Director of Engineering

About the role

Northwest Partners is supporting a leading defense and aerospace organization in its search for an experienced Director of Engineering. This is a senior engineering leadership position responsible for setting the technical direction of the organization, leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, and driving the development and lifecycle management of rugged, mission-critical technology solutions. The ideal candidate will bring significant engineering leadership experience within defense, aerospace, rugged electronics, mission systems, or a similar complex hardware environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering and technology strategy in alignment with business and customer objectives.
• Develop technology and product roadmaps across rugged computing, embedded systems, communications, displays, and related technologies.
• Serve as the senior engineering authority across architecture, design reviews, technical risk, and engineering decisions.
• Lead engineering execution from concept and prototype through qualification, production, sustainment, and end-of-life.
• Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program teams to support successful product development and manufacturing.
• Drive engineering processes including systems engineering, verification and validation, configuration management, and technical reviews.
• Support customer engagements, proposals, technical solutions, and business development activities.
• Build and lead high-performing multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Develop engineering talent through mentoring, recruiting, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Ensure compliance with applicable defense, aerospace, quality, cybersecurity, and export requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience.
• Background in defense, aerospace, rugged electronics, mission systems, or similar complex hardware environments.

Skills

• Proven experience leading engineering teams and making high-level technical decisions.
• Strong understanding of engineering planning, lifecycle management, manufacturing readiness, and configuration control.
• Experience with MIL-STD, AS9100D/ISO 9001, ITAR/export compliance, cybersecurity, and government contracting requirements.
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems, including BOMs, drawings, revision control, and engineering change management.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Short term Disability
• Long-term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Education Benefits