Manager - Systems Engineering

MDA Space; Brampton; On-site; CAD 102,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Manager of Systems Engineering to lead a talented team of engineers in Brampton. This role is pivotal in driving technological innovation and ensuring the successful execution of cutting-edge space and robotics projects. As a leader, you will cultivate a culture of excellence, guiding your team through recruitment, development, and performance management while fostering a collaborative and innovative environment. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence the future of space exploration and contribute to groundbreaking projects that push the boundaries of what is possible. Join a passionate team dedicated to making a difference in the world and beyond.

Benefits

Extended healthcare

Flexible drug plans

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Disability income protection

Life insurance

Group retirement savings plans

Employee and family assistance program

Qualifications

• 10+ years in engineering management, preferably in the space industry.
• Demonstrated leadership and conflict resolution skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of over 90 Systems Engineers.
• Manage recruitment, development, and performance of staff.
• Oversee engineering facilities and support continuous improvement.

Skills

Systems Engineering

People Management

Project Management

Conflict Resolution

Resource Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Engineering Tools

Job description

Building the space between proven and possible, MDA Space (TSX:MDA) is a trusted mission partner to the global space industry. A robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 55-year+ story of world firsts and more than 450 missions, MDA Space is a global leader in communications satellites, Earth and space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure.

The MDA Space team of more than 3,000 space experts in Canada, the US and the UK has the knowledge and know-how to turn an audacious customer vision into an achievable mission – bringing to bear a one-of-a-kind mix of experience, engineering excellence and wide-eyed wonder that’s been in our DNA since day one.

For those who dream big and push boundaries on the ground and in the stars to change the world for the better, we’ll take you there.

About you:

Are you an experienced people manager with a strong background in Systems Engineering? Do you have a passion for leading high-performing teams and driving technological innovation? If so, we want you to join our Brampton team.

Who We're Looking For:

We're seeking a Manager, Systems Engineering, to lead a team of over 90 systems engineers working on state-of-the-art space and robotics technology. If you have a strong background in systems engineering and a passion for people management, professional development, and career advancement, this role is for you.

The manager will manage the systems engineering department and develop and maintain a workforce with the key technical skills necessary to ensure proper execution and delivery of the company’s products and projects. The Manager will manage recruitment, development, engagement and retention, and succession planning within their team.

In addition, the manager will participate in full departmental activities such as technological roadmap development, continuous improvement, modernization of engineering practices, and customer satisfaction. They will support the adoption of next-generation engineering tools, techniques, and procedures to increase competitiveness in their discipline area.

In this role you will:

• Lead and mentor a team of over 90 Systems Engineers.
• Oversee recruitment, development, engagement, retention, and succession planning.
• Monitor and manage overall employee performance, conduct annual performance appraisals and set individual objectives.
• Provide staffing expertise to support the demand of Programs, R&D and Business Development.
• Ensure that staffing supports the demand of current and future MDA programs.
• Develop staff to ensure necessary skill sets. Establish and regularly update succession plans for key skills to avoid single point failures and bottlenecks in resource allocation.
• Ensure group competency remains abreast of state-of-the-art techniques in systems engineering and requirement management.
• Ensure staff works in an environment fostering innovation and evolution to maximize their satisfaction within the constraints of the business, supporting career planning, providing regular feedback and celebrating successes.
• Oversee engineering facilities, processes, and tools required to support department activities and program needs.
• Lead system engineering discussions in bid development and review process to ensure proposed solutions and costing align with customer priorities, competitive environment needs as well as the program-product-based strategy.
• Support management of departmental overhead budget within allocation and provide forecasts to finance as required.
• Support coordination of capital planning for the department. Propose necessary capital investment items with proper financial justification and implement the procurement.
• Ensure the proper application of the company’s collective agreements.
• Support continuous improvement, modernization, and customer satisfaction.
• Implement next-generation engineering tools, techniques, and procedures.

Key Responsibilities:

• Resource Management:
• Recruit, assign, and evaluate staff performance.
• Ensure staffing meets program demands.
• Develop staff skills and maintain succession plans.
• Foster innovation and career satisfaction.
• Manage departmental facilities, processes, and tools.
• Oversee budget and capital planning.

Technical Overview:

• Support internal and external audits and ensure corrective actions are implemented as required.
• Participate/lead technical troubleshooting and problem solving.
• Provide expert support to MRB’s and customer inquiries where needed.

Process Development:

• Ensure proper application and adherence to company policies and processes.
• Support development and maintenance of departmental specific policies, processes, work instructions and standards, and ensure they are available and followed by staff.
• Lead and support business process improvement initiatives.
• Maintain health and safety procedures.

Front-End Business:

• Participate and make recommendations to the product development organization for new products and R&D initiatives in line with the company’s strategic direction.
• Support and coordinate patent applications in conjunction with the product development organization and ensure that the company’s trade secrets and proprietary information is protected and handled securely.
• Perform other tasks as required such as leading proposals at the front end of the business, managing projects or parts thereof, providing support to subcontract management, participating in collective agreement negotiations.

Requirements:

• Minimum 10 years in engineering management, preferably in the space industry.
• Experienced in all phases of project/product development.
• Experienced with systems requirements and requirement management.
• Demonstrated leadership, conflict resolution, and people skills.
• Experienced managing distributed teams.
• Interest in resource management, negotiations, risk management, and financial reporting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related discipline.

Comments/Special Considerations:

Successful candidates must obtain and hold security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

We’re a dream team of purpose-driven, collaborative and passionate people, and we are constantly looking for others to join #TeamMDA to ignite new and innovative approaches to problem-solving that push us forward to improve life on and above Earth. If you’re excited to expand our place in space and driven to inspire the next generation, we’ll take you there.

We have entered a new era of exploration and development, and MDA welcomes all who yearn to suit up and be part of it. An equal opportunity employer prizing diversity, integrity and collaboration, we are committed to growing MDA’s and Canada’s leadership in this next golden age.

MDA provides competitive compensation and benefits packages for its employees at all locations. As a team member of MDA, you and your qualified dependents are eligible to participate in a benefit plan that ensures a comprehensive level of protection through competitive health care including; extended healthcare and flexible drug plans, dental and vision benefits, disability income protection, life insurance, group retirement savings plans; and an employee and family assistance program.

MDA is proud to provide accommodation(s) during the recruitment process. Should you require any accommodations, please indicate this on your application/cover letter and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.

The compensation range for this position is $102,000 - $160,000 annually. The specific compensation offered will be based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.