Manager, Stress Engineering

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of analysis engineers focusing on structures, mechanical systems, fatigue, durability and damage tolerance, propulsion, interiors, methods, internal loads, test and materials review board.
• Oversee and improve VG’s stress capabilities, resources and procedures as required to meet the needs of the engineering organization and all VG programs.
• Track stress team schedule and budget and regularly report results to senior leadership and program staff.
• Resolve schedule and technical setbacks by developing and implementing practically driven recovery plans with engineering and program staff.
• Support team development and growth with a commitment to elevating people through hiring, mentorship and career development of stress engineers.
• Drive practical continuous improvement of stress activities including stress processes, capital projects, standardization efforts and training activities.
• Establish and coordinate processes, plans, and procedures necessary to provide timely, accurate, and focused engineering substantiation.
• Promote the continual identification and active management of teams’ risks and opportunities.
• Fosters an inclusive work environment that values diversity, sharing, creative problem solving, and strategic thinking.
• Ensures the integrity of the teams’ engineering through informed, data-driven decisions.
• Emphasizes Safety in all situations including inside and outside the organization.
• Responsibility for resource planning and determining program assignments.
• Interfaces regularly with engineering managers/leads assigned to development programs to generate technical approach plans, staffing requirements, and understand schedule needs.
• Responsibility for assuring staffing needs and proper skills are deployed for each development program. This includes contractors and Engineering Service Providers as needed by program leadership.
• Delivers department communications through regular staff meetings, provides career planning, performance management, mentoring, and training to the team.
• Responsibility for resolving performance deficiencies or policy violations.
• Responsibility for engineering personnel having defined tools, methods and processes for executing their individual technical tasks.
• Responsibility for ensuring common “best” practices are integrated across the development programs and are used upon program go ahead.
• Conducts personnel evaluations and one-on-ones with team members at regular intervals to:
  • Develop personalized growth & development plans, as well as appropriate annual goals
  • Track performance to aforementioned plans and goals
  • Ensure team member concerns are being appropriately addressed
• Partner with Human Resources to promote a “people first” culture and resolve all personnel-related matters in a timely fashion.
• Foster an inclusive work environment that values diversity, sharing, out-of-the-box thinking and seeing the big-picture.
  • Human Resource-based responsibilities as needed include but are not limited to:
    • Review and approval of individual timecards, time-off requests, and expense reports
    • Creation and enaction of Performance Improvement Plans
    • Manage team members required company-level training plans
    • Facilitating knowledge transfer on policies & procedures between HR / Stress teams
• Execute other duties as required by Virgin Galactic senior leadership to support company and program objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) discipline 8+ years of experience of relevant experience related to Stress or Stress-adjacent relevant disciplines.
• 2+ years of demonstrated leadership experience.
• Knowledge of aerospace stress practices including component acceptance and qualification, structural validation, environmental stressing, instrumentation, and data acquisition
• Proven analytical skills in stress relevant engineering areas
• Strong schedule management skills and understanding of schedule relationship to scope and cost
• Good team player with straight up effective communication and good interpersonal skills with the proven ability to lead, motivate and build teams
• Effective organizational skills, capable of effectively juggling and completing multiple tasks across different disciplines and programs
• Highly autonomous with effective delegation skills
• Experience moderating difficult situations and conflict resolution.
• Experience coaching, mentoring and developing the critical skills of others.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed / virtual teams.
• Experience leading a team through change.
• Ability to build effective relationships.
• Must be self-motivated and capable of working with minimal supervision, adaptable to changing environments and handle multiple tasks and/or projects simultaneously. Encourages other employees to do the same and leads by exemplary service.
• Applicants must be U.S. Persons as defined by the ITAR (22 CFR §120.15)

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Familiarity with space flight vehicles, rocket propulsion systems, and components.
• Knowledge of FAA Part 23 and 25 FARs.
• Spacecraft and launch vehicle structural analysis, design, build, and test experience
• Demonstrated proficiency using Femap and Nastran.
• Experience in Fatigue and Damage Tolerance substantiation
• Experience in composite fabrication, design, and analysis processes.
• Experience with Full Scale testing of primary structure in a FAR 23/25 or DoD environment
• Experience with dynamic (modal) testing and correlation of structures
• Experience with instrumentation for ground and flight tests
• Experience with mathematical modeling, simulation, and control algorithms.
• Experience developing structural integrity procedures or manuals.

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $96,600.00–$147,300.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is transforming humanity’s relationship with space. By making it more open and accessible, we are connecting the world to the love, wonder and awe inspired by space travel, helping to create new opportunities for the benefit of life on Earth. Whether it’s supporting cutting-edge research missions for scientists and students, or offering life-changing experiences for the adventurers among us, Virgin Galactic is THE spaceline for Earth. Such an audacious vision requires a team as driven as they are curious – one capable of redefining the boundaries of what’s possible.

Export Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement
Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

DRUG FREE WORKPLACE
Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.