Project Engineer

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Project Engineer to join one of our largest and most advanced aerospace and defense partners, sitting onsite in Corona, CA. This company plays a key role in designing, developing, and manufacturing critical flight and defense hardware supporting next-generation launch vehicles, spacecraft, and hypersonic systems.

The Project Engineer will serve as the technical and program execution lead, managing multiple engineering programs from concept through production. This individual will collaborate cross-functionally across engineering, operations, and quality teams to ensure products meet technical, schedule, and performance requirements. The ideal candidate will bring a strong mix of technical depth, organizational leadership, and hands-on program management experience to drive excellence throughout the product lifecycle.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, manage, and execute comprehensive project plans—including schedules, budgets, deliverables, and resource allocation.
• Lead engineering design and development activities, ensuring compliance with all program, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate across engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain to align technical priorities and deliver results on time and within scope.
• Identify and mitigate project risks, ensuring technical integrity and schedule performance.
• Serve as the primary liaison between internal teams and customer engineering groups to ensure clear communication and alignment on technical deliverables.
• Prepare and deliver project status updates, performance metrics, and milestone reviews to leadership and external stakeholders.
• Ensure all project work adheres to AS9100, ITAR, and other applicable aerospace standards.
• Support manufacturing readiness reviews, design for manufacturability improvements, and product transition to production.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance process efficiency, engineering accuracy, and program execution.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Systems, or related discipline) required; advanced degree preferred.
• 3–7 years of progressive experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing leading engineering or cross-functional projects.
• Proven track record delivering complex projects from concept through production while ensuring compliance with technical, quality, and schedule requirements.
• Strong understanding of aerospace manufacturing processes, including machining, composites, and assembly operations.
• Experience using project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or Jira.
• Knowledge of configuration management, documentation control, and compliance frameworks (AS9100, ISO, ITAR).
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to interface effectively across engineering, operations, and leadership teams.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience leading new product development (NPD) or sustainment engineering programs within aerospace or defense.
• Familiarity with CAD/PLM systems such as CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, or Teamcenter.
• Exposure to hypersonic structures, launch vehicle assemblies, or propulsion systems.
• Understanding of Earned Value Management (EVM) principles or equivalent program performance tracking methodologies.