Manager, Engineering

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is searching for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Manager, Engineering to join the Oceanographic Systems Lab (OSL) within the Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering Department (AOPE). The work is varied and rewarding as the results of our team effort are used to collect data for understanding the ocean and protecting the world.This is a regular full-time, exempt position, and is eligible for full benefits.

OSL is a world leader in Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology and operation in many complex oceanographic environments. Military and scientific applications of AUVs are supported by OSL including biologic and physical surveys, mapping, under-ice operations, environmental anomaly detection, filming megafauna. OSL works with REMUS AUVs developed at WHOI and equipment designed elsewhere expanding capabilities of the AUVs and the sensors they support. The OSL team operates in a creative and exciting workspace from creation of ideas to deployment in the field.

The Manager, Engineering will supervise and lead engineers to address a wide range of project and product development tasks related todeveloping and enhancing capabilities of AUVs and their subsystems. The position should include outstanding systems knowledge across mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineering. This position includes management of time sensitive complex project development efforts. The successful candidate must have proven leadership skills necessary to coordinate the activities of teams of engineers and technicians through multiple projects in parallel while simultaneously directingproduct improvement across mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines combining all in a total process/product improvement approach. Members of this team all spend time both in the office/lab and, to a lesser extent for this position, in the field. Field operations occur locally and at remote sites to support science, exploration, disaster response, and military research and development. Previous missions have included oil spill response, locating black boxes and airplanes, locating shipwrecks, mapping unexplored parts of the ocean, mapping physical and biological phenomena and studying sharks and sea turtles. Past project sponsors include NSF, NOAA, Office of Naval Research, DARPA, BSEE, Discovery Channel, NAVOCEANO, NUWC, foreign governments, philanthropic organizations, and corporations.

Recognized as a leader in the field by functioning as an independent researcher and manager. He or she will have full responsibility for project tasks requiring application of management skills and authoritative knowledge of appropriate underlying scientific principles and practices for engineering projects. The successful candidate will use and create advanced techniques and instrumentation, and create modifications and extensions oftheories, precepts, and practices relevant to the field in which the incumbent is recognized as a leader of a group of technical staff members.

The internal working title for this position could be Principal Engineer. The final level of the position will bedetermined commensurate with the selected candidates level of education and experience.

• Organize and manage project engineering teams that can meet complex technical specifications on time and budget.
• Oversee individual team leads in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering.
• Strategize with OSL Director to conceive new concepts, ideas, and applications for unmanned systems.
• Set team technical goals, adjust with progress, and critique success.
• Build lean processes that stream line and accelerate OSL work.
• Lead the outlining of proposal development by balancing scope, funding, and timeline with a moderate to high amount of technical risk.
• Assess and prioritize component work to improve OSL long term products to include electronics, batteries, propulsion systems, and mechanical components for both ocean vehicles and their support systems. Track, phase in, and organize testing to prevent obsolesce. Guide and institutionalize configuration control.
• Review program budget expenditures for labor, material, and services to help guide Principal Investigators toward project success.
• Review and critique designs on vehicle components such as mechanical and electrical components including pressure housings, chassis parts, instrument cages, underwater vehicle assemblies, circuit boards, batteries, connectors, and related items from a variety of different materials. Evaluate integration of these components into the overall system to include software and firmware. Approve test plans to sufficiently shake down designs and yield operable units.
• Evaluate personnel performance and make recommendations on promotions.
• Become a strong candidate to compete for and potentially succeed Director of OSL position.

Non-Essential Functions:

• As deemed necessary by Director, OSL

• Master's degree in an engineering or appropriate field with 10+ years of related experience or Bachelor's in related engineering field with 15 years of a related experience. Ph.D. in related engineering field is a plus.
• Experience in leading project teams and supervising engineers working on Military Science Application Systems
• Knowledge of Navy platforms and interfaces is highly preferred.
• Hands on experience with REMUS vehicles and Navy systems strongly preferred.
• Excellent writing and communication skills are required.

Principal Engineer:

• Appropriate academic background or its equivalent relevant work experience, enhanced by more than 15 years of increasingly successful and creativeachievement.
• Candidates for this rank are recognized as leaders and authorities in their field through their original contributions. They must have had far-reaching impact on the scientific activities of the Institution and their field.
• Demonstrated high levels of creativity and independence (i.e., a record of superior accomplishment--such as patents, publications, or documented instrumentation--which provides objective evidence of original professional contributions) with foresight and judgment in planning, organizing, and guiding extensive and complex engineering projects.

• Must be a US Citizen
• Must have and be capable of obtaining or renewing US Security Clearance
• Valid drivers license

Physicalduties for this position include but are not limited to, ability to liftless than 25 lbs independently, 2 times per day;carry 10-25 lbs,2 times per day. Visual abilities to include near, far, peripheral, depth perception, and ability todistinguish basic colors. Hearing requirements include the ability to hear and respond to instructions, communicate effectively in loud areas (pier/dock, warehouse).Other physical tasks include occasional prolonged standing/walking; use of hands for basic /fine grasping and manipulation, repetitive motion, reaching above and below the shoulders, pushing, pulling, kneeling, bending, twisting, and stooping. Other occupational requirements include talking, traveling, working around others, and with others. Will be exposed to dust or other irritants and electrical/mechanical/power equipment hazards.Physicalduties are subject to change.

May work at least 8 hours per day and, at times in excess of 12 hours per day, 7 days per week. Sleep and work hours can deviate from those on land. May be expected to work on watch schedule (such as 8 hours on and 8 hours off or 12 hours on and 8 hours off) for all or part of a cruise or to work as hours are needed to accomplish the planned work. May need to travel during holidays and for long distances to and from foreign ports. May experience rudimentary living and working conditions, with shared and basic living quarters and laboratories. May experience bad or extreme weather conditions, including heavy seas, winter weather or hot, tropical weather. Work on deck may occur in both hot and cold conditions around the clock. Sea conditions will lead to active ship motion. Should be able to climb steep and vertical ladders and able to enter and exit compartments through hatches, doors, and sills. Should be able to carry heavy gear and participate in the loading and unloading of the ship as well as in the activities on deck and in the labs during the cruise. Shipboard environment may include: confined areas, shared sleeping quarters (berths) and bathroom facilities, small and basic berthing, fixed meal times and basic menus. Modest levels of heating, cooling, ventilation, and illumination, limited or no email and internet access and limited off-duty and recreational facilities (library, lounge, movies). May be exposed to potential allergens and irritants, including paint fumes. May experience constant and intermittent loud noises, and slippery and uneven surfaces.