Systems Engineering Manager Jobs
Systems Engineering Manager jobs are open across defense, aerospace, automotive, and enterprise software, from team lead to director level, with specializations in systems architecture, model-based systems engineering, and hardware-software integration. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 190+ Systems Engineering Manager jobs
Better Futures with the Power of Light
We create photonic solutions to shape the world of tomorrow, together with people who embrace brilliant ideas with openness and curiosity. With teams in over 80 countries, we offer you the opportunity to reach your full potential.
Senior Advisor, System Engineering
POSITION SUMMARY:
Jenoptik Optical Systems is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership in the development of complex optical systems, precision optical assemblies, and high-performance objective lens systems serving the semiconductor, medical, and defense markets.
The Systems Engineer serves as the technical authority for the overall system, responsible for translating customer requirements into well-defined system architectures, leading technical trade studies, managing system-level requirements and interfaces, and ensuring the integrated solution achieves its intended functional and performance objectives.
This position requires a strong multidisciplinary engineering background, with the ability to understand, evaluate, and integrate optical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and software considerations into cohesive system solutions.
Working closely with optical design, mechanical engineering, metrology, manufacturing, quality, and project management teams, the Systems Engineer provides technical leadership throughout the product development lifecycle—from initial concept and requirements definition through detailed design, integration, verification, and qualification.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead the development, decomposition, and end-to-end traceability of system-level technical requirements derived from customer specifications.
- Identify and resolve conflicting, ambiguous, or technically challenging requirements with internal stakeholders and customers.
- Define verifiable acceptance criteria and evaluate the technical impact of any proposed requirement changes on system performance.
- Define system-level functional architectures, performance budgets, and subsystem boundaries across optical, thermal, and structural domains.
- Lead multidisciplinary trade studies to evaluate alternative design approaches based on performance, technical risk, manufacturability, cost, and lifecycle.
- Balance customer performance objectives against practical manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing constraints.
- Maintain primary technical ownership of the integrated system design throughout the entire product development lifecycle.
- Lead or provide technical authority for key design reviews to ensure consistency across architecture and subsystem designs.
- Serve as the key technical interface with customers, partners, and internal multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex engineering challenges.
- Proactively identify and assess system-level technical risks covering performance, design maturity, and integration.
- Evaluate potential failure mechanisms, design sensitivities, and subsystem interactions through DFMEA and related methodologies.
- Develop and execute risk mitigation strategies, including modeling, analysis, prototyping, and design alternatives.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (continued)
- Develop and maintain system-level verification strategies, matrices, and test methods (analysis, inspection, demonstration, testing).
- Coordinate integration activities across optical, mechanical, electronics, and software engineering disciplines.
- Lead technical root-cause investigations when integrated performance fails to meet requirements and support final system acceptance.
- Define, document, and manage technical interfaces and subsystem interactions between all system elements.
- Lead impact assessments associated with engineering changes, component substitutions, and design modifications.
- Maintain strict alignment between approved requirements, architecture definitions, and the evolving technical baseline.
- Partner with Project Management to establish technically sound development plans, engineering milestones, and work packages.
- Collaborate with manufacturing, assembly, and quality teams to ensure new designs are robust, repeatable, and production ready.
- Communicate technical progress, design decisions, and key risks clearly to project teams, customers, and leadership.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
- Typically 7+ years of engineering experience involving complex multidisciplinary systems, preferably including optical or optomechanical products.
- Demonstrated experience in requirements engineering, system architecture development, technical trade studies, and system-level integration.
- Strong understanding of structured product development and systems engineering principles throughout the engineering lifecycle.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams and resolving complex engineering challenges.
- Working knowledge of optical system performance, precision mechanics, thermal effects, alignment considerations, and optomechanical integration.
- Experience developing verification strategies, managing technical risks, and supporting formal engineering design reviews.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, technical documentation, and communication skills.
- Ability to serve as a credible technical interface with customers and internal engineering stakeholders.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
- Experience developing high-performance optical objective lens assemblies, precision imaging systems, or complex optical instruments.
- Experience in semiconductor equipment, medical imaging and diagnostics, aerospace, or defense applications.
- Familiarity with systems engineering standards and methodologies such as Waterfall, V-model, etc.
- Working familiarity with optical engineering tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, and/or FRED, and mechanical design and analysis environments such as CREO and ANSYS.
- Experience with precision optical alignment, optical performance metrology, environmental qualification, and system acceptance testing.
- Familiarity with system performance budgeting, tolerance analysis, reliability engineering, and structured risk assessment methodologies.
