Systems Engineer Manager Jobs
Systems engineer manager jobs are open across defense, aerospace, cloud infrastructure, and telecommunications, at every level from senior individual contributor to director, with specializations in systems integration, DevSecOps, and embedded systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Why Join Ford AV?
For over 50 years, Ford AV has helped shape how people experience spaces—through sound, video, and innovation. We work with leading businesses, universities, and public institutions across the U.S. to bring technology to life.
At Ford AV, you’ll find:
- Real opportunities to grow your skills and your career
- Hands-on training and industry certifications
- A steady, supportive team environment
- Competitive pay, full benefits, and 401(k) match
Description
The Project Engineer designs and oversees sound, video, lighting, and acoustical systems, ensuring alignment with customer specifications and profitability goals. Responsibilities include creating technical drawings, testing system performance, and simplifying complex technical concepts for clients and teams. Collaboration with Project Managers, Job Superintendents, and cross-functional teams is essential to ensure quality design, installation, and customer satisfaction.
Key Responsibilities Include
- AV System Design: Design audio, video, lighting, and acoustic systems aligned with customer specifications, installation requirements, and profitability goals.
- Engineering Documentation: Prepare submittal drawings and engineering data, including designs for custom enclosures, consoles, and installation instructions. Document customer and vendor interactions, including dates, names, and concise summaries.
- System Testing & QA: Test and evaluate system performance to ensure quality and alignment with design standards.
- Technical Communication: Simplify and communicate technical details for customers, sales teams, and Installation Technicians.
- Team Collaboration: Collaborate with Project Managers and Job Superintendents to prioritize quality control and provide clear installation guidance. Foster a positive, team-oriented work environment by collaborating across divisions and profit centers.
Qualifications
- Proficiency in CAD/AutoCAD.
- Programming experience (e.g., C, C#, Crestron, Extron, AMX).
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts clearly.
- Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office, typing, and 10-key proficiency.
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience (new graduates are welcome to apply).
Preferred
- Experience designing and installing professional audio, video, network, and lighting systems (required for senior-level positions).
- Certifications in Biamp Tesira Forte, Q-SYS Level 1, Dante, CTS, or similar.
Apply Today
Start your AV career with a team that values your skills and supports your growth.
Apply at: www.fordav.com/careers
Drug-Free Workplace Ford is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, all employees are subject to drug testing. Moreover, pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion and/or post-accident drug testing may be conducted in accordance with company policy and all applicable laws to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. All applicants for this position tentatively selected for employment at Ford are subject to pre-employment drug testing and a final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result. EOE/AA/M/F/D/V. Physical Requirements This position encompasses a combination of office and field responsibilities, necessitating both physical and mental capabilities to effectively fulfill the job requirements. The employee should be prepared for a dynamic work environment that may involve extended periods of sitting while operating office equipment, as well as occasional standing, walking, reaching, and lifting objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Field duties may require climbing ladders, working in various weather conditions, including exposure to heat, cold, or environmental elements. The employee should possess adequate manual dexterity, eyesight, and proficiency in using standard office tools such as computers, printers, and telephones for tasks involving reading, writing, interpreting, and managing paperwork. Effective communication skills and the ability to adapt to changing work settings are essential. This role may also involve occasional travel, including overnight stays, requiring flexibility in working hours and commitments. Safety protocols must be followed at all times to ensure a secure work environment.
Pay: $71,500.00 - $93,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- As required by the position, I confirm that I have worked with CAD/AutoCAD software to create technical drawings or submittals, and I confirm that this experience reflects on my resume.
- As required for this position, I confirm that I have the education/experience designing or commissioning audio, video, or lighting systems, and I confirm that this experience reflects on my resume.
Willingness to travel:
- 25% (Required)
Work Location: In person
Systems Engineer Manager Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Systems Engineer Manager JobsSystems Engineer Manager Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Lockheed Martin525

- Northrop Grumman480

- BAE Systems USA212

- Meta179

- Raytheon179

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software357
- Electronics & Hardware212
- Manufacturing123
- Consulting & Professional Services67
- Science & Research56
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in systems engineer manager jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional engineering teams through full system lifecycle
- Proficiency with model-based systems engineering tools such as DOORS, Cameo, or equivalent
- Active or current DoD security clearance preferred for defense and government contractor roles
- Experience with requirements management, verification and validation, and configuration control
- Familiarity with Agile, SAFe, or hybrid development frameworks applied to complex systems programs
Tips for Your Systems Engineer Manager Job Search
Tailor your resume for each domain
Defense and aerospace postings weight clearance levels and MIL-STD compliance heavily, while cloud infrastructure roles prioritize IaC tooling and SRE principles. Reframe the same leadership experience to match the domain vocabulary of each opening you apply to.
Highlight cross-functional delivery outcomes
Hiring managers want evidence you've coordinated between hardware, software, and QA teams under real constraints. Cite specific deliveries where you resolved competing priorities across disciplines, not just that you managed a team of a certain size.
Get your clearance status front and center
Many federal and defense systems engineer manager postings filter candidates before a recruiter reads further. If you hold an active or current Secret or TS clearance, place that in your resume header or a dedicated credentials line, not buried in a skills list.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists systems engineer manager openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a system design narrative for interviews
Expect at least one deep-dive where you walk through an architecture decision you owned end to end, including the tradeoffs you rejected. Practicing this out loud before interviews exposes gaps in how you frame technical judgment for a non-engineering audience.
Negotiate scope and headcount, not just compensation
At the manager level, the team size, budget authority, and reporting structure directly shape your ability to deliver. Use the offer stage to clarify these terms in writing, because misalignment on scope is the most common reason new systems engineer managers leave within 18 months.
Systems Engineer Manager Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most systems engineer managers?
The most active employers for systems engineer managers right now are Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems USA, and the most openings are in California, Virginia, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense contractors, aerospace primes, and large cloud infrastructure companies consistently drive the highest volume of these postings.
How many systems engineer manager jobs are remote?
About 44% of systems engineer manager openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies sharply by subsector. Cloud infrastructure, software-defined systems, and DevSecOps management roles carry the highest remote availability, while defense, aerospace, and hardware-intensive programs almost universally require on-site presence due to clearance and lab access requirements.
How do you become a systems engineer manager?
Most systems engineer managers move up from a senior individual contributor role after demonstrating the ability to coordinate across hardware, software, and integration teams on a delivered program. Building formal credentials like a PMP or earning a systems engineering certification helps, but hiring managers weigh hands-on evidence of leading multi-discipline teams through requirements, design, and verification phases far more heavily than credentials alone.
Can you get hired as a systems engineer manager without prior management experience?
Yes, but you need to surface informal leadership clearly on your resume and in interviews. If you've led a technical working group, mentored junior engineers, owned a subsystem through delivery, or served as a technical lead on a program, frame those explicitly as scope-of-responsibility experience. Many employers will hire a strong senior systems engineer into a first-time manager role when the technical depth is unambiguous and the team structure is small.
What does the systems engineer manager interview process look like?
Most processes run three to four rounds. An initial screening covers your background and leadership philosophy, followed by a technical deep-dive where you walk through a system you designed or managed. A behavioral round then probes how you've handled schedule pressure, cross-team conflict, or scope creep. Final rounds typically include a panel with engineering directors or program managers who assess strategic fit and stakeholder communication skills.
Where can I find and apply to systems engineer manager jobs?
You can find and apply to systems engineer manager jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from companies across the United States. Search for roles that match your domain, clearance level, and seniority, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 11,165+ Systems Engineer Manager Jobs
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