT) leads.
• Governing the entire systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements derivation, system architecture validation, configuration control boards (CCBs), and hardware/software airworthiness readiness.
• Establishing contract-wide engineering methodologies, safety-of-flight processes, and cybersecurity compliance for advanced weapon systems.
• Working in tandem with the Executive Program Manager, helping translate the Navy's strategic warfare objectives into executable systems engineering workflows.
• Overseeing the technical output of lower-level engineering teams across avionics, uncrewed systems, and range instrumentation networks.
• Managing multi-disciplinary engineering teams across weapon system development, flight test integration, software verification, and possibly laboratory operations.
• Managing, guiding and directing lower-level technical/engineering managers, and providing technical support on advanced engineering issues.
• Other responsibilities, as needed.

Core Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Technical Governance & Architecture:
  Serve as the final technical authority for systems engineering, hardware/software development, and network architecture supporting NAWCWD platforms.
• Resource & Labor Loading:
  Forecast technical staffing needs, manage labor loading metrics, and align engineering expertise against complex task orders.
• Interdisciplinary Leadership:
  Direct cross-functional Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) spanning aerospace, electrical, cybersecurity, and data-product fields.
• Systems Verification & Validation:
  Oversee requirements management, configuration definition, trade studies, and the review/approval of engineering drawings, test plans, and qualification metrics.
• Client Interface:
  Function as the primary technical point of contact for Government program authorities, providing senior-level technical briefs, risk analyses, and status updates.
• Risk & Lifecycle Management:
  Drive root-cause analyses, system safety protocols, failure mode assessments (FMEA), and rapid-response correction plans for uncrewed or platform systems

Why Join the Mission at China Lake?

• Pioneering Impact:
  Direct influence over the tactical systems deployed by the U.S. Navy fleet worldwide.
• Long-Term Stability:
  Leadership role anchored within a multi-year, highly stable technical support vehicle.
• Premier Testing Environment:
  Work directly alongside elite military test squadrons in a world-class live-fire testing range network.

Requirements

Education/Experience/

Skills:

• MS/MA Degree in relevant technical field. ALLOWABLE SUBSTITUTION: A BS or BA degree and an additional four (4) years of experience.
• Minimum of twenty (20) years of combined aviation and management experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years of management experience providing guidance and direction to lower-level technical/engineering managers, and providing technical support on advanced engineering issues.
• Current Driver's License required; must be able to be insured through company's vehicle insurance policy while driving work/government/rental vehicles during working hours, and for the duration of employment.
• U.S. Citizenship required and you must be able to obtain a U.S. DoD Secret Security Clearance at a bare minimum prior to start date and maintain a Secret clearance throughout employment. An active Top Secret (TS) clearance is preferred.
• All candidates will be required to pass background screening to include SSN, Driver Record, and Criminal Background…