GENERAL AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Occasional travel (up to 15%)
- In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity & eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
- The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
About Jenoptik
With its Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Biophotonics, Jenoptik is a development partner and supplier of photonic modules and system solutions for life sciences and medical technology. The focus here is particularly on diagnostics and therapy in ophthalmology, dermatology and aesthetics, dentistry and robot-assisted surgery. The SBU's expertise covers a broad portfolio of technologies in the fields of optics, laser technology, digital imaging and image processing, optoelectronics as well as sensors, enabling us to also address applications in the fields of industrial automation, security & defense, and laser material processing.
Have we made you interested in this position?
If so, we look forward to receiving your online application.
Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Nearest Major Market: Palm Beach
Nearest Secondary Market: Miami
Better Futures with the Power of Light
We create photonic solutions to shape the world of tomorrow, together with people who embrace brilliant ideas with openness and curiosity. With teams in over 80 countries, we offer you the opportunity to reach your full potential.
Senior Advisor, System Engineering
POSITION SUMMARY:
Jenoptik Optical Systems is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership in the development of complex optical systems, precision optical assemblies, and high-performance objective lens systems serving the semiconductor, medical, and defense markets.
The Systems Engineer serves as the technical authority for the overall system, responsible for translating customer requirements into well-defined system architectures, leading technical trade studies, managing system-level requirements and interfaces, and ensuring the integrated solution achieves its intended functional and performance objectives.
This position requires a strong multidisciplinary engineering background, with the ability to understand, evaluate, and integrate optical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and software considerations into cohesive system solutions.
Working closely with optical design, mechanical engineering, metrology, manufacturing, quality, and project management teams, the Systems Engineer provides technical leadership throughout the product development lifecycle—from initial concept and requirements definition through detailed design, integration, verification, and qualification.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead the development, decomposition, and end-to-end traceability of system-level technical requirements derived from customer specifications.
- Identify and resolve conflicting, ambiguous, or technically challenging requirements with internal stakeholders and customers.
- Define verifiable acceptance criteria and evaluate the technical impact of any proposed requirement changes on system performance.
- Define system-level functional architectures, performance budgets, and subsystem boundaries across optical, thermal, and structural domains.
- Lead multidisciplinary trade studies to evaluate alternative design approaches based on performance, technical risk, manufacturability, cost, and lifecycle.
- Balance customer performance objectives against practical manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing constraints.
- Maintain primary technical ownership of the integrated system design throughout the entire product development lifecycle.
- Lead or provide technical authority for key design reviews to ensure consistency across architecture and subsystem designs.
- Serve as the key technical interface with customers, partners, and internal multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex engineering challenges.
- Proactively identify and assess system-level technical risks covering performance, design maturity, and integration.
- Evaluate potential failure mechanisms, design sensitivities, and subsystem interactions through DFMEA and related methodologies.
- Develop and execute risk mitigation strategies, including modeling, analysis, prototyping, and design alternatives.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (continued)
- Develop and maintain system-level verification strategies, matrices, and test methods (analysis, inspection, demonstration, testing).
- Coordinate integration activities across optical, mechanical, electronics, and software engineering disciplines.
- Lead technical root-cause investigations when integrated performance fails to meet requirements and support final system acceptance.
- Define, document, and manage technical interfaces and subsystem interactions between all system elements.
- Lead impact assessments associated with engineering changes, component substitutions, and design modifications.
- Maintain strict alignment between approved requirements, architecture definitions, and the evolving technical baseline.
- Partner with Project Management to establish technically sound development plans, engineering milestones, and work packages.
- Collaborate with manufacturing, assembly, and quality teams to ensure new designs are robust, repeatable, and production ready.
- Communicate technical progress, design decisions, and key risks clearly to project teams, customers, and leadership.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
- Typically 7+ years of engineering experience involving complex multidisciplinary systems, preferably including optical or optomechanical products.
- Demonstrated experience in requirements engineering, system architecture development, technical trade studies, and system-level integration.
- Strong understanding of structured product development and systems engineering principles throughout the engineering lifecycle.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams and resolving complex engineering challenges.
- Working knowledge of optical system performance, precision mechanics, thermal effects, alignment considerations, and optomechanical integration.
- Experience developing verification strategies, managing technical risks, and supporting formal engineering design reviews.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, technical documentation, and communication skills.
- Ability to serve as a credible technical interface with customers and internal engineering stakeholders.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
- Experience developing high-performance optical objective lens assemblies, precision imaging systems, or complex optical instruments.
- Experience in semiconductor equipment, medical imaging and diagnostics, aerospace, or defense applications.
- Familiarity with systems engineering standards and methodologies such as Waterfall, V-model, etc.
- Working familiarity with optical engineering tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, and/or FRED, and mechanical design and analysis environments such as CREO and ANSYS.
- Experience with precision optical alignment, optical performance metrology, environmental qualification, and system acceptance testing.
