Vertex Inc

Chief Engineer- Production WSI

Vertex Inc$120K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years as Chief Engineer, IPT Lead, or Lead Systems Engineer in defense
  • Experienced in leading multi-disciplinary teams on complex aerospace or DoD programs
  • Background in Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) environments
  • Familiar with routing and work instructions
  • Skilled in manufacturing processes, MRBs, and production transitions
  • Proficient in DoD acquisition lifecycle and systems engineering V-model

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the main technical authority and design owner for programs
  • Develop and manage the technical baseline and design integrity
  • Lead technical teams in systems, software, hardware, and cybersecurity
  • Act as the technical lead for customer meetings and program execution
  • Identify and manage technical risks throughout the program
  • Collaborate with Program Manager to meet cost, schedule, and performance goals
  • Lead technical gate reviews and readiness assessments

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge defense systems
  • Engagement in a collaborative and high-impact role
  • Chance to influence technical direction and program outcomes
  • Exposure to senior defense leadership and clients
  • Participate in critical technical decision-making processes
  • Access to ongoing professional development and technical training
Full Job Description
Role Overview: V2X is seeking a Production Chief Engineer within the Weapons System Integration (WSI) Team in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Production Chief Engineer (CE) serves as the primary technical authority for assigned defense programs, with full accountability for technical execution, risk posture, and design integrity across the program lifecycle. The CE partners closely with Program Managers, customer technical leadership, and cross-functional teams to ensure delivery of mission-capable, cost-effective, and compliant solutions aligned to customer requirements, V2X technical standards, and contractual obligations.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities: As a Production Chief Engineer, you will:
  • Serve as the technical authority and design owner for assigned programs.
  • Develop, maintain, and control the technical baseline, architecture, interfaces, and design integrity.
  • Lead cross-disciplinary technical teams across systems, software, hardware, cybersecurity, integration, and test.
  • Act as the customer-facing technical lead for reviews, technical interchange meetings, and program execution.
  • Identify, assess, and manage technical risks throughout the program lifecycle.
  • Collaborate with the Program Manager to ensure technical cost, schedule, and performance objectives are achieved.
  • Lead technical gate reviews and readiness assessments (e.g., Production Readiness Review [PRRs], Failure Review Boards [FRBs], Consent to Ship [CTS] Reviews).
  • Ensure compliance with applicable standards (DoD, MIL-STD, ITAR, cyber compliance, etc.).
  • Lead resolution of critical technical issues impacting program execution or delivery.
  • Provide technical leadership for proposals, including basis of estimate (BOE), architecture development, and capture support.
  • Partner with V2X functional engineering leadership to ensure application of production processes, specialty engineering, and independent technical assessments.

Leadership Competencies:
  • Strategic technical thinker with ability to balance innovation and disciplined execution.
  • Highly collaborative leader able to work across functional teams, customers, and leadership.
  • Effective communicator with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Decisive problem solver with strong ownership of program's technical posture.


Qualifications

Required Skills
  • Prior Chief Engineer, IPT Lead, or Lead Systems Engineer experience at a major defense integrator.
  • Proven technical leadership of multi-disciplinary teams on complex DoD or aerospace programs.
  • Experience in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) program environments.
  • Knowledge of routings, and work instructions.
  • Experience with manufacturing processes, Material Review Boards (MRBs), and transition to production activities, and risk management.
  • Proficiency with DoD acquisition lifecycle, systems engineering V-model, and technical review process.


Desired Skills
  • Experience supporting U.S. Air Force bomber programs (B-1B, B-2, B-52, B-21) in a technical leadership role
  • Experience interfacing with senior defense customers, including Program Executive Officers (PEOs) and Program Management (PM) offices.
  • Familiarity with MIL-STD compliance, safety standards, cybersecurity compliance (RMF, NIST).
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD secret clearance.

Education Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering with 15+ years of experience in defense system development, emerging engineering leadership, and program execution.
  • Master's degree in Engineering preferred.

#LI-VH1

About Vertex Inc

Vertex Inc is a leading provider of tax technology and services, enabling companies of all sizes to realize the full strategic potential of the tax function by automating and integrating tax processes, while leveraging advanced and predictive analytics of tax data. Vertex provides cloud-based and on-premise solutions that can be tailored to specific industries for every major line of tax, including income, sales and consumer use, value added and payroll. Vertex also offers solutions for tax data management, compliance and reporting, tax research, and planning and analysis. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Learn more about Vertex Inc
Size
1,200 employees
Market Cap
$2.2 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$78.9 million
Founded
1978
Revenue
$374.6 million
NASDAQ

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