Specialist, Project Engineering

Onsite Requirement:
This role requires a regular on-site presence in Grand Rapids, MI. We follow the 9/80 on-site schedule, and remote or hybrid work is not available for this position.

About Acron Aviation (Avionics – Recorders):
Acron Aviation designs, engineers, and manufactures certified avionics systems that support safety-critical flight operations across commercial and military aviation. Within Avionics, the Recorders product line develops and sustains cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders, and integrated data acquisition systems that enable regulatory compliance, safety insight, and operational performance across global fleets. These systems are deployed across commercial, military, and rotorcraft platforms and require deep expertise across systems, hardware, software, and lifecycle sustainment in highly regulated environments.

Job Title
Project Engineer / Engineering Project Leader – Recorders

Position Summary
The Project Engineer / Engineering Project Leader is responsible for managing the technical execution of small programs, including minor obsolescence updates and incremental development efforts on existing products. These programs are scoped such that they do not require a dedicated Engineering Project Manager and provide an opportunity to build project leadership capability while maintaining strong technical ownership.

This role combines project leadership and systems engineering responsibility, serving as both the Engineering Project Lead and Systems Engineering Lead. The role spans multiple phases of the product lifecycle, including pursuit, development, production, and post-delivery support. The position requires leading engineering execution, coordinating cross-functional teams, managing resources through a matrix structure, and ensuring delivery of technical solutions aligned to cost, schedule, and performance objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the Program Manager to define and achieve technical, schedule, and cost objectives
• Engage cross-functional leadership to secure necessary resources and align program priorities with broader organizational demands
• Interface directly with customers to interpret technical and contractual requirements, anticipate needs, and drive resolution of issues
• Support proposal development by defining work breakdown structures (WBS), basis of estimates (BOEs), integrated master schedules (IMS), and identifying risks and opportunities
• Lead requirements definition, verification, and management of the technical baseline
• Drive system architecture, trade studies, detailed design, integration, testing, and qualification activities
• Support transition to production and ensure readiness for successful entry into service
• Serve as the engineering focal point for technical execution, decision-making, and issue resolution
• Direct and coordinate engineering team activities within a matrix structure
• Maintain clear, consistent communication with program leadership, engineering teams, suppliers, and customers
• Support design-to-cost and design-for-manufacturability initiatives in collaboration with engineering and production teams
• Apply continuous improvement methods to enhance engineering and production efficiency

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, or a graduate degree with a minimum of 4 years of related experience
• Practical knowledge of project management principles, including Earned Value Management and risk/scope management
• Strong systems thinking mindset with multidisciplinary engineering experience
• Experience leading or coordinating technical teams and managing engineering deliverables

Preferred Additional Skills

• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• Demonstrated leadership and collaboration within multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Experience working in a continuous improvement environment
• Working knowledge of resource-loaded scheduling and proficiency with Microsoft Project
• Experience with DO-178, DO-254, and DO-160 development environments

Equal Opportunity Statement
Acron Aviation is proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity and to maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Additional Information:
Acron Aviation maintains a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where allowed by law. Acron Aviation is an E-Verify employer