Chief Engineer, Ground Test

CFD Research Corporation; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 160,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

ESOP

Health, vision, dental insurance

Paid leave

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Bonuses

Job summary

CFD Research Corporation seeks a Chief Engineer to serve as Technical Authority for ground test programs, overseeing system integrity and mission assurance across hardware, software, and system-under-test areas. The role splits time between our Huntsville, AL headquarters and the Hollywood, AL test center.

The incumbent interfaces with the Customer, PMO, IPT leads, and ensures safety and compliance. The ideal candidate holds a US citizenship, a bachelor's degree in a related engineering field,

Qualifications

• Candidate must be a US Citizen and meet eligibility to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
• Demonstrated experience in engineering leadership, oversight, or multidisciplinary project leadership.
• Broad technical foundation across hardware, test, and evaluation of systems.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the program's primary technical interface to the customer and provide technical authority for engineering execution.
• Lead technical integration across government, industry, and military stakeholders throughout installation, commissioning, acceptance, and transition.
• Hold final approval authority for engineering designs, changes, and verification results; certify readiness at major milestones.
• Own Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and maintain overall system architecture across the lifecycle.
• Provide technical guidance to IPT Leads and resolve inter-team disagreements; manage scope vs. resource discussions.
• Oversee V&V strategy and approve test plans ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Citizenship & clearance

Technical leadership

Systems engineering

Hardware & software integration

Written and verbal communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's or Ph.D. (Desired)

Job description

About CFD Research:

Since its inception in 1987, CFD Research has delivered innovative technology solutions within the Aerospace & Defense, Biomedical & Life Sciences, Intelligence & Sensing, and Energy & Materials industries. CFD Research has earned multiple national awards for successful application and commercialization of innovative component/system technology prototypes, multi-physics simulation software, multi-disciplinary analyses, and expert support services. Based in Huntsville, Alabama where laboratory facilities and headquarters are located, CFD Research also has office and laboratory facilities in Dayton, Ohio, prototyping test and evaluation facilities in Hollywood, Alabama, and office facilities in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. CFD Research is an ISO9001:AS9100D registered company and is appraised at CMMI Level II for Services. CFD Research is a 100% ESOP (employee-owned company) recognized in Inc. Magazine's Inc5000 as a top growing company for four of the last five years. Learn more at www.cfd-research.com

Job Description

CFD Research Corporation is seeking a Chief Engineer to serve as Technical Authority for ground test programs. In this role, you will be accountable for overall technical success, system integrity, and mission assurance on programs focused on developing, operating, and sustaining ground test systems. You will manage system architecture to ensure all technical efforts produce a safe, compliant, and integrated system across hardware, software, and the system‑under‑test areas. This position will interface directly with the Customer, Program Management Office, and Integrated Product Team (IPT) leads. This position will split time between our Headquarters in Huntsville, AL and our Engineering Test Center in Hollywood, Alabama. To learn more about the Hollywood Engineering Test Center capabilities and state‑of‑the‑art equipment, please visit the facility's home page: https://www.cfd-research.com/hollywood/

Key Responsibilities

• Primary Technical Interface to the Customer: Serves as the program’s primary technical interface to the customer and provides technical authority for engineering execution across the program. Leads the program’s technical engagement with the customer and is responsible for representing and defending the technical baseline, design approach, technical risks, and verification strategy at formal reviews and other customer technical interchange and decision forums. Ensures customer technical direction is appropriately incorporated into program execution.
• Technical Integration & Stakeholder Leadership: Lead technical integration across government, industry, and military stakeholders, serving as the primary technical interface between technology development, operation, and sustainment organizations throughout installation, commissioning, acceptance, and operational transition on a military installation.
• Technical Authority & Gate Certification: Hold final approval authority for engineering designs, technical changes, and verification results. Serve as the primary authority for certifying program readiness at major technical milestones, including PDR, CDR, and TRR.
• System Integration & Interface Management: Decompose high-level customer requirements into technical specifications for Integrated Product Team (IPT) Leads. Own Interface Control Documents (ICDs) to ensure physical, electrical, and software interfaces integrate across all subsystems. Maintain overall system architecture and subsystem compatibility throughout the system lifecycle.
• IPT Leadership & Collaboration: Provide technical guidance to IPT Leads, ensuring technical approaches are sound and subsystem decisions do not degrade overall system performance. Resolve technical disagreements between IPTs. Conduct formal scope-versus-resource discussions with Program Managers when technical requirements conflict with budget or schedule constraints. Approve IPT design approaches to ensure alignment with system specifications.
• Verification, Validation & Safety: Oversee the Verification and Validation (V&V) strategy and approve test plans to ensure all requirements are verified through test or analysis. Ensure design compliance with safety and site regulations.

Basic Qualifications

• Candidate must be a US Citizen and meet eligibility to obtain (and maintain) a Secret Clearance
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, or a related engineering field.
• 10+ years of engineering experience in the aerospace and defense industry.
• Demonstrated experience in an engineering leadership, technical oversight, or multidisciplinary project lead role.
• Broad technical foundation covering engineering principles in hardware, test, and evaluation of systems.
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering.
• Experience with ground test, propulsion, fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, high temperature flow, and high-speed systems/sub-systems
• Experience executing requirements flow-down, defining system-level architectures, and managing Interface Control Documents (ICDs).
• Experience serving as lead sign-off authority for major formal gate reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR) and issuing Certifications of Readiness.
• Hands‑on experience developing V&V plans, conducting factory acceptance testing, qualification testing, and commissioning of complex systems.
• Experience leading integration with government, industry, and military stakeholders on a military installation.

Location

This individual will work onsite in Huntsville, AL and Hollywood, AL.

Candidate must be a US Citizen and possess the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Benefits

• CFD Research offers competitive salaries and excellent employee benefits, including an employer matching 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• CFD Research offers our Full-Time, permanent employee-owners a highly competitive insurance package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• Additionally, we offer company paid leave, compensation time, parental leave, long‑term and short‑term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and life insurance.
• Part-Time and Temporary employee-owners may receive partial or reduced benefits and leave time based on their employment status level.
• Performance appraisals occur twice a year and annual pay increases are based upon corporate goals, personal development, performance, and outstanding achievements.
• In addition, group and individual bonuses are awarded for exceptional performance.

CFD Research is an EO employer - Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories