Lead, Chief Engineer

Harris Geospatial Solutions; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 111,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and disability insurance

401(k) match

Education assistance

Parental leave

Paid time off

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead, Chief Engineer in Huntsville, AL (or Orange, VA). The role leads missile systems design, technical strategy, and end-to-end engineering execution across programs from concept to deployment. Expect travel up to 25% and security-clearance eligibility.

Salary range for Virginia is $110,500–$205,500 with comprehensive benefits. Join a team delivering national-security focused defense tech developments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 9+ years of related experience; graduate degree with 7+ years preferred
• Ability to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret clearance
• Proven experience leading technical issue resolution and corrective actions
• Experience communicating technical data to senior management and customers
• Willingness to travel up to 25%

Responsibilities

• Lead vehicle and propulsion systems design with focus on schedule and cost.
• Provide decisive technical judgments and communicate strategic vision.
• Coordinate engineering with Supply Chain and Operations.
• Own metrics for MRB, nonconformance timelines, and production delivery.
• Identify IR&D efforts aligning with tech roadmaps.
• Lead pursuits with baseline rigor, cost justification, and risk management.
• Contribute to program risk management and corrective actions.
• Resolve technical issues and implement corrective actions.

Skills

Leadership

Technical communication

Problem solving

Travel up to 25%

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Graduate Degree (preferred)

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers' mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers' mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Lead, Chief Engineer

Job ID: 42642

Job Location: Huntsville, AL or Orange, VA,

Job Schedule: Huntsville, AL - 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days - totaling 80 hours worked - and have every other Friday off

Orange, VA - 4/10: Employees work 10 hour days, 4 days a week

Job Description

L3Harris' Missile Solutions Segment is seeking a Chief Engineer with expertise in the development of missile systems and/or missile propulsion systems. This individual will be responsible for the technical strategy and execution of ongoing customer funded efforts, covering all phases of development from pre award concept development and proposal preparation through design, testing, verification, production, deployment, and operational acceptance. The Chief Engineer will lead the engineering execution activities across all disciplines for both existing programs and new pursuits.

Essential Functions

• Lead vehicle and propulsion systems design with a strong focus on continuous improvement to meet design milestones on schedule and within budget.
• Provide strong leadership and demonstrate agility by making decisive technical judgments and communicating strategic vision in development environments with incomplete requirements, aggressive schedules, and high quality standards.
• Coordinate engineering activities with Supply Chain and Operations for development efforts.
• Share ownership of metrics related to MRB and Nonconformance rates, closure timelines for Production Programs, and production delivery performance.
• Identify IR&D efforts and align them with technical roadmaps to create technology differentiators.
• Lead pursuits with emphasis on technical baseline rigor, cost justification, executability, and risk management.
• Contribute to program risk and opportunity management, driving mitigation and realization actions.
• Ensure technical issue resolution, root cause identification, and effective implementation of corrective actions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret security clearance.
• Proficiency in leading technical issue resolution through root cause investigation and implementation of corrective actions.
• Expertise in communicating technical data to senior management and customers with varying levels of technical understanding.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Preferred Additional Skills

• 7+ years of propulsion and vehicle systems domain knowledge.
• Strong multidisciplinary technical breadth in missiles and propulsion.
• Ability to quickly understand missions, customer needs, and drive strategy.
• Experience with:
  • Requirements elicitation, analysis, and functional allocation; systems requirements reviews; concept of operations development; interface standards; and performing technical/non technical assessments and management.
  • Leading large, complex, multidisciplinary engineering development teams.
  • Technology innovation, ownership of technology roadmaps, prototyping efforts, and reference architectures.
  • Optimizing engineering processes for efficiency and compliance.
  • Scaling engineering talent, growing technical teams, and staffing programs to meet customer and program needs.
  • Design for manufacturability and cost.
  • Successfully executing multi site engineering efforts.

L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Virginia (outside of Greater D.C. area) is $110,500 - $205,500. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location.

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.

L3Harris Technologies is an E-Verify Employer.