Senior Manager, Systems & Test Engineering and Labs

The Senior Manager, Systems & Test Engineering and Labs provides unified leadership over Systems Engineering, Test Engineering, and Lab Operations. This leader ensures disciplined engineering execution driven by robust system engineering practices, rigorous test practices, and safe, standardized lab operations. On-site presence in Roanoke is required.
Key Responsibilities

• Lead Systems and Test Engineering teams responsible for requirements, architecture, integration, and verification/validation.
• Lead the System Engineering discipline across requirements development, architecture, design, integration and verification - consistent with Twenty-Six Defense's Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) frameworks and technical baseline governance.
• Oversee creation and maintenance of system requirements, CONOPs, verification matrices and other artifacts aligned with MBSE workflows.
• Ensure disciplined execution of SRR/SDR/PDR/CDR readiness and artifacts.
• Drive use of contemporary systems engineering best practices and tools for robust requirements management and flow-down.
• Lead Test Engineering discipline covering test planning, procedure development, data collection, test execution, analysis and reporting.
• Create, implement and enforce sound standards, grounded in industry best practices, for test execution across multiple disciplines in support of night vision devices and related sensors.
• Ensure compliance with regulated industry standards.
• Oversee engineering plans, schedules, and deliverables.
• Oversee daily R&D Engineering lab operations including 6S, calibration, configuration control, and safety compliance.
• Manages Lab Supervisor and ensure coordinated lab activity in support of both R&D Engineering and internal customer needs.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration across engineering disciplines and with internal customers.
• Apply lean principles and continuous improvement. Enforce consistent engineering standards and operational discipline.
• Lead the team through coaching, mentoring and performance management.
• Develop skills matrices, succession paths and training plans for Systems, Test and Lab roles.
• Drive a continuous improvement mindset within the group.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering.
• 5 years industry experience applying Systems & Test Engineering practices in a regulated, high-technology environment.
• 5 years proven engineering leadership experience, managing engineers and technicians.
• Strong experience with requirements management, verification planning, system architecture and technical baseline management.
• Familiarity with MBSE, architecture modeling and model-driven verification.
• Experience with test development, optical/electro-optical system testing, data analysis and engineering reports.
• On-site availability in Roanoke.

• Defense or regulated industry experience.
• Master's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optics/Physics or related.
• Experience with night-vision systems, low-light imaging, fused sensors (I2 + thermal) or electro-optical military products.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification.

• Direct Reports: 8-10 Engineers
• Indirect Reports: Lab Supervisor + 4-6 Technicians

• Most locations offer a 9/80 schedule, providing every other Friday off
• Competitive compensation & 401(k) program to plan for your future
• Robust medical, dental, vision, & disability coverage with qualified wellness discounts
• Basic Life Insurance and Additional Life & AD&D Insurances are available
• Flexible Vacation & PTO
• Paid Parental Leave
• Generous Employee Referral Program
• Voluntary Benefits Available: Longer Term Care, Legal, Identity Theft, Pet Insurance, and more
• Voluntary Tricare Supplement available for military retirees

This job description does not list all the duties of the job. You may be asked by your supervisors or managers to perform other duties. The employer has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not an employment contract. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. Twenty-Six Defense is an equal opportunity employer as to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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