Senior Manager/Manager

Manager/Senior Manager - Mechanical/Structures Design EngineeringLocation: Los Angeles - Full time onsite. No remote options. Potential for relocation assistance.Engagement: Contract/FTE optionsRates/Salary: The client is focused on finding the right individuals, therefore open to rates.OverviewOur client is pioneering the next generation of world-class vehicle architecture and advanced industrial processes. We are searching for an exceptional and driven leaders to take the helm of a dedicated engineering unit responsible for end-to-end product realization within a critical industry vertical.The RoleAs the Senior Manager/Manager, A&D Systems, you will be tasked with building, scaling, and guiding a high-performance engineering team. Your mission is to translate high-level business objectives into delivered, operational products, acting as the primary point of technical and strategic ownership for your vertical.These roles are for deeply technical mentors and strategic partners who can: Elevate Talent: Provide hands-on technical guidance, mentorship, and career development to cultivate a culture of innovation, extreme ownership, and product accountability within the team. Drive Alignment: Collaborate seamlessly with peer leadership across the organization to ensure technical compatibility and successful cross-functional project execution. Deliver Results: Serve as the accountable liaison to executive leadership, defining, communicating, and ensuring the delivery of high-impact business and product outcomes.Key Responsibilities Strategic Direction: Define and manage team roadmaps, prioritize projects, and monitor progress against ambitious company milestones. Excellence Architect: Establish and champion a foundational culture of technical rigor, accountability, quality, and proactive innovation. System Integrity: Conduct comprehensive technical reviews to validate that product designs and capabilities meet stringent requirements. Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify interdependencies, capability gaps, and risks across different technical groups and spearhead robust mitigation strategies. Resource Stewardship: Strategically allocate resources, accurately assess team capacity, and ensure maximum productivity to meet commitments. Performance Leadership: Establish, track, and report on departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and functional goals, driving measurable results.Essential Qualifications Export Control: Must possess the ability to lawfully access regulated information and technology subject to US export controls. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field. • Domain Expertise: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in a relevant technical engineering discipline. Leadership Track: At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in a formal technical leadership or management capacity. Team Success: Proven ability to successfully lead and manage a team of mechanical engineers in a collaborative, cross-functional environment to launch successful products. Project Mastery: A strong, verifiable record of successfully leading complex engineering projects from initial concept through full-scale production, specifically involving high-performance materials and high-reliability systems. Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; capable of synthesizing complex technical details into clear, concise summaries for alignment with diverse stakeholders. Structured Thinking: Possesses a robust systems-thinking mindset, demonstrating comfort in navigating technical ambiguity and establishing clear, structured paths across various program and technology boundaries.Preferred Qualifications A&D Focus: Direct experience in developing complex products and systems for aerospace and defense sectors. Advanced Technologies: Practical experience with additive manufacturing, large-scale automation systems, or advanced materials development.Startup Agility: Demonstrated capability to thrive and deliver in a high-tech, rapid-paced startup or growth-stage environment, fueled by a passion for transforming traditional manufacturing models.