Engineering Design Manager Jobs in Washington
Engineering Design Manager jobs in Washington are among the most actively recruited senior technical roles in the state, concentrated in aerospace and defense, software systems, semiconductor manufacturing, and clean energy engineering. Seattle, Redmond, and Bellevue anchor most of the hiring, with employers like Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon consistently fielding engineering design manager talent across product development, systems integration, and hardware design. Demand runs from newly promoted team leads through principal-level managers overseeing multi-discipline programs. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies' core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.
This role is part of our Tactical Missiles and Integrated Defense Systems business, which designs and develops integrated missile and defense systems that support critical missions across air, land, and sea. We combine comprehensive analysis, engineering, and program execution capabilities to deliver mission-tailored solutions that reduce lead times, lower costs, and simplify complex multi-vendor supply chains. Backed by decades of flight-proven and fielded performance, we design and build mission-critical technologies including launch systems, propulsion, payload integration solutions, UAV components, missile subsystems, and Safe & Arm systems.
The Design Engineering Manager leads the operational and people‑management backbone of a design engineering group. This role centralizes labor demand, manages day‑to‑day functional resource allocation, supports structured career development, connects programs with the right technical expertise, and ensures engineering standards and training are delivered effectively across a large number of concurrent programs.
Responsibilities
- Consolidate labor demand across programs into a single functional-group view, integrating schedule and staffing needs.
- Serve as traffic control for functional resource requests by staging, sequencing, and identifying conflicts early.
- Drive proactive hiring by identifying staffing gaps from consolidated demand data.
- Allocate functional resources across programs to balance workload and support individual career growth goals.
- Track assignments against work orders and identify over‑ or under‑utilization.
- Coordinate logistics for engineering standards and training delivery, including scheduling and completion tracking.
- Maintain qualification ladders and monitor time-to-independent-qualification for new hires and transfers.
- Support programs in scoping engineering tasks into clear, staffable work packages.
- Collaborate with program leads to establish realistic schedule and effort expectations.
- Identify required skill sets for engineering requests and route ambiguous or contested items to appropriate technical experts.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 7+ years working directly in design-engineering specific environments.
- B.S. in Engineering.
- 5+ years of engineering leadership experience, including a minimum of 2 years in aerospace and/or engineering.
- Demonstrated experience in resource planning, scheduling, and direct people management of technical staff.
- Ability to manage data-driven scheduling and operational cadence across numerous concurrent programs.
- Experience supporting career growth and balancing program needs with individual development.
- Capability to partner with technical experts and route design sign-offs, waivers, and contested technical calls appropriately.
- Experience helping programs translate ambiguous engineering requests into scoped, staffable work packages.
- A current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Tuition reimbursement
Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
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Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies' core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.
This role is part of our Tactical Missiles and Integrated Defense Systems business, which designs and develops integrated missile and defense systems that support critical missions across air, land, and sea. We combine comprehensive analysis, engineering, and program execution capabilities to deliver mission-tailored solutions that reduce lead times, lower costs, and simplify complex multi-vendor supply chains. Backed by decades of flight-proven and fielded performance, we design and build mission-critical technologies including launch systems, propulsion, payload integration solutions, UAV components, missile subsystems, and Safe & Arm systems.
The Design Engineering Manager leads the operational and people‑management backbone of a design engineering group. This role centralizes labor demand, manages day‑to‑day functional resource allocation, supports structured career development, connects programs with the right technical expertise, and ensures engineering standards and training are delivered effectively across a large number of concurrent programs.
Responsibilities
- Consolidate labor demand across programs into a single functional-group view, integrating schedule and staffing needs.
- Serve as traffic control for functional resource requests by staging, sequencing, and identifying conflicts early.
- Drive proactive hiring by identifying staffing gaps from consolidated demand data.
- Allocate functional resources across programs to balance workload and support individual career growth goals.
