Title: Sustainment Engineering Manager Section: Engineering Type: Full-Time Classification: Salary, Exempt Location: Fulcrum HQ, Mattaponi, VA Reports to: Director of Engineering Direct Reports: Engineers POSITION SUMMARY The Sustainment Engineering Manager provides technical leadership and engineering ownership for products that have transitioned into production and fielded operations. This role leads engineering efforts focused on product reliability, design maturity, configuration management, obsolescence planning, technical issue resolution, and long-term product sustainment. Working closely with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain & Logistics, Program Management, and Operations leadership, the Sustainment Engineering Manager ensures products continue to meet customer, business, safety, and performance requirements throughout their lifecycle. The Sustainment Engineering Manager provides the engineering leadership necessary to resolve technical challenges, maintain product integrity, support continuous improvement, and enable efficient and repeatable production. The Sustainment Engineering Manager also provides technical leadership for structural engineering and analysis activities supporting aircraft weapon systems, mission equipment, and aircraft modifications, including structural substantiation, airworthiness, testing, and customer acceptance. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES Engineering Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration • Provide engineering leadership and serve as the primary engineering representative for production and sustainment decision-making. • Collaborate closely with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain & Logistics, Program Management, Business Development, and Operations to resolve technical issues and achieve program objectives. • Facilitate effective communication, coordination, and knowledge transfer between development, manufacturing, and sustainment teams. • Maintain regular communication with direct reports regarding priorities, organizational updates, policies, procedures, training opportunities, and other relevant information. • Prepare for and participate in project kickoffs, company coordination meetings, design reviews, and other meetings as required, effectively communicating complex technical information to technical and non-technical audiences. • Partner with the Director of Engineering to identify and mitigate project and process bottlenecks and improve engineering efficiency. • Partner with the Director of Engineering to develop and execute Engineering strategies, including long-term objectives, growth opportunities, innovation initiatives, and plans for achieving organizational goals. • Provide engineering support to design and structural analysis teams during periods of increased program demand. • Liaise and coordinate with other Engineering Managers and relevant stakeholders, in partnership with the Director of Engineering, to effectively execute engineering priorities, projects, and initiatives. • In coordination with the Director of Engineering, review candidate applications and participate in the planning, interviewing, selection, and successful onboarding of Engineering personnel and independent contractors, as needed. • Provide leadership, coaching, mentoring, and technical direction to direct reports. • Establish clear priorities and expectations for assigned personnel and ensure resources are appropriately aligned with organizational and program needs. • Identify opportunities for professional development, training, and technical growth within the Engineering team. Technical Leadership & Structural Analysis • Provide technical leadership for the structural substantiation of aircraft weapon systems, mission equipment, and aircraft modifications. • Lead or oversee the development and approval of aircraft loads, finite element models, margins of safety, fatigue and damage tolerance assessments, dynamic analyses, and test correlation. • Ensure structural engineering analyses and technical documentation support applicable military airworthiness requirements and customer acceptance. • Provide technical guidance and review of structural analysis activities to ensure sound engineering practices, technical quality, and compliance with program requirements. • Support the development and execution of structural test plans and correlation activities as required. • Provide technical input regarding structural and airworthiness impacts associated with product changes, modifications, and engineering dispositions. Production Support & Technical Product Ownership • Serve as the engineering owner for released products throughout the production and sustainment phases of the product lifecycle. • Provide engineering support to Manufacturing to resolve product design, technical documentation, configuration, and production-related issues. • Partner with Manufacturing leadership to identify, evaluate, and implement product and process improvements. • Support production readiness activities and the timely resolution of technical issues affecting production and product delivery. • Partner with Supply Chain & Logistics to evaluate alternate materials, components, hardware, and suppliers while maintaining applicable technical, quality, and performance requirements. • Provide engineering guidance and technical dispositions for production issues, as appropriate. • Ensure engineering decisions consider product safety, structural integrity, functionality, manufacturability, quality, cost, and customer requirements. Product Sustainment & Lifecycle Management • Lead engineering support for fielded, mature, and legacy products throughout their lifecycle. • Lead engineering investigations related to field performance, reliability concerns, product failures, and customer-reported technical issues. • Drive root cause analysis and development and implementation of corrective and preventive actions for product-related technical issues. • Develop and implement strategies to address component and material obsolescence, supplier changes, end-of-life components, and other lifecycle management challenges. • Assess the technical and operational impacts of supplier, material, component, and process changes. • Maintain awareness of product health, recurring technical issues, reliability trends, and opportunities for proactive engineering intervention. Continuous Product Improvement & Configuration Management • Identify and lead opportunities to improve product performance, reliability, manufacturability, quality, and cost. • Lead engineering change activities and support effective configuration management and configuration control throughout the product lifecycle. • Support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives in collaboration with Manufacturing and Operations. • Evaluate and implement product enhancements based on customer feedback, field performance, production experience, technical findings, and business objectives. • Coordinate with Program Management and Engineering to evaluate and document airworthiness impacts associated with proposed product changes. • Evaluate non-conforming materials, components, products, processes, or systems and determine appropriate engineering dispositions based on safety, structural, functional, and performance impacts. • Provide formal engineering authorization for technical dispositions within established authority and approval processes. • Drive root-cause investigations associated with non-conformances and recurring technical issues and support corrective actions to prevent recurrence. • Provide feedback and lessons learned to Design and Structural Analysis teams supporting new product development to promote design maturity, manufacturability, reliability, and lifecycle sustainability. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. • Ability to operate in a clerical setting, routinely using standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, etc. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE • 10+ years of aerospace structural analysis experience with a B.S. degree OR 7+ years with a M.S. degree. • Extensive knowledge of primary and secondary aircraft structures, including free body diagrams, load paths, internal and external load development, classical stress analysis, finite element methods, stability, fatigue, fracture mechanics, and damage tolerance. • Working knowledge of structural dynamics including modal analysis, vibration, shock, transient response, recoil loading, and dynamic load development. • Experience interpreting military specifications and airworthiness requirements. • Expert-level proficiency using FEMAP/NASTRAN or equivalent aerospace finite element software. • Extensive experience analyzing and modifying aircraft primary and secondary structures including fuselage, frames, bulkheads, longerons, skins, floor structures, landing gear attachments, wing structures, tail structures, engine mounts, pylons, and/or weapons support structures. • Analytical mindset with the ability to proactively solve problems and make data-driven decisions. • Exceptional organizational and time management skills, including a strong attention to detail. • Ability to handle multiple projects at once, with sound decision making skills to prioritize and organize self and team effectively. • Excellent communication skills, with the added skills of conflict resolution. • Proficient in Microsoft applications and software, like Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, Teams, Visio, and Word as well as Acrobat Pro. PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE • Dynamic leadership skills with the ability to train and development employees, specifically as related to specialization as required for Structural Analysis. • Experience preparing structural substantiation for military airworthiness approvals, FAA certification, or equivalent certification activities. • Experience with 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD). • Exceptional knowledge of structural dynamics including modal analysis, vibration, shock, transient response, recoil loading, and dynamic load development. • Experience with generating products that pass MIL-STD-810 testing. • Enjoys challenges and a fast-paced environment. • Self-starter, highly motivated, exceptional work ethic. • Superior attention to detail, focused, quick learner. EDUCATION • Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from an accredited college, or equivalent experience/combined education. Master of Science Degree in Engineering, Mathematics, or Physical Science preferred. SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT • Subject to a security investigation and may need to meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. A SECRET, TS, or TS/SCI clearance may be required.