Job Description

Job Summary:
The Engineering Manager – Configuration Management & Design Support at SEDA USA in Irvine, CA, leads a team focused on maintaining the integrity, traceability, and accuracy of engineering data and documentation throughout the entire product lifecycle. This role champions configuration management best practices and provides comprehensive design support to engineering teams, ensuring robust processes and superior technical outcomes in alignment with SAFRAN global standards. The Engineering Manager engages and develops the team, drives continuous improvement initiatives, and acts as a key technical and managerial resource within the organization.

Essential Job Functions:
• Lead, develop, and motivate a team specializing in configuration management and design support; team may include configuration analysts, drawing checkers, and designers.
• Oversee and optimize configuration management policies, procedures, and tools to ensure SEDA USA's compliance with SAFRAN standards and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Manage and enforce engineering change processes: oversee change requests, product baselines, document control, and effective communication of changes across project teams.
• Support the design engineering team by ensuring accurate and timely management of product data and documentation, enabling seamless project execution.
• Guide the team through rigorous product development processes to deliver predictable and high-quality results.
• Act as the initial point of escalation for any issues impacting configuration integrity or design data within SEDA USA projects.
• Develop and implement training and mentorship programs to foster technical mastery, compliance awareness, and positive team morale.
• Plan and conduct internal audits and reviews of configuration management processes, preparing the team for external compliance assessments.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and project management teams to ensure the consistent application of configuration control and integration of design requirements.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders—including other Safran entities, customers, and suppliers—to clarify requirements and resolve issues related to product data and configuration.
• Regularly report project status, risks, and corrective actions to SEDA engineering leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement for configuration management and design support practices, identifying and implementing process enhancements.
• Coordinate with international SAFRAN manufacturing sites when needed to support configuration management through development and serial production phases.

Job Requirements

Education & Experience:
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, Aerospace, or related discipline).
• Minimum 5 years' experience in product development including requirements engineering, design, testing, and qualification—experience in aerospace or industrial environment preferred.
• Prior experience in configuration management and/or design support roles required.
• 2+ years of engineering team leadership or people management responsibilities preferred.
• Experience with Siemens NX and Dassault Systems 3DX Platforms highly preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Working knowledge of industry standards for (such as AS9100, ARP4754, APQP)
• Familiarity with documentation management and configuration management systems (such as PDM or PLM tools)
• Demonstrated project management, organizational, and multitasking skills; knowledge of Earned Value Management Systems is a plus.
• Effective communicator—able to summarize complex technical information, build relationships, and drive team engagement.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root cause corrective action skills.
• High integrity, adaptability, and ability to drive change in support of organizational objectives.
• Leadership, coaching, and mentoring abilities to foster employee development and performance.

Technical Specialties
• Configuration Management: Accountable for configuration control of SEDA USA's products from concept through field support, ensuring strict data integrity and traceability in line with SAFRAN procedures.
• Design Support: Ensure timely delivery and accuracy of engineering artifacts to support program milestones and manufacturing needs.
• Change Management: Champion robust change control procedures that align with SEDA USA and SAFRAN standards and requirements.


Leadership & Team Development
• Responsible for hiring, retaining, mentoring, and evaluating team members in alignment with SEDA USA and SAFRAN policies.
• Set priorities for the configuration management and design support team, ensuring timely completion of tasks and alignment with broader engineering strategies.
• Develop and execute training programs focused on configuration management, change control, and design documentation quality.

Additional Information
• This position is based on-site at SEDA USA's Irvine, California facility, with some travel possible to SAFRAN or customer locations as needed.
• Other duties may be assigned to meet evolving SEDA USA business needs.

But what else? (advantages, specific features, etc.)

Other Requirements:
1. Must be authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.
2. This position requires use of information or access to hardware which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. green card holder), political asylee or refugee

Safran is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics, including those outlined under California law.

Company Information

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.
Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.

Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.