- Familiarity with system performance budgeting, tolerance analysis, reliability engineering, and structured risk assessment methodologies.
GENERAL AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Occasional travel (up to 15%)
- In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity & eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
- The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
About Jenoptik
With its Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Biophotonics, Jenoptik is a development partner and supplier of photonic modules and system solutions for life sciences and medical technology. The focus here is particularly on diagnostics and therapy in ophthalmology, dermatology and aesthetics, dentistry and robot-assisted surgery. The SBU's expertise covers a broad portfolio of technologies in the fields of optics, laser technology, digital imaging and image processing, optoelectronics as well as sensors, enabling us to also address applications in the fields of industrial automation, security & defense, and laser material processing.
Have we made you interested in this position?
If so, we look forward to receiving your online application.
Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Nearest Major Market: Palm Beach
Nearest Secondary Market: Miami
See All 190+ Systems Engineering Manager Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSystems Engineering Manager Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Apple13
- Amazon10
- Amazon Web Services9
- Esri8
- L3Harris8
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Energy
- Electronics & Hardware
- Manufacturing
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in systems engineering manager jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
- Five or more years of systems engineering experience with at least two in a leadership role
- Proficiency in model-based systems engineering tools such as Cameo or similar platforms
- Experience with requirements management tools and systems lifecycle processes including V-model or agile SE
- Active or obtainable security clearance for defense and government contractor roles
- Familiarity with industry standards such as INCOSE, MIL-STD, or DO-178C depending on domain
Tips for Your Systems Engineering Manager Job Search
Tailor your resume to MBSE depth
Hiring managers for systems engineering manager roles look closely at your model-based systems engineering experience. Call out the specific modeling languages and tools you've used, the system complexity you managed, and the team size you led, not just your job titles.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists systems engineering manager openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight cross-functional delivery outcomes
Systems engineering manager roles are judged on how well you coordinate hardware, software, and test teams toward a deliverable. Quantify programs you shepherded from requirements through verification, and name the stakeholder groups you aligned, not just the technical work your team did.
Filter openings by program phase
Defense and aerospace postings often specify whether the program is in concept development, system integration, or sustainment. Applying to phases that match your strongest experience gets you past resume screens faster than applying broadly across all systems engineering manager postings.
Prepare a systems lifecycle story for interviews
Interviewers for systems engineering manager positions almost always ask you to walk through a full program lifecycle. Prepare a concise example that covers requirements definition, design trade studies, integration, test, and delivery, with your management decisions at each gate clearly articulated.
Negotiate scope before accepting an offer
Before accepting a systems engineering manager offer, clarify whether the role owns requirements management, budget authority, or just people leadership. These vary widely by company and program, and misaligned expectations at this level are one of the most common reasons new managers leave within a year.
Systems Engineering Manager Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most systems engineering managers?
Apple, Amazon, and Amazon Web Services are hiring the most systems engineering managers right now, with openings concentrated in California, Texas, and Virginia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense contractors, aerospace primes, and automotive OEMs consistently post the highest volume of systems engineering manager openings.
How many systems engineering manager jobs are remote?
About 36% of systems engineering manager openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies sharply by industry. Enterprise software and IT-heavy systems roles offer the most remote flexibility, while defense, aerospace, and hardware-integrated programs typically require on-site presence for classified work or lab access.
How do you become a systems engineering manager?
Most systems engineering managers move up from individual contributor roles in systems engineering, systems integration, or a closely related discipline. Building depth in requirements engineering, verification planning, and cross-functional program coordination is typically the first step. From there, taking on informal team lead responsibilities, earning credentials like the INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional, and demonstrating delivery ownership on a complex program are the most reliable paths into a formal management title.
Can you get a systems engineering manager job with limited management experience?
Yes, especially at smaller companies or on emerging programs that promote strong individual contributors into leadership. The most effective way to close the gap is to document informal leadership you've already done, such as mentoring junior engineers, running technical working groups, or owning a subsystem through a full lifecycle. Targeting companies ramping a new program gives you the best opening when formal management experience is thin.
What does the systems engineering manager interview process look like?
Most processes run three to five rounds. An initial screen focuses on your background and program experience. A technical round typically involves walking through a past program, discussing your approach to requirements decomposition, trade studies, and verification. A behavioral round assesses how you handle cross-functional conflict, schedule pressure, and team development. Final rounds often include a panel with program managers or senior leadership who evaluate your fit with the program's current phase and stakeholder environment.
Where can I find and apply to systems engineering manager jobs?
You can find and apply to systems engineering manager jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from companies across the United States. Search the roles available, find the ones that match your experience and target industry, and apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 190+ Systems Engineering Manager Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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