MANAGER-R&D - Aerospace-Mechanical Engineering

Southwest Research Institute; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas seeks a Manager-R&D in Aerospace-Mechanical Engineering to lead the Mechanical Systems Section within the Strategic Aerospace Department. The role focuses on hardware development, avionics modernization, and sustainment programs for USAF and DoD initiatives.

Responsibilities include mentoring engineers, shaping engineering standards, identifying growth opportunities, and coordinating with Program Managers to align requirements, risks, schedules,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related engineering discipline. Advanced degrees are preferred.
• 10+ years: Leading multidisciplinary engineering teams for mechanical design, hardware development, integration, and ruggedized military systems.
• Experience with DoD hardware programs, USAF avionics modernization, and sustainment activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Mechanical Engineering Section to achieve technical excellence and business growth while mentoring engineers.
• Plan, organize, and oversee daily activities, staffing, and budgets for the section.
• Provide technical leadership for hardware development, avionics modernization, and sustainment programs.
• Lead customer engagement, proposals, ROMs, and capture activities from concept to contract award.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Mechanical design

Avionics experience

Customer relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

MANAGER-R&D - Aerospace-Mechanical Engineering

16-01548

Who We Are:

The Mechanical Systems Section in the Strategic Aerospace Department provides electromechanical engineering support for several US Air Force Global Strike Command and Department of Defense programs. We are a multidisciplinary team of engineers that enjoy supporting the warfighter. We provide engineering services to projects involving the design, development and maintenance of hardware and software systems for the strategic aerospace community, including aircraft and ground support equipment ranging from microcircuits to major subsystems.

Objectives of this Role:

• Lead the Mechanical Engineering Section to achieve technical excellence, staff utilization, financial performance, and business growth while establishing strategic vision, mentoring engineers, and expanding customer relationships across the U.S. Air Force.
• Partner with Program Managers to understand customer requirements, technical risks, schedules, and staffing needs while ensuring effective resource allocation, engineering support, and successful execution of modernization and sustainment programs.
• Provide technical leadership for hardware development, avionics modernization, mechanical design, sustainment engineering, and technology development programs supporting strategic Air Force weapon systems.
• Establish engineering standards, design processes, and best practices while providing technical guidance, mentoring engineers and designers, supporting cost estimates, and improving overall engineering quality and execution.
• Lead business development and strategic marketing efforts to identify, shape, capture, and win new hardware development, modernization, and sustainment opportunities that support growth of the Mechanical Engineering Section.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Plan, organize, lead, and oversee daily technical and administrative activities while managing engineering staff utilization, workload balancing, financial performance, employee development, and overall section operations.
• Manage execution of hardware development, modernization, sustainment, research, design, integration, fabrication, and test activities while providing technical direction to multidisciplinary engineering teams supporting U.S. Government programs.
• Lead customer engagement, business development, strategic marketing, proposal development, ROMs, technical presentations, white papers, RFIs, and capture activities supporting opportunities from concept development through contract award.
• Provide technical leadership for mechanical engineering, avionics design, hardware integration, manufacturing support, drafting oversight, and engineering reviews while mentoring engineers and resolving complex technical challenges.
• Travel regularly to Hill AFB, Tinker AFB, Robins AFB, Wright-Patterson AFB, and other customer locations to support technical interchange meetings, program execution, business development, and strategic customer engagement.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related engineering discipline. Other degree fields may be considered with highly relevant experience supporting USAF avionics modernization and sustainment programs. Advanced degrees are preferred.
• 10+ years: Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary engineering teams supporting mechanical design, hardware development, integration, manufacturing, drafting, qualification testing, and production of ruggedized military systems.
• 10 years: supporting USAF bomber, tanker, or heavy aircraft modernization and sustainment programs with demonstrated success developing customer relationships, shaping opportunities, winning new business, and managing engineering organizations.
• 8+ years: Demonstrated leadership managing engineering personnel, utilization, budgets, and technical execution. Proven experience leading proposals, ROMs, RFIs, customer presentations, and strategic business development supporting DoD hardware programs.
• 5+ years: Experience serving as Technical Lead, Engineering Manager, IPT Lead, or Functional Manager supporting large ($6M+) Air Force hardware development, avionics modernization, mechanical engineering, or sustainment programs.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements:

Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

Job Locations: San Antonio, Texas

Military Friendly: Your military experience may apply to this position

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.