Aerospace Principal Engineering Leader

Socket.dev; Simsbury (CT); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) in Connecticut seeks a Principal Engineering Manager to lead the Principal Engineering organization, develop senior technical talent, and elevate problem-solving rigor across the engineering function.

You will build a scalable, capability-driven organization focused on reliability, safety and technical discipline, enabling robust program decisions and continuous improvement across product development lifecycles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Aerospace Engineering, Physics or other technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive engineering experience in aerospace/defense or similarly demanding products.
• Proven ability to lead senior engineers and develop talent; succession and capability development.
• Strong technical credibility across product development from design to production.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary resolution of complex problems using data-driven methods.
• Track record of improving engineering standards, design practices, or development processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Principal Engineering team with clear expectations, development plans, mentoring, succession, and accountability for results.
• Strengthen problem solving and safety capability through structured processes and robust design reviews.
• Close systemic capability gaps by improving standards, methods, reviews, tools, and practices with measurable reductions in failures.
• Provide senior technical judgement on complex engineering challenges and engage multidisciplinary expertise as needed.
• Use EBAD OS (EBOS) to reinforce cadence, visual management, standard work, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Structured problem solving

Cross‑functional collaboration

Technical credibility

Risk evaluation

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Aerospace Engineering, Physics

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) in Connecticut seeks a Principal Engineering Manager to lead the Principal Engineering organization, develop senior technical talent, and elevate problem-solving rigor across the engineering function.

You will build a scalable, capability-driven organization focused on reliability, safety and technical discipline, enabling robust program decisions and continuous improvement across product development lifecycles.