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Karman Space & Defense
Senior Engineering Manager
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What they do
An Aerospace Engineering Manager oversees engineering and technical design of aerospace engineering projects, such as airplane or rocket components. Manages communication and coordination among different types of engineers working on a project. Supervises project schedule, budget, and communications with stakeholders.
$185,307 / year median in Washington
+9% projected growth
Job Description
Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.
This role supports our Defense Systems business, bringing together Hypersonics, Strategic Missile Defense, Tactical Missiles, and Integrated Defense Systems. Modern defense missions demand more than piecemeal parts or patchwork products; they require hardware that seamlessly integrates disparate technologies into a unified system. Backed by decades of flight-proven performance, our teams deliver tailored mission-ready solutions across air, land, and sea, including: launch and deployment systems, propulsion, payload protection, integration and deployment.
In this role, you will oversee the operational and peoplemanagement foundation of a functional engineering group. You will consolidate labor demand across programs, manage daily resource allocation, and support programs in defining scoped, staffable engineering work. You will partner closely with technical experts to deliver engineering standards and training while guiding the development, performance, and career progression of the groups engineering staff.
ScheduleThis role follows a 9/80 schedule, with 9-hour shifts Monday through Thursday, an 8-hour shift every other Friday, and the alternating Friday off.
ResponsibilitiesConsolidates labordemand signals across programs into a unified view of committed, requested, and open needs.
Coordinates daily allocation of functional engineering resources to balance workload and support individual career growth.
Manages traffic control for resource requests by sequencing needs, staging work, and flagging conflicts early.
Tracks allocation and effort against work orders to identify and address over or underutilization.
Oversees logistics for standards dissemination and training, including scheduling, completion tracking, and maintaining training pipelines.
Partners with technical experts to ensure engineering standards and training content are built, maintained, and delivered effectively.
Maintains qualification ladders and monitors progression toward independent qualification for new hires and transfers.
Helps programs break down engineering tasks into clearly scoped, staffable work packages with realistic schedule and effort expectations.
Identifies required skill sets for tasking and routes ambiguous or contested technical requests to the appropriate expert.
Leads peoplemanagement activities including goalsetting, performance reviews, coaching, career pathing, and administrative duties such as timekeeping, approvals, onboarding, and HR coordination.
Required QualificationsBachelor of Science (B.S.) in Engineering.8 or more years of engineering leadership experience, including at least 2 years in aerospace and/or engineering.
Demonstrated experience in resource planning, scheduling, and managing technical staff.
Ability to manage datadriven scheduling and cadence across multiple concurrent programs.
Demonstrated commitment to staff development and ability to balance program needs with individual growth.
Ability to collaborate as a peer with technical experts and appropriately route technical decisions.
Experience helping programs translate ambiguous engineering requests into scoped, staffable work packages.
Preferred QualificationsDisciplinespecific technical depth in a relevant engineering domain.
This position requires U.S. person status under U.S. export control laws, including U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.
BenefitsMedical, dental, and vision insurance401(k) with company matchPaid time offHealth Savings Account (HSA) with company contributionFlexible Spending Accounts (FSA)Companypaid life and AD&D insuranceShort and longterm disability coverageTuition reimbursementKarman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
This role supports our Defense Systems business, bringing together Hypersonics, Strategic Missile Defense, Tactical Missiles, and Integrated Defense Systems. Modern defense missions demand more than piecemeal parts or patchwork products; they require hardware that seamlessly integrates disparate technologies into a unified system. Backed by decades of flight-proven performance, our teams deliver tailored mission-ready solutions across air, land, and sea, including: launch and deployment systems, propulsion, payload protection, integration and deployment.
In this role, you will oversee the operational and peoplemanagement foundation of a functional engineering group. You will consolidate labor demand across programs, manage daily resource allocation, and support programs in defining scoped, staffable engineering work. You will partner closely with technical experts to deliver engineering standards and training while guiding the development, performance, and career progression of the groups engineering staff.
ScheduleThis role follows a 9/80 schedule, with 9-hour shifts Monday through Thursday, an 8-hour shift every other Friday, and the alternating Friday off.
ResponsibilitiesConsolidates labordemand signals across programs into a unified view of committed, requested, and open needs.
Coordinates daily allocation of functional engineering resources to balance workload and support individual career growth.
Manages traffic control for resource requests by sequencing needs, staging work, and flagging conflicts early.
Tracks allocation and effort against work orders to identify and address over or underutilization.
Oversees logistics for standards dissemination and training, including scheduling, completion tracking, and maintaining training pipelines.
Partners with technical experts to ensure engineering standards and training content are built, maintained, and delivered effectively.
Maintains qualification ladders and monitors progression toward independent qualification for new hires and transfers.
Helps programs break down engineering tasks into clearly scoped, staffable work packages with realistic schedule and effort expectations.
Identifies required skill sets for tasking and routes ambiguous or contested technical requests to the appropriate expert.
Leads peoplemanagement activities including goalsetting, performance reviews, coaching, career pathing, and administrative duties such as timekeeping, approvals, onboarding, and HR coordination.
Required QualificationsBachelor of Science (B.S.) in Engineering.8 or more years of engineering leadership experience, including at least 2 years in aerospace and/or engineering.
Demonstrated experience in resource planning, scheduling, and managing technical staff.
Ability to manage datadriven scheduling and cadence across multiple concurrent programs.
Demonstrated commitment to staff development and ability to balance program needs with individual growth.
Ability to collaborate as a peer with technical experts and appropriately route technical decisions.
Experience helping programs translate ambiguous engineering requests into scoped, staffable work packages.
Preferred QualificationsDisciplinespecific technical depth in a relevant engineering domain.
This position requires U.S. person status under U.S. export control laws, including U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.
BenefitsMedical, dental, and vision insurance401(k) with company matchPaid time offHealth Savings Account (HSA) with company contributionFlexible Spending Accounts (FSA)Companypaid life and AD&D insuranceShort and longterm disability coverageTuition reimbursementKarman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Benefits
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Financial Aid/Assistance
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance