Chief Engineer - Navy Strategic Systems

Draper; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 340,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work-life balance programs

Employee clubs (e.g., photography, etc

Discounts to local museums and culture

Job summary

Draper, based in Cambridge, MA, seeks a Chief Engineer for NSS to lead engineering across a portfolio of critical defense and aerospace programs. The role reports to the VP of Engineering and directs a team of 4–10 engineers, guiding strategy from proposal through fielding and sustainment.

The position emphasizes technical authority, strategic planning, customer engagement, and cross‑functional leadership while advancing Draper’s mission in national security, with up to 50% travel.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in technical discipline. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of professional experience directly related experience reflecting increased responsibilities over time.
• Minimum of 10 years of demonstrated strong leadership, coaching and mentoring skills with the ability to achieve results through others.

Responsibilities

• Excellence in program execution including phase gate reviews
• Engineering proposal coordination
• Responsible for the technical baseline, including review and approval of technical changes ensuring that modifications to the system do not violate performance or design requirements.
• Coordination of critical program resource allocation including staff, facilities, and capital equipment
• Business development and domain awareness
• Strategic planning and coordination including critical capabilities and technologies development

Skills

Executive leadership

Technical leadership

Customer relationship management

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Travel readiness

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in technical discipline

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary

Draper is seeking a senior-level technical professional to be the Chief Engineer for the Navy Strategic Systems (NSS) Business Area providing and coordinating engineering support for program execution, business development and strategic planning for the Business Area which develops, tests, delivers and supports the world’s most accurate and reliable guidance, navigation & control systems; radiation-hardened electronics; precision sensors and cyber resilience to drive mission success. The Chief Engineer for NSS will report directly to the Vice President of Engineering and have a staff of 4-10 direct reports.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and execute multi-year strategic technical plans inclusive of Contract Research and Development (CRAD) and Internal Research and Development (IRAD) to scale mission impact consistent with the goals and objectives of the Business Area and Corporation strategies.
• Analyze market technology trends, incorporate intimate customer mission knowledge, identify technology gaps and opportunities for product line innovation.
• Accountable for ensuring the success of the technical solutions across a full lifecycle portfolio with a full range of contract vehicles to challenging external and internal customer requirements with viable architectures, designs, development, testing, fielding, and sustainment.
• Cultivate relationships with the customer community in support of current projects and shaping future growth opportunities. Demonstrate thought leadership in the mission and market space by staying actively engaged with our key external stakeholders.
• Supports project leadership in the staffing of engineers to projects by coordinating with engineering management on skill needs and sharing of staff across projects within the product line area.
• Mentors and coaches the product line engineering team in project leadership, communication, adherence to processes, and technical performance. Supports engineering management in the retention, growth, and professional development of engineering staff.
• Encourage and facilitate the development of common components that are reusable across projects in the product line area and shared outside the area.
• Accountable for adherence to all corporate policies and procedures defined in Draper’s Operational Framework.
• Create, demonstrate, and promote a positive culture, and ensure an environment of collaboration, inclusivity, and respect in alignment with the company’s goals and values.

Skills And Abilities

• Proven track record of leading technical teams to ensure the success of the technical solutions across a full lifecycle portfolio with a full range of contract vehicles to challenging external and internal customer requirements with viable architectures, designs, development, testing, fielding, and sustainment.
• Demonstrated thought leadership in Draper’s markets with well-established customer relationships across the National Security ecosystem.
• Proven track record of translating thought leadership into new programs by providing technical leadership across complex shaping, capture, and proposals using industry standard Shipley Business Winning processes
• Demonstrated subject matter expertise with the product line’s specific capabilities, projects, technologies, and applications.
• Proven skills partnering across the business and the ability to collaborate within and across organizational boundaries. Ability to be persuasive and a strong relationship builder.
• Executive level communication skills with experience presenting complex information in a concise and appropriate manner to senior leaders.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time to engage with current and prospective customers and partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Applications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in technical discipline. Advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of professional experience directly related experience reflecting increased responsibilities over time.
• Minimum of 10 years of demonstrated strong leadership, coaching and mentoring skills with the ability to achieve results through others. This includes leading large technical teams, preferably including leadership of leaders.

Additional Job Description

The Chief Engineer is the senior technical authority for NSS programs and is responsible for ensuring the technical performance, quality, affordability, and fitness for use of the product(s) developed in the NSS portfolio. The position will supervise and lead a group of Chief Engineers across key technical areas of the NSS program portfolio and will be responsible for leading technical execution and decision making. This position will also be responsible for leading strategic planning of future technology needs to meet mission objectives for Strategic Systems Programs. The position also serves as a primary technical interface to external customers and partners, internal executive leadership, program directors, program managers, engineering, and other internal functions supporting the portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Excellence in program execution including phase gate reviews
• Engineering proposal coordination
• Responsible for the technical baseline, including review and approval of technical changes ensuring that modifications to the system do not violate performance or design requirements.
• Coordination of critical program resource allocation including staff, facilities, and capital equipment
• Business development and domain awareness
• Strategic planning and coordination including critical capabilities and technologies development

Job Location - City

Cambridge

Job Location - State

Massachusetts

Job Location - Postal Code

02139-3563

Salary

The US base salary range for this full-time position is

$180,000.00 - $340,000.00

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations.

Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities.

Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact [e-mail].