Program Chief Engineer

Position Title:

Program Chief Engineer Position Description

Protingent Staffing has an exciting Direct Hire Program Chief Engineer opportunity located in Toronto, Canada

• This role offers hybrid flexibility but requires an on-site work presence at the Toronto HQ
• Provide technical leadership across Systems, Software, Electrical, Mechanical, RF, GNC, Payload, AIT, Manufacturing, Operations, and Product Assurance
• Drive engineering convergence toward a technically coherent spacecraft and keep engineering activities aligned with mission objectives
• Drive engineering progress, maintain technical momentum, and identify and remove technical roadblocks
• Ensure timely technical decision-making and accountability across engineering disciplines
• Lead rigorous technical reviews across all spacecraft subsystems, including design reviews, anomaly reviews, and readiness reviews
• Challenge assumptions, analyses, margins, interfaces, and verification evidence
• Make timely, evidence-based technical decisions that balance performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, reliability, and mission risk
• Communicate technical direction clearly and consistently across the engineering organization
• Translate complex technical issues into concise recommendations for executive leadership
• Represent Engineering during customer reviews, supplier meetings, executive briefings, and governance boards
• Ensure decisions, assumptions, risks, and actions are clearly documented and communicated
• Build alignment across Engineering, Program Management, Product Assurance, Manufacturing, Operations, and executive leadership
• Mentor senior engineers and future technical leaders
• Continuously raise the standard of technical rigor, engineering reviews, and engineering excellence
• Drive continuous improvement, platform standardization, and lessons learned

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline
• 15+ years of experience developing complex spacecraft or aerospace systems
• Experience serving as the technical authority or senior technical leader for at least one spacecraft development program
• Extensive knowledge of spacecraft architecture, integration, verification, manufacturing, qualification, launch, and mission operations
• Exceptional technical judgment, communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills

• Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer, or equivalent technical leadership experience
• Constellation or multi-spacecraft program experience
• Experience across multiple spacecraft disciplines
• Mission assurance, integration and test campaign, launch campaign, and on-orbit operations experience
• Experience driving engineering standardization and AI-enabled engineering workflows

• Job Type: Direct Hire
• Location:
  
  Toronto, Canada
• Pay Rate Range: $230K-$250K CAD
• Due to government contract requirements, this position is restricted to US Citizen, Green Card Holder, Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident only.

Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation - from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We're passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.