Sr Engineering Manager - Project Engineering (IAS)

Sierra Nevada Corporation · Lone Tree, CO

Level: Manager
Team: Manufacturing
Base pay: $199k–$274k
Travel: 10%
Degree: Preferred
Experience asked: 10+ years
Industry: Aerospace & defense
Posted: 9 days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A management manufacturing role at Sierra Nevada Corporation (aerospace & defense) in Lone Tree, CO. You will leverage my strong technical leadership to drive engineering success.

They ask for: 10+ years · degree preferred
Tools it names: Lean, Six Sigma
Base pay: $199k–$274k
Day to day: about 10% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Manufacturing Engineer roles in Colorado: typical posted base $97k–$136k. This one lists $199k–$274k.

Median of the low and high ends of 21 live postings that list pay, out of 33 manufacturing engineer openings in Colorado, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Colorado plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 32 other live manufacturing postings in Colorado.

Base pay: About 103% above similar roles
Experience asked: More than usual (10+ vs 5+)

Skills these teams ask for most

✓ Lean 61%
Tooling 52%
✓ Six Sigma 48%
New product launch 42%
Root cause 39%
Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 33%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

It asks for 10+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Lifts up to 15 lbs

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Sierra Nevada Corporation
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Sierra Nevada Corporation in Lone Tree

3 other open roles at this site.

Director Quality Product Assurance · Quality · Director+
Engineering Manager I - Mass Properties · Manufacturing · Manager
Sr Guidance, Navigation and Control Engineer · Controls · Senior

Full description from Sierra Nevada CorporationAs posted on their careers site.Show

requirements

and designs to consistently exceed expectations – with an unrivaled record of on time and on (or under) budget deliveries.

Responsibilities

◆Manage the multiple Project Engineering leads who are embedded within the multiple IAS programs
◆Develop strategic plans to guide the direction of engineering efforts and align with organizational goals.
◆Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet all technical and quality standards.
◆Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders, including customers clients, suppliers, and regulatory bodies.
◆Drive innovation by promoting the adoption of new technologies and methodologies.
◆Provide high-level technical guidance and decision-making.
◆Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
◆Report directly to executive management, providing insights and recommendations on engineering initiatives.
◆Conduct high level professional briefings to internal and external stakeholders.
◆Obtain status and report information up the chain of command
◆Establish regular meeting cadence with Sr Project Engineers
◆Help to define training, tools and process improvement for the PE Organization
◆Mentor and nurture junior engineers with a desire to learn or join the PE Organization
◆Interface with leaders across all disciplines

You Must Have

✓Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, or related field); Master's degree preferred.
✓10+ years of engineering experience with at least 4+ years in a leadership role.
✓Higher level relevant degree may substitute for experience.
✓Extensive experience managing large-scale engineering programs.
✓Advanced knowledge of engineering principles and practices.
✓Extensive experience with Computer Aided Engineering tools, analysis and simulation.
✓Ability to work in multi-disciplinary design and development teams.
✓Previous management experience; exposure to recruiting employees; assigning, directing, and evaluating their work.
✓Overseeing the development and maintenance of staff competence.
✓Strong understanding of Project Engineering across all engineering disciplines

Essential Functions

◆Must be able to work in an office environment or hybrid setting.
◆Ability to travel as required (up to 10% of the time).
◆Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
◆Ability to lift up to 15 pounds occasionally.
◆Clearly convey technical information, design specifications, and project updates to team members, stakeholders, and management.
◆Ability to understand technical documents, schematics, and electronic instrument measurements.
◆Ability to work with and collaboratively lead teams of engineers.

SNC offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.

SNC offers a generou

Show full description ↓

Are you dreaming about a position where you can deliver quality, meaningful results? Come be a part of our diverse, multi-disciplined team of engineers, operating in an agile environment, using the latest tools and methodologies. Develop your technical acumen as well as your leadership skills at a company with huge potential for long-term career growth. As a Senior Engineering Manager, you will leverage my strong technical leadership to drive engineering success. You will build collaborative, high-performing functional teams and manage complex projects with advanced project management and risk mitigation skills. Your focus on process optimization will enhance efficiency and quality. Through cross-functional collaboration and strategic planning, you will align our efforts with organizational goals. Your strong analytical skills and A&D regulatory knowledge will ensure innovative, compliant solutions. Additionally, you will lead organizational development to maintain our competitive edge.

The ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Aviation, and Security (IAS) business area is a leader in ISR and aviation, it is a leading prime manned and unmanned aircraft systems integrator for innovative, high-performance ISR and aviation systems. Its end-to-end Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities encompass design, integration, test, certification, ground/flight training and complete logistics support. IAS tailors solutions to customer cost, performance, and schedule

We Prefer

•Master’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration (MBA).
•Certifications in Lean, Six Sigma, or Agile methodologies.
•Publications or patents in relevant fields.
•Experience with identifying and coordinating resources to ensure the required tools, processes, and training are available/effective and programs are staffed and supported to achieve success.
•Understanding of how to prepare project schedules, budgets, bids, and estimates for proposed program work packages.
•Background in the Aerospace and Defense Industry, the US Department of Defense or US Military.
•Ability to motivate/work with others.
•Prior exposure to working successfully in a highly collaborative, fast-paced environment emphasizing rapid prototyping and fielding of capabilities, with minimal supervision.
•A well rounded understanding of all aerospace engineering disciplines (Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, Systems Integration, Manufacturing, Operations, Structures, Flight Sciences, Certification, etc) is highly desired for this role