Director of Engineering

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Director of Engineering on behalf of a well-established aerospace manufacturer in Los Angeles, CA. This organization manages a broad portfolio of licensed aerospace products and assemblies supporting rotorcraft, commercial, military, and business aviation platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical team in new product capability evaluation, risk identification, and mitigation; interface with licensors to define and maintain design authority.
• Support license and product transition processes; coordinate engineering participation to ensure process control and validation.
• Supervise creation of build instructions, tool definitions, and test fixtures; oversee configuration management.
• Set guidelines and supervise document control.
• Provide technical support and RCCA for field returns, in-service issues, production issues, and MRB technical analysis and disposition.
• Lead the Change Control Board (CCB) as the engineering representative.
• Serve as technical liaison with customers, suppliers, and subcontractors; support customer service and sales on technical matters.
• Select, recruit, and develop engineering personnel; mentor and cross-train across functions.
• Support FAA PMA approval processes; partner with other departments during audit activities.
• Ensure continued airworthiness of all products and systems within the site's scope.
• Ensure adherence to company procedures and standards across design, production, and in-service support.
• Liaise with design authorities on technical data changes; lead development activities under any delegated design authority.
• Ensure subcontracted engineering work complies with all regulatory and company requirements.

Qualifications

Required

• B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering.
• 10+ years in aerospace design and/or manufacturing engineering; 5+ years in a supervisory role.
• Hands‑on experience with AC/DC motors, actuators, hydraulic pumps, valves, electronics, and electro‑mechanical assemblies.
• Knowledge of materials, outside critical processes, NDT, and precision aerospace component specifications.
• Project and configuration management experience.
• Strong communicator — clear technical reporting, direct customer and licensor interface.

Preferred

• M.S. in Engineering and/or MBA.
• FAA PMA experience.
• Background in licensed manufacturing, MRO, or inherited/legacy product line environments.
• Comfort owning design authority where complete technical pedigree is not available.
• Familiarity with AS9100, FAA Part 145, and relevant civil/military airworthiness standards.
• Experience interfacing with Type Certificate holders and design authorities.
• Rotorcraft and/or fixed‑wing platform experience.