Engineering Operations Administrator

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

PTO 120 hrs

Life Insurance $25k

Supplemental Coverage

HSA

Job summary

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc (ESAero) is seeking an Engineering Operations Administrator to support the Director of Engineering and leadership, driving efficiency, cadences, and administrative health across the department.

You will coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and HR, develop dashboards, track headcount and capacity, and help implement process improvements in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree or minimum 3+ years of experience in engineering administration or executive support.
• Experience supporting technical/engineering teams or senior technical leadership required.
• Demonstrated proficiency in administrative workflow optimization and data tracking tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level operational and administrative support to the Director of Engineering and leadership.
• Develop and optimize departmental tools, intake frameworks, and tracking systems.
• Assist in tracking headcount, resource availability, and capacity planning.
• Drive alignment between Engineering and cross-functional partners to resolve bottlenecks.
• Collect and analyze departmental metrics and present insights to leadership.
• Support compliance initiatives and engineering standards adoption.
• Assist with budget tracking, software license oversight, and travel/expense reviews.
• Identify operational risks and drive process improvements.

Skills

Administrative workflow

Data tracking

Executive communication

Independent judgment

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BA/BS degree or 3+ years experience in engineering administration

Tools

MS Office Suite

SharePoint

Jira/Confluence

MS Teams

Excel

Job description

Engineering Operations Administrator

Job Summary: The Engineering Operations Administrator provides strategic administrative, operational, and organizational support directly to the Director of Engineering and the broader engineering leadership team. Rather than managing individual product projects, this role focuses on the overall efficiency, operational cadences, and administrative health of the Engineering department.

Exercising high independent judgment, the Engineering Operations Administrator acts as a primary operational liaison across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Executive Leadership. This position manages departmental workflows, tracks department-level action items, optimises engineering tools/processes, oversees administrative compliance, and assists with resource and capacity planning for the engineering organization.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Provide high-level operational and administrative support to the Director of Engineering, managing executive reporting, department-wide communication, meeting cadences, and tracking high-priority leadership action items.
• Develop, maintain, and optimize departmental administrative tools, intake frameworks, and tracking systems to ensure consistent operational performance across all engineering teams.
• Assist in tracking overall engineering headcount, resource availability, and capacity planning to ensure engineering groups are effectively supported.
• Drive alignment between Engineering and cross-functional partners (Operations, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, and HR), ensuring smooth communication and timely resolution of operational bottlenecks.
• Collect and analyze departmental metrics (e.g., engineering throughput, resource utilization, compliance tracking), turning data into actionable insights and executive presentations for leadership decisions.
• Support departmental compliance initiatives (e.g., documentation retention, audit readiness, engineering standards adoption) in alignment with industry certifications and internal quality management systems.
• Assist engineering leadership with departmental budget tracking, software license oversight, engineering tool procurement, and travel/expense administrative reviews.
• Proactively identify operational risks, resource bottlenecks, or administrative constraints across the engineering department, recommending and implementing process improvements.

Required Qualifications, Requirements, and Skills:

• Education & Experience:
  • BA/BS degree or minimum 3+ years of experience in engineering administration, operations management, or executive support within a technical environment.
  • Experience supporting technical/engineering teams or senior technical leadership required.
• Skills & Competencies:
  • Demonstrated proficiency in administrative workflow optimization and data tracking tools (e.g., MS Office Suite, SharePoint, Jira/Confluence, MS Teams, Excel).
  • Exceptional organizational, critical-thinking, and time-management skills with high attention to detail.
  • Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to compile departmental data into executive summaries and visual dashboards.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proven ability to interact effectively with executives, engineers, suppliers, and external partners.
  • Ability to exercise independent judgment, maintain confidentiality, and execute processes with minimal supervision.
• Preferred Background:
  • Aerospace or manufacturing industry experience preferred.
  • Basic familiarity with engineering change processes and ISO9001/AS9100 quality standards is a plus.

Comprehensive Benefits & Perks:

• Health & Wellness:Choose from three health, dental, and vision plans - including a 100% employer-paid option covering both employees and their families.

• Paid Time Off:Enjoy 120 hours of PTO, 80 hoursaccruedplus anadditional40 hours of holiday break pay in addition to Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day off.

• Life Insurance:$25,000 employer-paid life insurance policy, with theoptiontopurchaseadditionalcoverage for employees and their families.

• Supplemental Coverage:Access optional benefits such as Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, and Critical Illness with Skin Cancer coverage.

• Health Savings Account (HSA):Take advantage of a tax-advantaged HSA to manage medical expenses.

• Retirement Savings:401(k) with a company match to support your financial future.

• Paid Holidays:Enjoy 9 paid holidays throughout the year.

• Work Environment:A casual dress code, complimentary snacks, and a welcoming company culture.

• Ideal Location:Work in an area that offers an outstanding quality of life - a perfect place to live, work, and play!

Company Overview:

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc (ESAero) is a leader in aerospace engineering, product development, and manufacturing, dedicated to delivering high-quality, innovative, and cost-effective solutions to the industry. We specialise incutting-edgesystem design, rapid product development, precision manufacturing, comprehensive testing, and technology demonstrations to support the evolving needs of the aerospace community. Committed to excellence, on-time delivery, and continuous growth, we invest in infrastructure to expand our manufacturing and aftermarket capabilities whilemaintainingthe highest standards of engineering services.

Location:

**This position is fully on-site atESAeroin San Luis Obispo, CA**

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ESAero is an equal opportunity employer.
E-Verify participationrequiredfor employment.
Must present proof of authorization to work in the United States.
Must be able to pass background check and drug test
PayRange:$70,400-90k Salary Exempt