- Track assignments against work orders and identify over‑ or under‑utilization.
- Coordinate logistics for engineering standards and training delivery, including scheduling and completion tracking.
- Maintain qualification ladders and monitor time-to-independent-qualification for new hires and transfers.
- Support programs in scoping engineering tasks into clear, staffable work packages.
- Collaborate with program leads to establish realistic schedule and effort expectations.
- Identify required skill sets for engineering requests and route ambiguous or contested items to appropriate technical experts.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 7+ years working directly in design-engineering specific environments.
- B.S. in Engineering.
- 5+ years of engineering leadership experience, including a minimum of 2 years in aerospace and/or engineering.
- Demonstrated experience in resource planning, scheduling, and direct people management of technical staff.
- Ability to manage data-driven scheduling and operational cadence across numerous concurrent programs.
- Experience supporting career growth and balancing program needs with individual development.
- Capability to partner with technical experts and route design sign-offs, waivers, and contested technical calls appropriately.
- Experience helping programs translate ambiguous engineering requests into scoped, staffable work packages.
- A current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Tuition reimbursement
Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
View our Privacy Policy
See All 51 Engineering Design Manager Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsEngineering Design Manager Jobs by City in Washington
Where Washington roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Design Manager Job Market in Washington
A snapshot from current Washington openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Amazon34
- Meta4
- Framatome North America3
- Jacobs2
- WSP1
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Technology & Software
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Washington Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering design manager jobs across Washington.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in mechanical, electrical, or systems engineering from an accredited program
- Professional Engineer license registered in Washington state or eligible for reciprocity
- Five or more years of progressive engineering experience including team leadership responsibilities
- Demonstrated experience managing full product design cycles from concept through production
- Proficiency with industry-standard CAD and PLM tools such as CATIA, SolidWorks, or Teamcenter
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills working alongside manufacturing, quality, and program teams
Engineering Design Manager Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering design manager in Washington?
Most Washington employers expect a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline and several years of hands-on design experience before moving into management. For roles that involve signing off on engineering documents or leading licensed work, holding or pursuing a Professional Engineer license through the Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors strengthens a candidacy significantly. Program or project management credentials and a demonstrated record of leading design teams also carry weight in Washington's aerospace and technology sectors.
Which companies hire engineering design managers in Washington?
Employers hiring engineering design managers in Washington right now include Amazon, Meta, and Framatome North America, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Washington's deep aerospace, cloud infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing base means openings tend to cluster around large program-driven employers and their tier-one suppliers throughout the greater Puget Sound region.
Which Washington cities have the most engineering design manager jobs?
Seattle, Bellevue, and Richland account for the largest share of engineering design manager openings in Washington. Seattle and its Eastside neighbors like Redmond and Bellevue drive most of the volume through the concentration of aerospace primes, major technology companies, and defense contractors headquartered or operating major campuses there, while secondary hubs reflect anchor employers such as defense facilities or semiconductor firms in their local areas.
Are there remote engineering design manager jobs in Washington?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical roles because engineering design management typically involves hands-on design reviews, lab collaboration, and on-site team oversight. About 67% of engineering design manager openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and those tend to be positions where the management layer focuses on systems-level coordination, vendor oversight, or software-adjacent design work rather than physical product development.
How can I get hired as a engineering design manager in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is building a few years in a hands-on design or systems engineering role at a Washington employer before stepping into management. Companies like Boeing and Amazon run structured early-career engineering programs that place new graduates into rotational or associate roles where leadership visibility develops naturally. Moving from a senior individual contributor title, a project lead position, or a design team coordinator role into a formal manager title is the most common transition Washington hiring managers recognize and support.
Where can I find and apply to engineering design manager jobs in Washington?
You can find and apply to engineering design manager jobs in Washington on Migrate Mate, which lists current Washington openings updated regularly. Search for roles that match your experience level and engineering specialty, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 51 Engineering Design Manager Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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