Director of Engineering

Northwest Partners LLC; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Short term Disability

Long-term Disability

Life Insurance

Education Benefits

Job summary

Northwest Partners LLC seeks an experienced Director of Engineering to set the technical direction for rugged, mission-critical hardware solutions. You will lead multidisciplinary teams across defense and aerospace domains, guiding architecture, reviews, and lifecycle management from concept to end-of-life.

The role demands 15+ years of leadership in complex hardware environments, strong program strategy skills, and the ability to obtain a security clearance.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience.
• Background in defense, aerospace, rugged electronics, mission systems, or similar complex hardware environments.
• Proven experience leading engineering teams and high-level technical decisions.
• Strong understanding of planning, lifecycle management, manufacturing readiness, and configuration control.
• Experience with MIL-STD, AS9100D/ISO 9001, ITAR/export compliance, cybersecurity, and government contracting requirements.
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems, BOMs, drawings, revision control, and engineering change management.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering strategy in line with business and customer objectives.
• Develop technology and product roadmaps across rugged computing, embedded systems, displays, and related technologies.
• Serve as the senior engineering authority across architecture, design reviews, risk, and engineering decisions.
• Lead execution from concept and prototype through qualification, production, sustainment, and end-of-life.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program teams to support product development and manufacturing.
• Drive systems engineering, verification and validation, configuration management, and technical reviews.
• Support customer engagements, proposals, technical solutions, and business development.
• Build and lead high-performing multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Develop engineering talent through mentoring, recruiting, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Ensure compliance with defense, aerospace, quality, cybersecurity, and export requirements.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Strategic planning

Cross-functional leadership

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, or Systems Engineering

Tools

ERP/PLM systems

BOMs & revision control

Job description

Northwest Partners is supporting a leading defense and aerospace organization in its search for an experienced Director of Engineering. This is a senior engineering leadership position responsible for setting the technical direction of the organization, leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, and driving the development and lifecycle management of rugged, mission-critical technology solutions. The ideal candidate will bring significant engineering leadership experience within defense, aerospace, rugged electronics, mission systems, or a similar complex hardware environment.

What You’ll Do

• Lead engineering and technology strategy in alignment with business and customer objectives.
• Develop technology and product roadmaps across rugged computing, embedded systems, communications, displays, and related technologies.
• Serve as the senior engineering authority across architecture, design reviews, technical risk, and engineering decisions.
• Lead engineering execution from concept and prototype through qualification, production, sustainment, and end-of-life.
• Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program teams to support successful product development and manufacturing.
• Drive engineering processes including systems engineering, verification and validation, configuration management, and technical reviews.
• Support customer engagements, proposals, technical solutions, and business development activities.
• Build and lead high-performing multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Develop engineering talent through mentoring, recruiting, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Ensure compliance with applicable defense, aerospace, quality, cybersecurity, and export requirements.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience.
• Background in defense, aerospace, rugged electronics, mission systems, or similar complex hardware environments.
• Proven experience leading engineering teams and making high-level technical decisions.
• Strong understanding of engineering planning, lifecycle management, manufacturing readiness, and configuration control.
• Experience with MIL-STD, AS9100D/ISO 9001, ITAR/export compliance, cybersecurity, and government contracting requirements.
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems, including BOMs, drawings, revision control, and engineering change management.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Disclaimer: All candidates will be asked to briefly show a government-issued ID on video during the first interview. This step protects the integrity of the hiring process given the rise in applicant impersonation and employment fraud.

Benefits Include:

Health Insurance, Vision Insurance, Dental Insurance, Short term Disability, Long-term Disability, Life Insurance, Education Benefits and more.

About Northwest Partners

Northwest Partners is an equal opportunity employer. At Northwest Partners we are dedicated to moving at the speed of innovation. We work with clients across the globe to provide exceptional knowledge, talent, and resources. As a trusted partner, we merge the client's vision with our expertise to deliver powerful results. Northwest Partners is known for building and managing elite teams in technology across diverse industries. Our mission is to empower every talent and every client to achieve more.