Vertex Inc

Product Line Chief Engineer Weapon System Integration (WSI)

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

Qualifications

  • Proven leadership on complex DoD or aerospace programs.
  • Experience with system architecture, design integration, and requirements development.
  • Proficiency in DoD acquisition lifecycle and systems engineering V-model.
  • Prior experience as a Chief Engineer, IPT Lead, or Lead Systems Engineer.
  • Familiarity with rapid prototyping and digital engineering approaches.
  • Experience interfacing with senior defense customers and compliance standards.
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering with 15+ years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

  • Act as the primary technical authority and design owner for assigned programs.
  • Develop and maintain the technical baseline and design integrity.
  • Lead cross-disciplinary technical teams in systems, software, and hardware.
  • Serve as the technical lead for customer design reviews and meetings.
  • Identify and manage technical risks throughout the program lifecycle.
  • Collaborate with Program Managers to achieve technical objectives.
  • Lead technical gate reviews and ensure compliance with standards.

Benefits

  • Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams.
  • Opportunities for professional development and technical leadership.
  • Engagement in cutting-edge defense technology and innovation.
  • Exposure to high-stakes defense programs with senior government customers.
  • Active involvement in ensuring compliance with critical industry standards.
Full Job Description
Responsibilities

Role Overview: V2X is seeking a Product Line Chief Engineer within the Weapons System Integration (WSI) Team in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Product Line 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.

Key Responsibilities: As a Product Line 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 design 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., SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).
  • 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 design 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
  • Proven technical leadership of multi-disciplinary teams on complex DoD or aerospace programs.
  • Experience with system architecture, design integration, requirements development, and risk management.
  • Proficiency with DoD acquisition lifecycle, systems engineering V-model, and technical review process.


Desired Skills
  • Prior Chief Engineer, IPT Lead, or Lead Systems Engineer experience at a major defense integrator.
  • Experience with rapid prototyping, software-enabled solutions, open architectures, or digital engineering approaches.
    • 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).
    • Active Secret clearance preferred

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