Chief Technical Advisor - Aviation & Ground Systems

Trinzic; Sterling Heights (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

KBR is seeking an accomplished Chief Technical Advisor to serve as a senior technical leader across Aviation and Ground Systems, guiding program execution, technical excellence, and customer engagement for mission-critical defense programs.

Reporting to senior leadership, you will provide strategic direction spanning concept development, engineering, integration, testing, production, sustainment, modernization, and readiness while advising executives and managers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field.
• 20+ years in defense acquisition or modernization programs.
• Experience leading military aviation and ground systems projects.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and strategy for aviation, ground vehicles, and defense systems initiatives.
• Advise executives and program managers on technical roadmaps and priorities.
• Support program reviews, risk assessments, and readiness activities across multiple programs.
• Partner with BD and capture teams to shape opportunities and technical proposals.
• Promote engineering rigor, lifecycle management, and MBSE practices across teams.

Skills

Technical leadership

Systems thinking

Communication skills

Security clearance ability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or Systems Engineering

Tools

Model-based engineering

Configuration management

Digital engineering

Job description

Title

Chief Technical Advisor - Aviation & Ground Systems

At KBR, we deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 85 countries and operations in over 28 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results.

Trinzic is the future independent company to be created through the planned spin-off of KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business, expected in January 2027. Our people work at the frontier of what is possible, delivering solutions in challenging environments and advancing some of the world's highest-priority national security and space missions.

Backed by decades of mission success, deep expertise, and trusted partnerships, Trinzic will launch as a global organization with more than 18,000 employees supporting customers around the world. Join us at a defining moment and help shape the future of a company built to tackle complex challenges and make a meaningful impact.

Candidates who join KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business before the spin-off will transition to Trinzic when the separation is complete and will not need to reapply for employment.

Program Summary

KBR’s Missile, Aviation, and Ground Systems (MAGS) division delivers mission engineering solutions for critical U.S. Army programs, specializing in aviation and ground systems, integrated air and missile defense, and threat and target systems. As a trusted partner of the U.S. Department of War, MAGS provides innovative, technology-driven solutions to enhance national security. With a global presence and a strong ethical framework, KBR ensures secure, effective, and mission-ready capabilities worldwide.

Position Summary

KBR is seeking an accomplished Chief Technical Advisor to serve as a senior technical leader supporting business growth, program execution, customer engagement, and technical excellence across our Aviation and Ground Systems portfolio.

Reporting to senior business leadership, the Chief Technical Advisor serves as a trusted advisor to Program Managers, Chief Engineers, business developers, capture managers, and customers. The successful candidate will provide strategic technical direction spanning the full system lifecycle, including concept development, engineering, integration, testing, production, sustainment, modernization, and readiness.

This position operates at the executive level, influencing technical strategy, customer relationships, capability development, and solution generation for current and future defense programs. The Chief Technical Advisor represents KBR as a recognized subject matter expert with government, OEM, and industry stakeholders while helping shape the company's long-term technical vision.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as the senior technical authority for aviation, ground vehicle, and defense systems initiatives.
• Advise executives, program managers, and chief engineers on technical strategy, modernization roadmaps, and customer priorities.
• Guide technical solution development for complex engineering, sustainment, integration, and modernization challenges.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to enhance warfighter capability and customer outcomes.
• Support development of long-range technology investment and capability roadmaps.

Customer & Industry Engagement

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Army, DoW, OEM, and industry stakeholders.
• Represent KBR at customer meetings, technical reviews, industry events, and senior leadership engagements.
• Serve as a technical ambassador for the company, helping communicate KBR's capabilities, differentiators, and innovations.
• Advise customers on engineering, sustainment, modernization, and lifecycle management strategies.

Program Support & Execution

• Provide independent technical assessments of program risk, schedule, scope, performance, and technical approach.
• Support major program reviews, milestone decisions, readiness assessments, and technical issue resolution.
• Guide systems engineering, integration, verification, production transition, and sustainment activities across multiple programs.
• Assist program teams in resolving complex technical issues impacting execution.

Growth & Capture Support

• Partner with business development and capture teams to shape opportunities and influence acquisition strategies.
• Support proposal development, technical volumes, solution architecture, and customer engagement activities.
• Participate in strategic capture reviews and technical gate assessments.
• Help identify and mature new business opportunities aligned to customer priorities.

Engineering Excellence

• Promote engineering rigor, configuration management discipline, systems thinking, and lifecycle best practices.
• Advise teams on digital engineering, model-based approaches, configuration management, DMSMS, and product lifecycle management.
• Mentor engineers, chief engineers, program managers, and technical leaders across the organization.
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 20+ years of progressively responsible experience supporting defense acquisition, engineering, modernization, integration, or sustainment programs.
• Demonstrated technical leadership supporting military aviation, combat vehicle, tactical vehicle, C5ISR, or weapon system programs.
• Experience influencing technical decisions across multiple organizations and stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of systems engineering principles and full lifecycle program execution.
• Familiarity with configuration management, product lifecycle management, digital engineering, and sustainment planning.
• Experience engaging directly with senior government, military, and industry leadership.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

Desired Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance.
• Experience supporting Army PEOs, PMs, TACOM, DEVCOM, Army Aviation, or Ground Combat Systems organizations.
• Experience with platform modernization programs, vehicle integration, avionics integration, software-intensive systems, or mission systems.
• Expertise in DMSMS, sustainment engineering, technology insertion, or lifecycle management.
• Experience supporting proposal development, capture activities, and business growth initiatives.
• Professional Engineering registration or equivalent professional credentials.
• Advanced degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Business.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.