AFWERX Chief Engineer

Air Force Research Laboratory; Dayton (OH); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework eligible

Job summary

Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX division seeks a senior Principal General Engineer at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. You will serve as Chief Engineer and Technical Engineering Authority, providing executive-level leadership across a high-speed innovation portfolio.

You will guide engineering discipline, ensure policy compliance, and mentor a multidisciplinary team through rapid prototyping and technology development, while coordinating with AFRL, AFMC, DoD, industry, and academia.

Qualifications

• United States citizenship required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• At least 1 year of specialized experience high-level technical authority in complex, multidisciplinary programs.
• ABET-accredited Engineering degree required; see OPM standards.
• Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP) certification(s) with 60 months to meet requirements.
• Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) required annually.

Responsibilities

• Serve as principal technical advisor to AFWERX Director and leadership team on engineering matters including systems engineering, airworthiness, and safety-of-flight determinations.
• Develop and implement standardized, multidisciplinary engineering processes, policies, tools, and training across AFWERX.
• Foster partnerships with AFRL, AFMC, DoW/DoD, industry, and academia to align tech development with warfighter needs.
• Establish metrics to measure engineering practice effectiveness and ensure compliance with policies and directives.
• Mentor and coach a diverse workforce through rapid prototyping, innovation, and technology development.
• Represent AFWERX to the AFRL S&E Council and collaborate to shape enterprise-wide engineering policy and training curricula.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive engineering oversight

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Mentoring/coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (ABET)

Master's or Ph.D. in Engineering (preferred)

Job description

Job Overview

OPEN TO CURRENT FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES ONLY. This announcement will be accepting candidate submissions until 11:45 PM EST, 2 September 2026. AFWERX is seeking a senior-level, DR-0801-04 (GS-15 equivalent) Principal General Engineer at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. The incumbent will serve as the Chief Engineer and Technical Engineering Authority for AFWERX, providing executive-level technical leadership across a diverse, high-speed innovation portfolio.

Position Duties Include, But Are Not Limited To

• Serve as the principal technical advisor to the AFWERX Director and the broader leadership team. Provide authoritative counsel, strategic direction, and technical oversight on all engineering matters, including complex systems engineering (SE), airworthiness, and safety-of-flight determinations.


• Formulate, refine, and implement tailored, multidisciplinary engineering processes, policies, practices, tools, and training. Standardize execution across the entire AFWERX portfolio and workforce to accelerate technology transition while maintaining rigorous engineering discipline.


• Establish and sustain highly collaborative partnerships across the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Department of War (DoW), broader Department of Defense (DoD), industry partners, and academia. Align technology development efforts with warfighter requirements to maximize technology transition success.


• Establish metrics to evaluate the application, health, and effectiveness of engineering practices across the organization. Ensure absolute compliance with AFRL, Department of the Air Force, and higher-headquarters engineering policies and directives.


• Cultivate, mentor, and coach a multidisciplinary workforce of scientists, engineers, analysts, program managers, and functional support personnel. Provide technical mentorship through all phases of rapid prototyping, innovation, and technology development.


• Serve as the primary AFWERX representative to the AFRL Science & Engineering (S&E) Council. Collaborate directly with the AFRL Director of Engineering and peer Directorate Chief Engineers to shape enterprise-wide systems engineering policy, develop advanced training curricula, and disseminate industry-best practices across the AFRL enterprise.

Required Qualifications

• United States Citizenship.


• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.


• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE - Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade of DR-03/GS-14, or equivalent in other pay systems. Specialist experience includes serving as a primary technical authority or lead engineer in complex, multi-disciplinary programs; and/or demonstrated experience evaluating enterprise-level engineer policies, measuring technical effectiveness, and enforcing compliance across a large organization.


• A Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Engineering from a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). See the full educational OPM Individual Occupational Requirements here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf.


• The position is designated as an acquisition position, covered by the Acquisition Professional Development Program (APDP). Applicants must list all APDP certification(s) on the resume and will have 60 months to meet APDP requirements.


• The position is designated as a financial disclosure position. The incumbent will be required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) upon entering the position and annually thereafter.


• This is a drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to pre-employment drug testing as a condition of employment, and participation in random drug testing.

Desired Qualifications

Education & Professional Credentials

• Education: Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Engineering, Computer Science, Aeronautics, or a closely related STEM field from an accredited institution.


• Professional Licensure: Professional Engineer (PE) license or equivalent professional technical credential (preferred).


• Acquisition Certification: Executive-level or Practitioner certification in Engineering & Technical Management (ETM) under the Back-to-Basics/DAWIA framework (or ability to obtain within designated timeframe).

Commercial Industry Experience

• High-Speed Technical Leadership: Minimum of 5+ years of leadership experience in commercial industry, venture-backed technology companies, defense primes, or dual-use startups operating in high-speed, dynamic technical environments.


• Commercial Product & Prototyping: Demonstrated success in leading rapid prototyping, agile hardware/software engineering, iterative design cycles, and scaling commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) or dual-use technologies into viable products.


• Modern Engineering Methodologies: Deep familiarity with modern commercial practices, including Agile/DevSecOps hardware and software development, digital engineering, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), and open-architecture design.

DoW / Acquisition Experience

• Acquisition & Field Experience: Significant engineering leadership within DoW organizations—such as the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Program Executive Offices (PEOs), NAVAIR, Army Futures Command, MDA, or DARPA.


• Airworthiness & Flight Safety: Hands-on experience navigating military Airworthiness Certification processes (e.g., MIL-HDBK-516 tailored airworthiness), Safety-of-Flight determinations, and flight clearance protocols for novel or non-traditional aircraft and autonomous systems.


• Non-Traditional Pathways: Expertise in leveraging rapid acquisition pathways (e.g., Middle Tier of Acquisition [MTA], Other Transaction Authorities [OTAs], Software Acquisition Pathway) to streamline engineering oversight without sacrificing rigor or safety.

Executive Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Senior Advisory: Executive presence with a history of advising C-suite or general officer/SES-level leadership on high-stakes technical risks, airworthiness, and strategic technology investments.


• Inter-Agency & Coalition Building: Demonstrated capability to forge and sustain high-impact partnerships across disparate ecosystems, including DoD acquisition commands, commercial industry executives, venture capital communities, and academic research centers.


• Workforce Development: Strong background in coaching, mentoring, and leading multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams composed of engineers, scientists, program managers, and commercial innovators.

• Telework
  Yes, this position is eligible for situational telework; as determined by agency policy


• Eligible for a Referral Bonus?
  No


• Series
  0801

Requisition Number 23032

Posting End Date 09/02/2026