A Product Development Engineer develops new products for companies, and participates in all phases of product development including research, design, production and marketing. Uses research on customer demand and industry trends to develop product ideas; builds and tests product prototypes; evaluates production options and costs. May specialize in a particular type of product or in products for a specific industry.
The Product Engineer is responsible for leading assigned products and engineering workstreams across their full lifecycle, from requirements definition through design release, production support, and customer delivery. This role serves as the technical point of contact (TPOC) for assigned customers and programs, ensuring technical requirements, design intent, and execution details are clearly understood, controlled, and delivered. Reporting to the Lead Product Engineer, the Product Engineer leads engineering execution at the product and project level, coordinating cross-functional activities across Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management to ensure products are technically mature, configuration-controlled, and ready to build, test, and deliver.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Product & Project Leadership Lead assigned products and engineering projects from concept through production and sustainment Own day-to-day engineering execution, priorities, and deliverables for assigned products Plan, coordinate, and execute engineering activities to meet program schedules and milestones Identify technical risks and lead mitigation actions in coordination with the Lead Product Engineer Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) - Customer Interface Serve as the primary technical point of contact for assigned customers and programs Lead customer technical discussions, reviews, and issue resolution Ensure customer requirements are clearly understood, documented, and flowed into engineering deliverables Support customer design reviews, test reviews, and technical data exchanges Requirements, Design & Configuration Control Own requirements flow down from customer and system requirements to design outputs Coordinate design activities with Design Engineering and System Engineering Ensure designs are configuration-controlled and released in accordance with AS9100D Lead and support engineering change requests (ECRs) and engineering change notices (ECNs) Design-to-Production & Test Support Ensure engineering deliverables support manufacturability, assembly, and test readiness Support build readiness reviews, first article inspections (FAI), and test activities Provide real-time engineering support to Manufacturing and Test during builds and investigations Ensure design intent is preserved through production execution Risk Management & Problem Resolution Lead or support root cause analysis for technical and product-related issues Quantify technical impacts of design changes, deviations, or process variation Implement and verify corrective actions related to product performance and quality Escalate technical risks appropriately to the Lead Product Engineer and Program Management Documentation, Data & Digital Thread Maintain accurate and complete engineering documentation (drawings, BOMs, specifications) Ensure traceability between requirements, designs, tests, and delivered products Support integration of engineering data into PLM, ERP, and QMS systems Ensure engineering data is audit-ready and customer-ready Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner with Program Management to support schedule, cost, and risk objectives Collaborate with Supply Chain to support sourcing, material readiness, and supplier technical issues Work closely with Quality and Test Engineering to ensure product compliance and validation Support continuous improvement initiatives related to product execution
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
No direct people management responsibility May provide technical guidance and task leadership to junior engineers or technicians Leads by influence, ownership, and technical credibility
Required Experience:
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
Required Strong understanding of product engineering and lifecycle management Experience leading engineering projects or workstreams Ability to serve as a customer-facing technical point of contact Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications Strong problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills Ability to manage confidential and export-controlled information (ITAR) Preferred Experience in aerospace, defense, propulsion, or regulated manufacturing environments Familiarity with AS9100D, configuration management, and design control Experience supporting production, test, and sustainment activities
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Required Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline 5+ years of experience in product, design, or manufacturing engineering roles Demonstrated experience supporting cross-functional engineering execution Preferred Experience serving as a customer technical interface Experience in high-mix, low-volume environments
WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Office, manufacturing, and test environments Frequent interaction with shop floor and test areas May require extended hours during build, test, or customer milestones May be required to lift materials, components, or equipment up to 40 lbs
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS 0-15
% as required to support customer engagements, test activities, or other Kratos locations
THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK BEING PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS ASSIGNED TO THIS CLASSIFICATION. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE CONSTRUED AS AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES AND SKILLS REQUIRED OF PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED. A REVIEW OF THIS CLASSIFICATION HAS EXCLUDED THE MARGINAL FUNCTIONS OF THE CLASSIFICATION THAT ARE INCIDENTAL TO THE PERFORMANCE OF FUNDAMENTAL JOB JUTIES. ALL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AND ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO PERFORM THIS JOB PROFICIENTLY. THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE THE MINIMUM LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS OR ABILITIES EEO/M/F/D/V
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Product Engineer, Project Engineer, Manufacturing Product Engineer, Technical Program Engineer, Systems & Product Integration Engineer Kratos Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. Disability Accessibility Accommodation If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply to our careers site, please send your request to HRAccessibility@kratosdefense.com or call 858-964-2916. Any inquires not related to requesting an accommodation will be discarded. Pay Transparency The company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Job Applicant Privacy Notice For applicants in the EU and California residents, please review our privacy notice.
