Description

Position Title: LWI Chief Engineer – Aerospace/RF

Department/Location: Engineering /Oklahoma City, OK 73103

Supervisor: Director of Engineering

Status: Regular/Full-Time Exempt

Desired Start Date: Apr 2026

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Primary Function:

Long Wave Inc. (LWI) is seeking a highly accomplished technical leader to serve as LWI Chief Engineer over all programs. This role serves as the senior technical authority responsible for engineering rigor, system architecture, integration, technical performance, and mission execution across the full lifecycle of the program.

This Chief Engineer will define and guide the technical success of a LWI, shaping architecture, driving schedule and performance, ensuring mission readiness, and elevating engineering excellence across the team. This is a pivotal role that directly supports LWI’s continued growth and impact in the defense aviation sector.

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Ensure the program adheres to sound aerospace engineering processes across design, development, integration, test, certification, and sustainment.

2. Serve as the definitive technical authority for the program, maintaining strict control of the technical baseline.

3. Oversee and validate technical, cost, and schedule performance with strong focus on KPPs and TPMs.

4. Lead system architecture, design integration, airworthiness considerations, and interface management across disciplines.

5. Serve as the company’s primary technical interface to the customer and partners.

6. Act as independent technical advisor to the Program Managers.

7. Lead or support TRB, CCB, PMR, Risk & Opportunity Boards, and major design reviews.

8. Provide technical leadership for Major Program Events (MPEs), including flight readiness and demonstrations.

9. Ensure alignment of the technical plan within the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS).

10. Lead requirements development, allocation, and traceability.

11. Drive integration across avionics, mission systems, mechanical, electrical, software, and specialty engineering.

12. Oversee verification and validation planning and execution.

13. Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace standards and specifications.

14. Build long-term technical vision and program technology roadmap.

15. Guide trade studies, modeling and simulation, prototyping, and risk reduction.

16. Champion digital engineering and MBSE methodologies.

17. Lead technical interchange meetings with customers and partners.

18. Participate in readiness events, technical audits, and senior-level reviews.

19. Communicate technical status, challenges, and resolutions to leadership.

20. Mentor engineers and emerging technical leaders.

21. Support staffing, resource planning, and skill development.

22. Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Work Conditions:

Employee will be working within an office environment. Employee may be expected to travel up to 30%.

Requirements

Job Requirements:

Minimum Requirements:

· Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline; Master’s or PhD preferred.

· 15+ years of Engineering leadership experience.

· Minimum 10 years leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams.

· Experience with aircraft systems, avionics, mission systems, flight test, or training devices.

· Strong systems engineering and technical baseline management background.

· Proven ability to lead major technical reviews and collaborate with aerospace customers.

· U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain active Top Secret/SCI clearance required.

· Ability to travel up to 35%.

· Experience with RF, airworthiness, flight readiness, or certification.

· Record of delivering complex aerospace programs successfully.

Preferred Requirements:

· PMP, CSEP, Lean Six Sigma, or similar certifications.

· Experience as Chief Engineer or Technical Lead on major aerospace programs.

· Familiarity with military aerospace platforms or C3 avionics.

· MBSE and digital engineering expertise.

EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability

Summary

Long Wave Inc. is a Small Business defense contractor headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK. We are an industry leader in the installation and maintenance of Very Low Frequency/Low Frequency/High Frequency (VLF/LF/HF) communication systems, software development, software, and hardware installation, Nuclear Command and Control Communication (NC3), Contract Support Services (CSS), and systems engineering. We have grown into an agile company based on experience, trust, and integrity. Long Wave is the best Strategic Communications Small Business in America. As a leader in services and solutions, software, and engineering products, we make certain that our abilities are as diverse and unique as our customers.

As a government contractor, we specialize in:

Engineering
Tower and Antenna Maintenance and Installation
Software Development
Software and Hardware Installation
Operations and Maintenance of Government Facilities
Information Technology and Cybersecurity Services
Simulation and Training
Program Management Services for Various Agencies and Clients

Staffed with retired military, senior engineers, and support personnel from industry, we have helped to design and implement some of the United States Military’s most critical and innovative communications technologies. Our subject matter experts have hundreds of years of combined experience operating, maintaining, and modernizing communications suites around the world and our software developers have decades of experience analyzing, architecting, developing, testing, and deploying software solutions for the United States Navy and commercial customers.

Our military men and women around the world count on Long Wave to provide services for many of today’s modern military communication programs. Some of our accomplishments include:

The Clarinet Merlin Receiving System (CMRS), a shore-based communications system that continuously monitors emergency transmissions from buoys launched from United States Navy submarines;
A Command and Control (C2) Dashboard, which provides databases for operational and maintenance support for the United States Navy’s Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) leadership;
Long Wave developed Trainers and Stimulators that provide mission rehearsal capability, which can completely simulate a communication suite with integrated voice and data communications.

Long Wave is proud to have been supporting the United States Military since 1995.