Technology Research Manager jobs in Portland, ME

FMI, A Spirit AeroSystems Company | solutions for the most extreme places in the universe

Spirit Maine's manufacturing facility has been a leading solutions provider of high temperature materials and composites for more than 50 years, serving the Department of Defense and NASA. The focus in Maine is on multidirectional reinforced Carbon/Carbon (C/C) and Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) that enable high-temperature components such as: thermal protection systems, re-entry vehicle nose tips as well as rocket motor throats and nozzles.

Our materials are being used on ground-breaking space initiatives such as the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and the heat shield for NASA's Mars 2020 mission, important missile programs, airfoils in commercial and military jet engines, and as lightweight armor for U.S. military ground vehicles.

Your role: Spirit Maine is seeking a proactive, motivating Project Manager to join the Research & Technology Advanced Programs team.  In this role you will manage the technical execution of engineering projects to deliver advanced high temperature material solutions for hot structures and thermal protection systems in Defense and Space applications.  You will be expected to clearly define, bid and manage work packages for efficient execution.  You will ensure the right resources are being applied to your assigned project(s) and will forecast and track cost and schedule performance.  You will clearly communicate with the engineering team, R&T leadership and the customer, ensuring internal process compliance while exceeding customer expectations.

To be successful in this role you will have a technical education or experience in a technical or manufacturing environment, be a team-first leader and motivator, have excellent written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated project management skills.  As a team leader, you will be able to execute tasks with reduced oversight, have high personal integrity and will always promote our company values and safety culture.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide budgetary and schedule estimates for new programs and existing program modifications
• Participate in the analysis of contractual deliverables to establish project scope and engineering requirements
• Own the project schedule and drive execution to deliver solutions on time and within budget.
• Work closely with Systems Engineering to follow a defined technology development process and track TRL / MRL maturation
• Proactively manage program risk and ensure mitigation plans are efficient and effective
• Lead and/or participate in customer reviews
• Regularly report status and performance to R&T leadership
• Liaise with other project technical teams, Quality, Safety, Manufacturing and Operations as well as customers/subcontractors/suppliers to ensure product integrity and manufacturability

What we need from you:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, engineering / technical / program management or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Two to five years of experience in an advanced manufacturing, prototyping or development engineering environment
• Demonstrated success managing engineering or manufacturing based development programs
• Capable of managing multiple programs simultaneously if required
• Able to effectively communicate, influence and deliver across organizational disciplines and levels
• Experience with IMP/IMS, requirements management, risk management, cost account management and reporting
• Working experience with product lifecycle management, configuration control and enterprise resource planning systems
• Energetic, collaborative leader with excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Exemplary work ethic and attention to detail

Preferred:

• PMP certification or ability to obtain within a year
• Familiarity with advanced materials-based technology development; high temperature carbon and ceramic composites
• Experience executing development projects in a production manufacturing environment.
• Active Secret Security Clearance

What you'll get from us:

• 16 ETO days
• 12 paid holidays (including Winter Closure!)
• Medical / Dental / Vision effective on day of hire
• 401k Company Match
• Tuition Reimbursement
• $1000 Sign-On Bonus