How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
XTRM/SPRL Labs is a facility of the College of Engineering that serves clients who are faculty, government agencies (such as NASA and DoD), and commercial companies in the development of unique integrated systems and instrumentation that are often used in challenging environments (e.g. space, artic, above/on/below the water). The XTRM/SPRL Lab professional staff, with faculty and researchers, have built more than 45 space systems and instruments; instrumented numerous sounding rockets, balloons and aircraft; and developed ground-based instruments. For seven decades, this lab has been one of a handful of university centers able to conceive, design, construct, test, and operate space flight instruments, an "end-to-end" operation.
The Engineering Manager is an essential part of the management team, reporting to the Managing Director who is accountable for the operation of the Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL). The Engineering Manager provides a process and resource focus to assist in developing technical talent, assisting project managers with allocating resources to and from research projects, and improving research hardware and software development processes. As part of the SPRL management team, the Engineering Manager will work closely with Project, QA, Engineering, Fabrication, and Administration.
Who We Are
Michigan Engineers are world-class educators, researchers, students and staff who strive to build a people-first future. As part of a top public research institution, Michigan Engineering's mission is to provide scientific and technological leadership to the people of the world, develop intellectually curious and socially conscious minds, create collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promote an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.
Our vision, mission and values are supported by a people-first engineering framework that guides our work. As Michigan Engineers, we strive to apply excellent engineering fundamentals, integrated expertise and equity-centered values to reimagine what engineering can be, close critical gaps, and elevate all people. Information about our vision, mission and values can be found at: http://strategicvision.engin.umich.edu/.
The University of Michigan has a storied legacy of commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Michigan Engineering models that commitment in our research, culture and collaborations. We seek to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of that commitment. Learn more about DEI at Michigan Engineering: https://www.engin.umich.edu/culture/diversity-equity-inclusion/
Why Work at Michigan?
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:
- Generous time off
- A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
- Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability coverage
- Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
- Maternity and Parental Leave
Responsibilities*
Personnel Management: Develop staffing plans with project managers identifying the number and type of engineering and technical personnel required for the duration of projects. Schedule and provide work assignments for engineering and technical staff. Provide functional supervision of engineering and technical personnel as needed especially helping move critical projects through deadlines. Provide performance evaluations, reviews, reclassification, and promotion recommendations especially for early career engineering staff.
Process Management: Develop new engineering processes and enhance existing processes to improve the overall SPRL capabilities for our research clients. Implement standards and best practices, modernize existing processes, and deploy continuous improvement practices in essential processes. Work closely with Engineering, QA, and Fabrication to prioritize processes for improvement. Work with Project Management and Lab Management to identify opportunities to expand SPRL capabilities through each project.
Team Development: Identify training and development needs for the engineering team, facilitating skill enhancement and career growth. Work with engineering students to develop experiential hands-on skills and identify students to support the NASA and industry internship programs or to fill SPRL engineering job openings at graduation.
Communication: Communicate horizontally with other managers with resource and process improvement recommendations. Provide direction to engineering staff. Communicate issues, opportunities, and successes to lab management. Communication includes verbal, written, informal, and formal forms and is an essential part of the job responsibilities.
Innovation: Encourage a culture of innovation through curiosity and collaboration with the entire SPRL team and with our current and potential clients.
Required Qualifications*
Bachelor's degree in engineering or business administration.
Minimum of 7 years of engineering management experience, preferably in a research or scientific environment.
Technical background with expertise in engineering disciplines relevant to space flight hardware and software development or space instrumentation.
Project management knowledge, including how budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation are done working as a team with an assigned project manager.
Demonstrated leadership abilities, including the ability to motivate and mentor a diverse team.
Commitment to safety and adherence to safety protocols.
Experience with advancing scientific knowledge through engineering excellence.
U.S Citizenship required.
Desired Qualifications*
Advanced degree in physical sciences or engineering;
- Proven experience with technology maturation of sophisticated systems and subsystems capable of operating in severe environments;
- Experience with spaceflight technology and space mission development; experience with market analysis and development in high-tech fields;
- Experience working with industry at a local and national level as well as with national labs in the development of new projects;
- Experience with University policies and procedures;
- Experience with NASA policies and procedures; experience in contract negotiations, sponsor relations, and research contract terms and conditions.
Additional Information
The Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL) is a facility of the College of Engineering that serves clients who are faculty, government agencies such as NASA and Department of Defense (DoD), and commercial companies in the development of unique integrated systems and instrumentation that are often used in challenging environments (e.g. space, artic, above/on/below the water).
The professional staff at SPRL, together with faculty and researchers, have built more than 35 space systems and instruments; instrumented numerous sounding rockets, balloons and aircraft; and developed ground-based instruments (placed in eight remote observatory sites in Michigan, Canada, Greenland, Chile and Antarctica) in the Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL).
Engineers in SPRL participate in the full range of mission development: from requirements and specification development to design, fabrication, integration, test, and on-orbit operation of payloads and spacecraft.
More information is available at: https://xtrm-sprl.engin.umich.edu/
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO/AA Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.