Chief Engineer Jobs

Chief Engineer jobs are open across aerospace, defense, energy, construction, and manufacturing, from senior engineer to principal and VP of engineering, with specializations in systems integration, structural design, and propulsion. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles990+
Top stateCalifornia
Top employerCBRE
Top citySan Diego, CA
Work type82% On-site
Top industryConstruction

Showing 5 of 990+ Chief Engineer jobs

[UNION] Chief Engineer
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New 1h ago
[UNION] Chief Engineer
Cushman & Wakefield
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Customer Service
Engineering (Non-Software)
Technical Product & Program Management
$55.25 - $65/hr
CFC Universal Certification
10,000+

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Chief Engineer - USCG Limited License
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New 5h ago
Chief Engineer - USCG Limited License
Stabbert Maritime
Seattle, Washington
Project & Program Management
Project Management
Technical Program Management
$180k - $200k/yr
11-50

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Program Chief Engineer (Principle or Senior)
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New 6h ago
Program Chief Engineer (Principle or Senior)
Boeing
El Segundo, California
Civil & Structural Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
$177k - $285k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in Physics
10,000+

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Chief Engineer
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New 7h ago
Chief Engineer
JLL
Broomfield, Colorado
Maintenance & Repair
Manufacturing Operations
Mechanical Engineering
Skilled Trades
$129k - $157k/yr
On-Site
High school diploma or GED
10,000+

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Chief Engineer
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New 11h ago
Chief Engineer
H&R Hospitality
McHenry, Illinois
Business Operations
Office Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
On-Site

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See All 990+ Chief Engineer Jobs

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Chief Engineer Job Market

Who's Hiring

  • CBRE37
  • JLL35
  • Amazon30
  • Marriott International26
  • Lockheed Martin25

Top Industries Hiring

  • Construction & Real Estate11
  • Consulting & Professional Services6
  • Automotive5
  • Hospitality & Tourism5
  • Energy3

What Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in chief engineer jobs.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering with 10 or more years of progressive experience
  • Demonstrated experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams through full program lifecycles
  • Proficiency with systems engineering frameworks such as MBSE or similar structured methodologies
  • Professional Engineer licensure or domain-equivalent certification preferred or required
  • Experience managing design reviews, technical baselines, and configuration control processes
  • Familiarity with industry standards such as MIL-STD, ISO, or ASME depending on sector

Tips for Your Chief Engineer Job Search

Tailor your resume to each discipline

Chief engineer roles in aerospace differ sharply from those in construction or energy. Swap in discipline-specific keywords, standards, and tools for each application rather than submitting one generic document across very different industry contexts.

Lead with cross-functional leadership examples

Hiring managers for chief engineer roles care about your ability to align engineering, operations, and business stakeholders. Quantify the size of teams you've coordinated and the scope of programs you've driven from requirements through delivery.

Apply early to roles that fit

Migrate Mate lists chief engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.

Get your certifications listed prominently

Credentials like PE licensure, PMP, or domain-specific certifications matter to screeners before interviews happen. Put them in your resume header or a dedicated section so automated systems and recruiters flag them immediately.

Prepare a systems-level technical narrative

Chief engineer interviews often include architecture deep-dives or case studies. Practice walking through a complex system you owned: the trade-offs you made, the constraints you balanced, and how you resolved competing engineering and schedule pressures.

Negotiate scope and authority, not just compensation

At the chief engineer level, the reporting structure, budget authority, and final say on technical decisions shape the role more than title alone. Ask explicitly about decision rights during the offer stage before you commit.

Chief Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are hiring the most chief engineers?

CBRE, JLL, and Amazon are hiring the most chief engineers right now, with openings concentrated in California, Texas, and Florida, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand tends to cluster around defense contractors, large-scale infrastructure programs, and energy companies running capital projects.

How many chief engineer jobs are remote?

About 18% of chief engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies significantly by industry. Software-intensive roles in systems architecture and technical program management are the most likely to offer remote flexibility, while roles tied to physical infrastructure, manufacturing, or classified programs almost always require on-site presence.

How do you become a chief engineer?

Start with an accredited engineering degree, then build deep technical expertise in one domain before broadening into systems thinking and cross-functional leadership. Progress through lead and principal engineer roles where you own technical baselines and present at design reviews. Develop skills in requirements management, trade-off analysis, and stakeholder alignment, since chief engineers are accountable for the technical integrity of an entire program, not just one subsystem.

Can you get hired as a chief engineer without direct experience in the title?

Yes, candidates who held titles like principal engineer, lead systems engineer, or technical program lead are regularly considered if they can demonstrate equivalent scope. The key is showing that you've owned a full system architecture, managed technical risk across disciplines, and been the final decision-maker on design choices, even if your previous role carried a different name.

What does the chief engineer interview process look like?

The process typically starts with a recruiter screen followed by a technical phone interview focused on systems-level thinking and past program experience. Later rounds usually include a panel with engineering leadership, a technical deep-dive or presentation on a past program you led, and a behavioral interview assessing stakeholder management and decision-making under constraint. Some employers also include a written architecture exercise or case study.

Where can I find and apply to chief engineer jobs?

You can find and apply to chief engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your discipline and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing that fits your background.

See All 990+ Chief Engineer Jobs

Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Chief Engineer Jobs