Job Information
CAE USA INC US Defense Systems & Software Engineering Center Director in Arlington, Texas
About This Role
Company Overview
At CAE, we equip people in critical roles with the expertise and solutions to create a safer world. As a technology company, we digitalize the physical world, deploying software-based simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, cabin crew, airlines, defense and security forces and healthcare practitioners to perform at their best every day and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we’re everywhere customers need us to be with more than 13,000 employees in approximately 250 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents more than 75 years of industry firsts—the highest-fidelity flight, mission and medical simulators and training programs powered by digital technologies. We embed sustainability in everything we do. Today and tomorrow, we’ll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter.
Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, CAE has built an excellent reputation and long-standing customer relationships based on experience, strong technical capabilities, a highly trained workforce, and global reach. CAE’s shares are traded on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges (TSX: CAE; NYSE: CAE).
Defense & Security
CAE’s Defense & Security is a $1B segment of CAE Inc. with the US defense business operating under a Special Security Agreement (SSA) to mitigate foreign ownership, control or influence in order to allow the execution of classified work and research and development in the United States. CAE Defense & Security is now the largest platform-agnostic, global training and simulation pure play organization, dedicated to supporting worldwide defense customers maintain the highest levels of mission readiness.
CAE’s Defense & Security (D&S) business unit focuses on helping prepare its customers to develop and maintain the highest levels of mission readiness. CAE is a world-class training systems integrator offering a comprehensive portfolio of training centers, training services and simulation products across the air, land, naval and public safety market segments. The D&S business unit serves its global defense and security customers through regional operations in Canada, the United States/Latin America, Europe/Africa, and Asia-Pacific/Middle East; all of which leverage the full breadth of CAE’s capabilities, technologies, and solutions.
CAE is a global leader in the development and delivery of integrated live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) training solutions for defense forces. Most militaries leverage a combination of live training on actual platforms, virtual training in simulators, and constructive training using computer-generated simulations. The solutions provided by CAE’s Defense and Security business unit typically include a combination of training services, simulation products and software tools designed to cost effectively maintain and enhance safety, efficiency, mission readiness and decision-making capabilities.
Position Summary
CAE is looking for a uniquely qualified individual to lead Defense & Security’s US Systems and Software Engineering Center (SSWEC) responsible for the definition, bidding, planning, development, and deployment of custom systems and software solutions to both D&S US-domestic customers and in collaboration with the D&S International team. The successful candidate must be experienced, wellorganized, and milestone-driven, with a passion for functional management, workforce planning and development, continuous improvement, process harmonization, driving a reuse culture, and flawless team execution with strong individual technical, organizational, leadership, and collaboration skills. This person will report directly to the CAE D&S Vice President of Engineering and Technology and will also have hard-line direct reports.
Specific Responsibilities
Accountable for ensuring D&S US SSWEC team establishes staffing supply and maintains critical skills, and coordinates with the Chief Engineers to ensure workforce planning aligns with the business needs
Content generation, presentations, and delivery of recurring engineering, D&S US, D&S, and corporate status, strategy, and management reviews regarding D&S US SSWEC content
Drives teams to be a metrics-based organization, relying on both past and forward-looking information to drive execution, planning, EACs, and risk/opportunity assessments
Direct-line supervisor of D&S US SSWEC staff, responsible for workforce management and development, succession planning, performance-related functions, and overhead budget planning and performance
Responsible for driving process and product convergence within the D&S US SSWEC organization, reinforcing product reuse, where applicable, in coordination with the CAE Global Technologies and Products (GTP) and D&S US Technology and Product Development (TPD) teams
Supports the engineering enterprise with a continuous improvement mindset while maintaining streamlined, efficient standards, policies, and procedures
Possesses strong leadership skills, with a demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate technical teams
Collaborates with the D&S engineering leadership team, D&S US Chief Engineers, and US-based programs in developing the vision and strategies for D&S US SSWEC operational objectives in alignment with the D&S strategic plan
Oversees the D&S US SSWEC team execution and program staff deployment enabling systems and software bidding, planning, architecture, design, development, integration, verification, validation, and deployment of training products
Drives operational, technical, and financial efficiencies within the systems and software organization to improve productivity and schedule performance, ensure work is performed consistent with submitted bids, manage to technical baselines, prevent unfunded scope growth, ensure product compliance and quality requirements are met, and reduce common departmental technical debt
Accountable D&S US SSWEC lead for annual overhead operating budget planning and forecasting
Provides leadership and mentorship to the D&S US SSWEC management team, evaluating team performance, driving talent development, and ensuring the future workforce size and skill mix aligns with program execution requirements
Provides strategic and tactical direction for a large D&S US SSWEC engineering organization
Professional Experience/Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, math, or a science-related discipline
Minimum 20 years of experience in positions of increasing responsibility with at least 15 years of experience leading large software and systems engineering teams executing DevSecOps and Scaled-Agile deployment
Passion for operational excellence, organizational agility, and technology leadership
Ability to effectively collaborate with all stakeholders – internal and external – in the implementation of the engineering strategy and the ability to lead through influence
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability and willingness to make impactful execution and operational decisions, oftentimes with limited information
Previous experience in a functional leadership role and with proposals, program baselining, EACs, and risk & opportunity management
Detailed, hands-on experience across the full product lifecycle spectrum from basic R&D through production
Must be a focused, driven, milestone-oriented leader with the demonstrated ability to direct teams, anticipate outcomes, make sound techno-business decisions based on limited information, and lead through influence across organizational and geographical boundaries
Due to U.S. Government contract requirements, only U.S. citizens are eligible for this role
Preferred Skills
Master’s degree in finance, business, engineering, computer science, math, or science-related discipline
Prior experience in flight simulation, training, or other related industry
Previous program facing engineering leadership role as a Chief Engineer, Project Engineering, Product Manager, or similar
Active security clearance
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for their job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
CAE USA Inc. is an EOE/AA employer and gives consideration for employment to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you’d like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please click here Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EEOC_KnowYourRights_screen_reader_10_20.pdf) .
PAY TRANSPARENCY NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISION The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.
Position Type
Regular
CAE thanks all applicants for their interest. However, only those whose background and experience match the requirements of the role will be contacted.
Equal Opportunity Employer
CAE is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. As "One CAE," we take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, nationality, colour, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, neurodiversity, Veteran status, age, or other legally protected characteristics.
If you don't see yourself fully reflected in every job requirement listed in the job posting, we still encourage you to reach out and apply. At CAE, everyone is welcome to contribute to our success. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please get in touch with us at rh-hr@cae.com .
