Principal Project Engineer (continuous opening)

Role Overview

Are you ready to take on a pivotal role in delivering innovative, mission-critical solutions? As a Principal Project Engineer supporting our engineering team in Indianapolis, Indiana, you’ll play a key role in developing and deploying specialized systems for the U.S. government.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee department-wide technical frameworks, driving cross-disciplinary integration (mechanical, electrical, software, manufacturing).
• Lead high-impact, complex technical projects ensuring alignment with organizational goals and innovation.
• Identify, analyze, and mitigate engineering risks and opportunities.
• Forecast, allocate, and optimize engineering resources across projects and teams.
• Manage supplier relationships, ensuring compliance, cost-effectiveness, and delivery timelines.
• Build trusted relationships with stakeholders, aligning technical execution with organizational strategy.
• Mentor engineers at all levels, fostering excellence, collaboration, and leadership development.
• Ensure projects adhere to industry standards like IEEE 15288, PMI PMBOK, ISO 9001, and AS9100.
• Act as an Independent Technical Reviewer to align decisions with best practices.
• Support enterprise-wide initiatives delivering measurable outcomes such as efficiency, growth, or customer success.
• Represent the organization in strategic forums and technical committees.
• Lead agile transformation efforts, optimizing workflows, sprint planning, and collaboration.
• Establish and guide best practices for cost modeling, proposal development, and resource forecasting.
• Ensure engineering proposals meet technical and business benchmarks.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Execution: Balances innovation with disciplined execution, driving technical strategies and integrating engineering disciplines to deliver impactful outcomes.
• Collaborative Leadership: Builds strong relationships across teams, customers, and leadership while communicating effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Decisive Problem-Solving: Takes ownership of technical challenges, proactively mitigating risks and delivering solutions aligned with organizational goals.
• Risk and Compliance: Implements agile practices and ensures adherence to industry standards like IEEE 15288, PMI PMBOK, ISO 9001, and AS9100.

Required Skills

• Leadership and Communication: Strategic thinker with strong collaboration skills across teams, customers, and leadership; capable of explaining complex technical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders while driving innovation and disciplined execution.
• Problem-Solving and Innovation: Decisive problem solver with ownership of technical challenges, capable of mitigating risks, delivering solutions, and driving innovative outcomes aligned with organizational goals.
• Proven ability to design, integrate, and troubleshoot complex hardware and software systems.
• Experience in integrating mechanical, electrical, software, and communication systems for vehicle platforms.
• Skilled in performing design trade-offs, risk analysis, and component/system compatibility assessments.

Desired Skills

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
• Design and Development Program Experience
• Knowledge of routings, work instructions, and Production program environments
• Experience interfacing with senior defense customers, including Program Executive Officers (PEOs) and Program Management (PM) offices
• Advanced proficiency in systems engineering (IEEE 15288), project management (PMI PMBOK), standards compliance (ISO 9001, AS9100), agile methodologies, and tools like SAP S4/HANA, Azure, Jira, Windchill, GitHub, and configuration/risk management systems
• Hands-on experience in creating system architecture models and diagrams to support ground vehicle integration

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM field with 15+ years of experience in defense system development, emerging engineering leadership, and program execution.
• Master’s degree in STEM field or MBA preferred.

Other Requirements

• Ability to gain or current US Government Secret Security Clearance.
• US Citizenship required.

Benefits

• Healthcare coverage
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance, AD&D, and disability benefits
• Wellness programs
• Paid time off, including holidays
• Learning and Development resources
• Employee assistance resources

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time and may be modified at the discretion of the company, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.