Chief Engineer (MIS)

Job Title: Chief Engineer (MIS)
Location: Northampton, Massachusetts
Full Time
Fully Onsite Role

Client is seeking an experienced Chief Engineer (MIS) to lead engineering execution for a portfolio of maritime imaging systems programs within the Undersea Systems Division. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience managing large-scale engineering organizations, driving technical execution, overseeing program cost and schedule performance, and leading cross-functional teams within complex defense or aerospace environments.
This leadership role requires strong expertise in systems engineering, earned value management, integrated product team leadership, program execution, and customer engagement while ensuring successful product development, transition to production, and long-term portfolio growth.
Key Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership & Program Execution

• Build, develop, and lead a 100-person cross-functional engineering team executing programs on budget and schedule.
• Manage and mentor 3–6 Program Chief Engineers responsible for individual program execution.
• Lead engineering execution across customer-funded and Internal Research & Development (IRAD) programs.
• Serve as the decision-maker for high-level engineering technical issues.
• Direct product development from proposal and concept through production transition and sustainment.
• Ensure successful execution of technical, cost, and schedule objectives across the program portfolio.

Program & Financial Management

• Establish engineering staffing plans and collaborate with matrix engineering organizations for resource allocation.
• Review and approve Estimates to Complete (ETC) for engineering activities.
• Support annual business objectives including revenue and overhead budget management.
• Utilize Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS) and engineering metrics to monitor and improve program performance.
• Guide Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) initiatives and engineering process improvements.

Stakeholder & Customer Coordination

• Represent engineering organization with major customers and stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with Business General Manager and executive leadership teams.
• Support new business pursuits, proposal reviews, technical volume writing, and Basis of Estimate (BOE) reviews.
• Present high-stakes technical briefings to internal and external stakeholders.

Systems Engineering & Continuous Improvement

• Implement disciplined Systems Engineering processes across programs.
• Oversee program baselining including WBS, work packages, IMS, and budgets.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and engineering excellence.
• Lead engineering process transformation and operational best practices.
• Support production transition and deployment readiness activities.

Required Qualifications
Must-Have Skills

• Engineering Program Leadership
• Systems Engineering
• Earned Value Management (EVMS)
• Integrated Product Team (IPT) Leadership
• Program Cost & Schedule Management
• Risk & Opportunity Management
• Proposal & Technical Volume Writing
• Root Cause & Corrective Action (RCCA)
• Engineering Metrics & Reporting
• Resource Planning & Staffing
• Defense Program Execution
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership

Education

• Bachelor's Degree with 15+ years of related experience
  OR
• Graduate Degree with 13+ years of related experience
  OR
• 19+ years of equivalent relevant experience in lieu of degree

Experience

• Experience leading large-scale engineering organizations.
• Prior experience operating within an IPT environment as Program Chief Engineer or equivalent.
• Experience transitioning development programs into production.
• Experience with WBS, IMS, CAM, and program baselining.
• Strong experience in systems engineering processes and defense/aerospace program execution.

Clearance Requirement

• Active DoD Secret Clearance required.
• US Citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Undersea/Subsea Systems experience.
• Optical Systems experience.
• Design for Manufacturability (DfM) and Design for Excellence (DfX) experience.
• Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) experience.
• Fixed-price development program experience.
• International defense program execution experience.
• Engineering functional management experience.
• Experience implementing disciplined engineering transformation initiatives.

Work Environment

• Fully onsite role in Northampton, Massachusetts.
• Occasional travel required.
• Fast-paced engineering and defense program environment.
• Cross-functional collaboration across engineering, operations, and executive leadership teams.