Staff Design Engineer

Moog Inc; Town of Elma (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunities

401k matching

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Flexible spending accounts

Relocation assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Moog Inc. in Buffalo, NY is seeking a Staff Design Engineer to lead technical direction across the full product lifecycle for space and defense systems.

You will drive end-to-end design, integration, and testing while mentoring a growing team of engineers and coordinating with customers and partners. A Top/Secret clearance is preferred, with up to 25% travel and strong systems-thinking skills.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of relevant design experience, actuator and controller design experience preferred.
• 7+ years of aerospace, defense, or closely related industry experience.
• 5+ years supporting complex product development programs.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance is required.
• Currently holding a Secret or Top-Secret clearance is highly preferred.
• Approximately up to 25% travel to customer sites.
• Experience across the full engineering lifecycle from concept to production.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle.
• Ensure end-to-end products are designed, integrated, and tested to meet program requirements.
• Lead technical trade studies balancing mechanical, environmental, and control requirements.
• Support design, integration, qualification, and readiness reviews.
• Mentor engineers and coordinate documentation, reporting, and customer communications.
• Influence technology and program directions to align with future customer needs.

Skills

Actuator design

Controller design

Engineering lifecycle

Agile development

Customer design reviews

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Systems, Software Engineering, or related

Job description

Job Title: Staff Design Engineer Reporting To: Sr. Manager, Mechanical Design Engineering Work Schedule: Onsite – Buffalo, NY

Moog is a performance culture that empowers people to achieve great things. Our people enjoy solving interesting technical challenges in a culture where everyone trusts each other to do the right thing. For you, working with us can mean deeper job satisfaction, better rewards, and a great quality of life inside and outside of work.

Moog’s Space and Defense Group is projecting significant growth driven by high levels of U.S. Department of Defense growth. The East Aurora, NY Hypersonic Vehicle Systems (HVS) Team supplies a variety of complex integrated guidance, navigation, and control (iGNC) systems that can include Electro-Mechanical Actuation Systems, Thrust Vector Control Systems, Thermal Batteries, Attitude Control Systems, and a Multi-Effector Controller for hypersonic vehicles.

As the Staff Design Engineer, you'll provide strategic technical leadership across the full product lifecycle, helping ensure our teams deliver innovative, high-quality solutions that meet customer commitments and business objectives.

You’ll lead through collaboration, technical credibility, and sound decision-making, helping teams navigate complex technical and business challenges while maintaining focus on cost, schedule, quality, and customer satisfaction.

You’ll be responsible for ensuring the technical compliance of critical system attributes like safety, reliability, performance, and producibility for Moog products in development and/or production in support of a given customer or platform.

You will have the responsibility and leadership to help mentor a growing team of dynamic engineers.

There will be opportunities to leverage resources in East Aurora, NY (Moog’s headquarters) as well as other sites.

If you’re an engineer who wants to move beyond simply designing components—and wants to lead the technical direction of an entire system and help shape the future of strategic defense—this is an opportunity to make a significant impact.

With broad technical autonomy, you’ll lead complex engineering efforts, drive technical decisions, coordinate across disciplines and organizations, and serve as a key technical interface with customers and external partners.

You’ll have the opportunity to influence both the technology and the direction of the program.

To be considered for the Staff Design Engineer role, here’s what you’ll typically need to bring with you:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Systems, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 7+ years of relevant design experience, actuator and controller design experience preferred.
• 7+ years of aerospace, defense, or closely related industry experience.
• 5+ years supporting complex product development programs.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance is required.
• Currently holding a Secret or Top-Secret clearance is highly preferred.
• Approximately up to 25% travel to customer sites.
• Demonstrated experience across the full engineering lifecycle, from concept and development through integration, test, and production
• Experience preparing for and presenting customer design and program reviews
• Familiarity with Agile development processes

As the Staff Design Engineer, you will:

• Provide hands-on technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle
• Ensure end-to-end products are designed, integrated, and tested to meet program requirements
• Lead and participate in technical trade studies, balancing mechanical, physical, environmental, payload, power, propulsion, thermal, communications, and attitude-control requirements
• Support major program design, integration, qualification, and readiness reviews
• Support Basis of Estimates (BOEs) for program tasks and new business opportunities
• Communicate development status and establish meaningful metrics to track execution and technical progress
• Define technical objectives and drive solutions to complex engineering problems
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to engineers and other professional staff
• Develop and execute engineering solutions spanning design, integration, testing, documentation, resources, compliance, and safety
• Coordinate technical documentation, reporting, presentations, and customer communications
• Anticipate future technology needs and identify opportunities to apply emerging engineering technologiesSupport the development and expansion of new business opportunities
• Lead cross-functional resolution of complex technical, production, and field-performance challenges
• Support successful New Product Introduction (NPI) efforts and seamless transitions into low-rate and full-rate production
• Influence technology, product, and business strategies by aligning current program execution with future customer and market needs
• Establish relationships with customer and Moog networks built on trust and competence.
• Maintain good emotional intelligence, deliver clear and transparent communication, and actively listen to the “voice of the customer”
• Demonstrate effective “systems thinking” and the ability to understand how technical performance, producibility and product quality, business considerations, and customer needs all must be balanced
• Provide technical perspective and guidance regarding potential business decisions that may have long-term financial or strategic impact.
• Be a key influence in driving the group’s efforts to increase profitability
• Maintain awareness of customer and Moog technology roadmaps and be a key influence in aligning efforts to meet future customer needs and position Moog to be in unique positions to offer innovative solutions

How We Care for You:

• Financial Rewards: great compensation package, bonus opportunities, matching 401k, and the ability to participate in Employee Stock Purchase Plan (select locations), Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• Work/Life Balance: Flexible paid time off, holidays and parental leave program, relocation assistance.
• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages.
• Professional Skills Development: Tuition Assistance, mentorship and coaching opportunities, leadership development and other personal growth programs
• Culture: Warm, respectful, family-like environment driven by our 12 core values.
• Multiple Employee Resource Groups led by our employees, open and welcoming to all.

Salary Range Transparency:

Buffalo, NY $140,000.00–$180,000.00 Annually Salary Range Disclaimer The base salary range represents the low and high end of the Moog salary range for this position in the given work location. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. The range(s) listed is just one component of Moog's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, employee stock purchase plan, an open paid time off policy, and many region-specific benefits.

This position requires access to U.S. export-controlled information.

Moog offers an inclusive workplace, and, as such, affirms the right of every person to participate in all aspects of employment based on merit without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.

If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, contact our Human Resources department via phone at 844-367-5787.