Director of Systems Engineering & Digital Innovation

Inuplands; Cambridge, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 353,000; Full time

Job summary

Draper in Cambridge, MA seeks a Senior Systems Engineering Director to lead ~500 engineers across System Concept Development, Architectures and V&V, and Digital Engineering initiatives. You will drive strategy, staffing, budgets, and performance metrics while advancing design verification, integration, and continuous improvement in a defense-focused R&D environment.

Ideal candidates hold a Master’s degree or higher in a technical field or MBA, with 15+ years of management experience in

Qualifications

• Strong program and people management experience in engineering environments.
• Proven leadership of large teams and cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience with DoD programs and government acquisitions.

Responsibilities

• Provide vision and strategy to build a high-performing organization.
• Partner with engineering leadership to meet objectives and budgets.
• Attract and retain top talent and develop critical skills.
• Meet financial objectives and optimize labor utilization.
• Drive continuous improvement and performance metrics across the Directorate.

Skills

Program management

People management

Leadership

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Travel availability

Education

Master's degree or higher in Engineering or Business Administration

Tools

DoD acquisition process

Security clearance process

Job description

Draper in Cambridge, MA seeks a Senior Systems Engineering Director to lead ~500 engineers across System Concept Development, Architectures and V&V, and Digital Engineering initiatives. You will drive strategy, staffing, budgets, and performance metrics while advancing design verification, integration, and continuous improvement in a defense-focused R&D environment.

Ideal candidates hold a Master’s degree or higher in a technical field or MBA, with 15+ years of management experience in