Lead Systems Engineer Future Sealift

Reliability & Performance Technologies ( R&P ); Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

R&P Technologies in the Washington, DC area seeks a senior-level Lead Systems Engineer to serve as the primary technical integrator across disciplines for Future Sealift Programs, coordinating with NAVSEA authorities and program offices.

The role leads a multidisciplinary contractor team of senior engineers, guiding trade studies, design reviews, and risk mitigation to ensure program objectives, schedule, and budget are met. Strong leadership and clear communication are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in U.S. Navy ship design, ship acquisition or modernization.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering integration efforts.
• Strong knowledge of NAVSEA ship design processes and technical authority responsibilities.
• Active Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the representative supporting the PAE-Maritime Ship Design Manager (SDM) for Future Sealift Programs.
• Lead and mentor a team of senior contractor engineers and subject matter experts, driving execution to meet objectives and milestones.
• Coordinate design efforts across electrical, structural, mechanical and naval architecture disciplines.
• Review contract deliverables, engineering analyses, calculations, drawings and documentation.
• Support PDR, CDR, technical interchange meetings and IPT meetings.
• Coordinate engineering issue resolution between government stakeholders, contractors and shipyards.
• Monitor technical risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Assist in schedule development and tracking of engineering deliverables.
• Ensure compliance with NAVSEA instructions, naval specifications and commercial shipbuilding standards.
• Provide executive-level briefings and written technical recommendations to leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Consensus building

Security clearance

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering or related field

Job description

R&P is looking for a senior level Lead Systems Engineer who wants to join our team. We are a mid-sized defense contractor providing Business Financial Management, Engineering, Logistics, Program Management and Technical Services to government clients. We are seeking a qualified candidate to provide engineering and programmatic support to the PAE-Maritime Ship Design Manager (SDM) for Future Sealift Programs. The successful candidate will serve as the primary technical integrator across multiple engineering disciplines, ensuring design products are fully coordinated, technically sound and aligned with program requirements, schedule and budget.

In addition to providing technical leadership, the Lead Systems Engineer will lead a multidisciplinary contractor support team consisting of senior engineers and subject matter experts. The successful candidate must possess exceptional leadership, communication and consensus building skills to effectively guide experienced technical professionals, resolve competing priorities, and maintain alignment with government objectives while fostering a collaborative, high-performing team environment.

This position requires extensive experience in U.S. Navy ship design, design integration, and acquisition programs, with a strong background in mechanical engineering and naval architecture. The Lead Systems Engineer will coordinate with NAVSEA technical authorities, the PMS 385 Program Office, Warfare Centers, Military Sealift Command (MSC), industry partners and shipyards throughout the design effort.

• Serve as the representative supporting the PAE-Maritime Ship Design Manager (SDM) for Future Sealift Programs.
• Lead and mentor a team of senior contractor engineers and subject matter experts, fostering collaboration, resolving technical challenges and driving execution to meet program objectives and milestones.
• Coordinate design efforts across electrical, structural, mechanical and naval architecture disciplines.
• Evaluate design products for technical completeness, interface management and compliance with Navy design standards.
• Lead technical discussions involving engineering trade studies, design reviews and configuration management.
• Review contract deliverables, engineering analyses, calculations, drawings and technical documentation.
• Support Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), technical interchange meetings and integrated product team (IPT) meetings.
• Coordinate engineering issue resolution between government stakeholders, contractors and shipyards.
• Monitor technical risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Support development of engineering change proposals (ECPs), design decision memoranda and technical recommendations.
• Assist in schedule development and tracking of engineering deliverables.
• Ensure compliance with applicable NAVSEA instructions, military specifications and commercial shipbuilding standards.
• Provide executive-level briefings and written technical recommendations to PAE-Maritime leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience supporting U.S. Navy ship design, ship acquisition or ship modernization programs.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering integration efforts.
• Strong knowledge of NAVSEA ship design processes and technical authority responsibilities.
• Experience coordinating design products among multiple engineering organizations.
• Ability to review engineering drawings, calculations, specifications and technical documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Active Secret security clearance.

Desired Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Master's degree in Engineering or Engineering Management.
• Experience supporting NAVSEA 05, SEA 21, PAE-Maritime or Military Sealift Command (MSC).
• Experience with auxiliary ships.
• Familiarity with ABS Rules, Navy Design Data Sheets, and NAVSEA technical standards.
• Experience supporting IPTs and Systems Engineering Technical Reviews (SETRs).

Preferred Technical Expertise

• Electrical power generation and distribution systems.
• Naval architecture and ship stability.
• Structural integration.
• Shipboard auxiliary systems.
• Configuration management.
• Engineering change management.
• Design interface management.
• Risk management.
• Technical baseline control.

R&P Technologies provides equal opportunity for all persons and prohibits discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), veteran or marital status, or any other factor prohibited by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave, compensation, and training.

R&P maintains an affirmative action plan to establish fair access to employment opportunities and to create a work community that is an accurate reflection of the qualified workforce. Due to security clearance requirements, U.S. citizenship is required for most positions.

R&P offers a highly competitive compensation package that includes contributions towards health insurance, 401(k) matching and other non-salary benefits. Exact salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.