Chief Engineer

Drgok; Oklahoma City, Northern (OK, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Drgok is seeking an experienced Senior Engineer to establish and develop its Engineering capability, supporting simulation systems for training personnel. You will work across Business Development, Operations, and technical teams to create the engineering processes, organizational structure, and technical standards needed for current operations and future growth.

The role goes beyond upgrading systems, shaping what an effective engineering organization should look like, how it should operate,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline.
• Significant professional engineering experience, preferably in aviation, aerospace, flight simulation, or defense.
• Experience with hardware, software, electronics, networking, controls, or electromechanical systems.
• Experience developing or improving engineering processes and organizational capabilities.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and define the Engineering function, processes, and organizational structure.
• Identify required disciplines, skills, tools, staff, and workflows to support current and future business.
• Develop engineering documentation, configuration management, requirements management, and change-control processes.
• Lead collaboration with Program Managers and Business Development to identify opportunities and plan engineering approaches.
• Translate customer requirements into practical engineering solutions and assess feasibility, effort, risks, schedules, and costs.
• Establish interfaces between Engineering, subcontractors, OEMs, suppliers, and customers.
• Provide technical leadership on complex simulator and systems engineering problems.

Skills

Strong communication

Independent work

Requirements translation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Job description

Description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Engineer to help establish and develop our company’s Engineering capability, supporting the upgrading and sustainment of simulation systems used for training personnel. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced engineer who wants to have a significant impact on the growth and structure of an organization. The successful candidate will work across our Business Development, Operations, and technical teams to establish the engineering processes, capabilities, organizational structure, and technical standards needed to support our current simulator operations while positioning the company for future growth.

This position is not simply focused on upgrading existing systems. The Senior Engineer will help us determine what an effective engineering organization should look like, how it should operate, what capabilities we need to develop, and how Engineering should support both our customers and our business development efforts.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Build and Develop the Engineering Capability

• Help define and implement the company’s overall Engineering function and organizational structure.
• Identify the engineering disciplines, skills, tools, resources, and staffing required to support current and future business.
• Establish engineering processes, standards, procedures, documentation practices, and technical workflows.
• Establish appropriate configuration management, requirements management, technical documentation, and change-control processes.
• Help define engineering roles and responsibilities as the organization grows.
• Establish engineering metrics and methods for measuring technical performance and continuous improvement.

Support Business Development

• Work closely with Program Managers and the Business Development team to identify technical opportunities and develop engineering approaches for new business.
• Develop relationships with customers, suppliers, OEMs, and technical partners.
• Provide technical input to proposals, Statements of Work, technical volumes, estimates, and customer presentations.
• Develop engineering concepts and technical solutions in response to customer requirements.
• Help evaluate technical feasibility, engineering effort, risks, resources, schedules, and costs associated with prospective projects and programs.
• Participate in customer meetings, site visits, technical discussions, and proposal activities.
• Translate customer requirements and operational needs into practical engineering solutions.
• Help identify new engineering capabilities that can create competitive advantages and support future growth.

Establish Engineering Processes and Infrastructure

• Develop engineering documentation and knowledge-management practices.
• Help select and implement engineering tools, software, databases, and technical information systems.
• Establish appropriate interfaces between Engineering and subcontractors, OEMs, suppliers, and customers.
• Promote disciplined engineering practices while maintaining the flexibility required for an operationally focused organization.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical leadership on complex simulator and systems engineering problems.
• Help establish a culture of engineering ownership, accountability, documentation, and continuous improvement.
• As the Engineering organization develops, assume increasing responsibility for technical leadership and engineering management.

Requirements

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Significant professional engineering experience, preferably in aviation, aerospace, flight simulation, military training systems and defense.
• Experience working with complex technical systems involving hardware, software, electronics, networking, controls, or electromechanical systems.
• Experience developing or improving engineering processes, procedures, documentation, or organizational capabilities.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical personnel.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating effectively across multiple departments.
• Ability to translate operational and customer requirements into engineering requirements and actionable technical solutions.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Establish and oversee the engineering function from the ground up, initially working independently while developing the processes, standards, and infrastructure needed to support organizational growth. As the team expands, provide technical leadership and direct supervision of engineering personnel, including hiring, training, mentoring, performance management, and workforce coordination.

Security Responsibilities

• Eligible and obtain a DoD Personnel Security Clearance.
• Must comply with all company Information Systems security policies and procedures.
• May be responsible for proper classification and marking of all information and materials. Employee shall not divulge any information, or afford access to other employees not having a need-to-know authorization. Shall not divulge information outside the company without management approval. Will be required to execute company non-disclosure agreement prior to access to any controlled information.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The work environment and physical characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to lift and/or move at least 50 pounds.
• Must be able to walk and/or climb stairs and ladders.
• Must be able to accommodate confined spaces.
• Must be able to stoop, bend, and crawl on top or under equipment.
• Must be able to detect odors, noises, bangs, etc., or other sounds to detect discrepancies of malfunctioning equipment.
• Must be able to distinguish colors.
• Must be able to perform Domestic and International travel as required.
• Shop floor environment.
• Will be working in areas with risk of injury from electrical applications, moving mechanical parts, hydraulic, or pneumatic systems under pressure and electrical motion systems.
• May be exposed to conditions of extreme heat, airborne particles, and loud noises.