Digital Engineering Manager

Remote; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Istari is seeking a Digital Engineering Manager to lead Forward Deployed Engineers within the Customer Success Digital Engineering organization. This role will own a subset of delivery, shape technical direction, and partner with the Director of Digital Engineering to scale both the platform and the team.

You will mentor engineers, drive architecture decisions, review designs for quality and scalability, and translate customer needs into executable plans.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, systems, mechanical, electrical, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience leading or managing technical teams.
• Strong understanding of software fundamentals (APIs, data pipelines, services, integrations).
• Experience with MBSE, CAD/PLM tools, and engineering simulations.

Responsibilities

• Own technical execution for a subset of Digital Engineering initiatives and programs.
• Contribute thought leadership around the Istari platform and required capabilities.
• Help define product scope and technical approach for new digital engineering capabilities.
• Review designs, architectures, and implementations for quality and scalability.
• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex engineering challenges.
• Manage and mentor a team of Forward Deployed Engineers.
• Drive execution across concurrent efforts with planning and delivery.
• Provide technical coaching, design feedback, and career development guidance.
• Scale lean, effective team processes as the organization grows.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to translate customer needs into executable plans.
• Support customer engagements requiring deep digital engineering expertise.
• Communicate technical tradeoffs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Take delegated responsibilities from the Director of Digital Engineering.
• Help define standards and reusable technical patterns.
• Identify tooling and process gaps and propose improvements.
• Serve as a thought partner on the future of digital engineering at Istari.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

People leadership

Software fundamentals

Communication skills

Tools

MBSE (Cameo/SysML)

CAD/PLM (CATIA/Teamcenter)

Document & requirements systems

Simulations (FEA/CFD)

Job description

We are seeking a Digital Engineering Manager to serve as a key leader within Istari’s Customer Success Digital Engineering organization. This role operates under the Director of Digital Engineering and takes ownership of a portion of day-to-day execution while helping shape strategy, technical direction, and team growth.

You will manage and mentor Forward Deployed Engineers building software with the Istari Platform while remaining deeply engaged in architecture, technical decision-making, and customer-facing problem solving.

Core Responsibilities:

Technical & Program Leadership

• Own technical execution for a subset of Digital Engineering initiatives and programs

• Contribute thought leadership around the Istari platform, its applications, and required capabilities

• Help define product scope and technical approach for new digital engineering capabilities

• Review designs, architectures, and implementations to ensure quality, scalability, and alignment with Istari’s platform vision

• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex engineering and integration challenges

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage and mentor a team of Forward Deployed Engineers

• Drive execution across multiple concurrent efforts, including planning, prioritization, and delivery

• Provide technical coaching, design and code feedback, and career development guidance

• Help scale lean, effective team processes as the organization grows

Cross-Functional & Customer Engagement

• Partner with cross-functional teams to translate customer needs into clear, executable technical plans

• Support customer engagements requiring deep digital engineering expertise

• Communicate technical tradeoffs effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Strategic Support & Direction

• Take on delegated responsibilities from the Director of Digital Engineering

• Help define standards, best practices, and reusable technical patterns

• Identify gaps in tooling, process, and team capabilities and propose improvements

• Serve as a thought partner on the future of digital engineering at Istari—enabling engineers to “conduct the orchestra” of tools, not just play a single instrument

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in engineering (aerospace, systems, mechanical, electrical, or similar)

• 3+ years of experience leading or managing technical teams

• Understanding of software fundamentals (APIs, data pipelines, services, integrations)

• Experience working with engineering tools and ecosystems such as:

  • MBSE (e.g., Cameo, SysML)

  • CAD/PLM (e.g., CATIA, Teamcenter, similar)

  • Document and requirements systems

  • Simulations (FEA, CFD, etc)

• Proven ability to balance hands-on technical work with people leadership

• Excellent communication skills—able to explain complex technical concepts clearly

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace, defense, or other complex engineered systems

• Exposure to model extraction, automation, and digital thread concepts

• Experience working in product or platform-based environments

• Comfort operating in ambiguity and shaping roles, processes, and scope as the organization evolves

Why This Role?

This role is critical to scaling Istari’s Digital Engineering capability. You won’t just run a team—you’ll help define how digital engineering is practiced at Istari, enabling engineers to move faster, integrate better, and solve harder problems.

You’ll have real ownership, real influence, and a direct partnership with the Director of Digital Engineering to shape the future of the organization.

Why Istari?

We've built a team of what we call Wizards -- people who bring depth in their domain and range across others, who are collaborative without being deferential, and who genuinely care about what we're building. We celebrate individual contributions, give feedback early and often, and argue about ideas so we can execute together.

There's no room here for hierarchy for its own sake, or for busywork that doesn't move the mission. We are outcomes-driven, and we hold each other to a high standard — with genuine respect for each person's expertise and wellbeing.

Focus is rewarded. Finish is remembered.

Facts are friendly. Even when they are not fun.

Fellowship is fundamental. Make others successful.