Branch Manager - Materials and Process

Description Looking for an opportunity to make an impact? At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business. Your greatest work is ahead! Leidos’ Defense Systems is seeking a Materials & Processes Engineering Branch Manager. The Advanced Materials and Test Division is a multi-disciplinary team that provides materials engineering expertise for every phase of a program. With backgrounds in materials science, chemistry/chemical engineering, physics, among others, the division has experience in executing a variety of efforts from R&D, to prototype development, to supporting design and build tasks for manufacturing. Beyond subject matter expertise, the department has the analysis equipment, multi-physics modelling capability and experimental lab space to support activities ranging from proof-of-concept experimentation to manufacturing support. If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading! Leidos Defense Systems Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions. To explore and learn more, click here! Are you ready to make an impact? Share your resume with us today! The Advanced Materials & Test Division is a team of scientists, engineers, technicians, and program staff focused on the research, development, application, integration, and testing of advanced or niche materials and processes to solve some of our nation's most pressing needs. Within the Division, the Materials & Process Branch executes engineering, manufacturing, process development, and qualification work in support of the internal and external customers. As Branch Manager, the successful candidate will develop and lead their team to support organizational objectives with an emphasis on growing the branch's capability to respond to the materials and process engineering demands of programs and customers across the business. The individual selected for this position will lead a team executing and supporting programs for internal and external customers, and will be expected to manage their time and priorities effectively to ensure both project and organizational success. The individual must be a self-starter with strong technical skills and a proven history of technical leadership in Materials and Process Engineering. The individual must also have excellent interpersonal skills and a desire to build and develop a team to tackle challenging technical and manufacturing problems. The ideal candidate will thrive in and seek to foster a learning environment that encourages leadership, technical growth, and collaboration. Responsibilities Will Include Playing a lead role in setting the Materials and Process Engineering roadmap for the Advanced Materials & Test Division based on an in-depth understanding of customer needs, industry and process technology developments, and group capabilities. This includes serving as Solution Architect on relevant programs and assisting in defining and leading IRaD effortsEngaging proactively with other divisions and product development organizations to understand their technical needs and connect them with the right Materials & Process (M&P) support, serving as a key liaison between the branch and its internal customersForecasting the organization's future M&P needs and positioning branch capabilities and expertise in the right technical domains ahead of demand, so project teams have the support they need to meet their objectivesPerforming or directly overseeing in-lab and production-floor process development, scale-up, and qualification activities to deliver engineering solutions as part of customer program or IRaD executionProviding technical oversight and mentorship to develop team members with an emphasis on developing future leaders, or coordinating and monitoring such mentorship when time constraints or technical domain require delegating this taskDeveloping strong working relationships with team members to maximize productivityPersonnel management including hiring, employee development, appraisals, and staff assignment coordinationTracking staff coverage to identify hiring needs, write job postings, coordinate screening of applicants, conduct interviews, and make hiring recommendationsPerforming, or delegating within the branch and overseeing program management for efforts primarily led or executed by the branchSupporting business development goals and initiatives by building and maintaining customer relationships and contributing to (or leading) proposalsProviding technical input to program leadership during the planning and execution of engineering and advanced manufacturing projectsProviding technical expertise to group safety procedure development and reviews, contributing to decisions on the appropriateness and acceptability of proposed procedures and policies Basic Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering, or similar degree from an ABET-accredited institutionBS degree and 12+ years, MS degree and 10+ years, or PhD and 8+ years of total professional experienceExperience in project management including cost, schedule, and technical direction responsibilities5+ years of experience leading technical teams3+ years of experience with direct personnel management including hiring, employee development, appraisals, and staff assignment coordination responsibilitiesMust be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville, AL or surrounding area Other Qualifications Demonstrated ability and/or past experience in technical problem solving and root cause analysis, particularly related to manufacturing processes and production issuesDemonstrated ability to decompose system-level requirements into Materials & Process specifications and taskingExcellent written and verbal communication skillsCapable of performing in a collaborative engineering environment working with multi-disciplinary teamsDirect hands-on or supervisory experience with hardware and process equipment (testing, fabrication, integration, operation, or maintenance)Strong skills and past experience growing customer relationships through a focus on delivering high-value customer service and consistent positive customer interactionsSubstantial hands-on experience and in-depth technical expertise in Materials and Process Engineering, manufacturing, or production environments Preference will be shown to candidates who have experience and/or working knowledge of: Design, fabrication, procurement, AI&T, check-out, and operation of materials processing or manufacturing systemsProcess qualification, statistical process control, and manufacturing readiness assessmentIndustrial or laboratory safety systems and proceduresDirect personnel management of teams larger than 10 peopleBusiness development activities including developing briefings, white papers, and proposals AppKinetic If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares. Original Posting August 28, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. Pay Range Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law. About Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Pay And Benefits Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits. Securing Your Data Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com. If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Commitment to Non-Discrimination All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.