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Chief Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Dynamic Aviation

Chief Engineer

Bridgewater, VA · On-site

The Chief Engineer is the single technical authority for Dynamic Aviation's engineering function. This role owns the engineering operating model to include how work is scoped, baselined, reviewed ...

AET

Chief Engineer

Galveston, TX · On-site

The Chief Engineer is the Head of the Engine department and is directly responsible for the general working efficiency and discipline within the Engine department. He or She is directly responsible ...

Related

Chief Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$100K/yr

The Chief Engineer is responsible for the direction, coordination and control of activities as well as the personnel involved in building operations and the maintenance of a safe and comfortable ...

The Building People

Chief Engineer

Laredo, TX

The Chief Engineer is a working supervisor who leads operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of building systems across a multi-facility portfolio in Laredo, Texas. The Chief Engineer ...

Related

Chief Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$100K - $125K/yr

The Chief Engineer is responsible for the direction, coordination and control of activities as well as the personnel involved in building operations and the maintenance of a safe and comfortable ...

LB&B Associates Inc.

Chief Engineer

Silver Spring, MD · On-site

Chief Engineer (Operations & Maintenance) Join LB&B Associates Inc. and Shape the Future of Facility Management! Are you ready to lead, inspire, and take on a pivotal role at the heart of operations?

Echodyne Corp

Chief Engineer

Kirkland, WA · Hybrid

Echodyne is seeking a Chief Engineer to join our fast-growing team. At Echodyne, we believe radar makes the world safer and more secure in the age of autonomy. We are seeking a Chief Engineer to join ...

White Lodging

Chief Engineer

Raleigh, NC

As the Chief Engineer at one of downtown Raleigh's most prominent Marriott properties, you'll lead a team of skilled maintenance professionals and own the full engineering and facilities function for ...

The Building People

Chief Engineer

Laredo, TX · On-site

The Chief Engineer is a working supervisor who leads operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of building systems across a multi-facility portfolio in Laredo, Texas. The Chief Engineer ...

LB&B Associates, Inc.

Chief Engineer

Silver Spring, MD · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Chief Engineer (Operations & Maintenance) Join LB&B Associates Inc. and Shape the Future of Facility Management! Are you ready to lead, inspire, and take on a pivotal role at the heart of operations?

Concord Hospitality

Chief Engineer

Fort Mill, SC · On-site

$50K - $62K/yr

Our Chief Engineering role will provide you a venue to apply your expertise in property engineering, leadership, and preventative and reactive maintenance. This is a great opportunity to put your ...

Campus Apartments

Chief Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

Overview Experienced Chief Building Engineer wanted! The Campus team is filled with passionate and enthusiastic people! Since 1958, we have been singularly focused on providing superb housing for ...

Concord Hospitality

Chief Engineer

Charlotte, NC · On-site

Now Hiring - Chief Engineer This is a great opportunity to bring your engineering experience to one of North America's fastest growing hospitality companies - Concord Hospitality Enterprises. This ...

Concord Hospitality

Chief Engineer

Charlotte, NC · On-site

Description Now Hiring - Chief Engineer This is a great opportunity to bring your engineering experience to one of North America's fastest growing hospitality companies - Concord Hospitality ...

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All JobsChief Engineer Jobs

Chief Engineer information

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$32.5K

$92.9K

$181K

How much do chief engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for chief engineer in the United States is $92,945.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $59,000.00 and $120,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges Chief Engineers face when managing multidisciplinary engineering teams?

Chief Engineers often oversee teams that include specialists from various engineering disciplines, which can present challenges in aligning different technical perspectives and ensuring effective communication. Balancing project deadlines, resource allocation, and maintaining quality standards while navigating these differences is a frequent part of the role. Successful Chief Engineers foster strong collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing, and implement standardized processes to address these challenges. They also play a key role in mentoring junior engineers and promoting professional development within the team.

What Is a Chief Engineer?

Chief engineer is a job title that has a range of meanings across different industries. A chief engineer is the head of the engineering department in an organization. The duties and responsibilities of this role vary in different industries. In general, a chief engineer must have engineering experience in the industry, strong leadership qualities and problem-solving skills. Depending on the industry, the education requirements for a chief engineer job range from an associate degree to advanced degrees in engineering.

What is the difference between Chief Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectChief EngineerMechanical Engineer
CredentialsEngineering degree, professional engineering license, leadership experienceEngineering degree, possibly licensure, technical skills
Work EnvironmentProject management, overseeing teams, strategic planningDesign, analysis, testing, and development of mechanical systems
Industry UsageConstruction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, aerospaceManufacturing, automotive, HVAC, robotics
Common Search/ComparisonYesYes

The main difference between a Chief Engineer and a Mechanical Engineer lies in their responsibilities and seniority. The Chief Engineer typically oversees projects, manages teams, and ensures technical standards at a strategic level, often requiring leadership experience and licensure. Mechanical Engineers focus on designing, analyzing, and developing mechanical systems, working on technical tasks without the managerial responsibilities of a Chief Engineer. Both roles are vital in engineering industries, but the Chief Engineer holds a higher-level, supervisory position.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Chief Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Chief Engineer, you need advanced engineering expertise, leadership experience, and a relevant degree such as a bachelor's or master's in engineering. Familiarity with project management tools, CAD software, and relevant certifications like Professional Engineer (PE) licensure are typically required. Outstanding problem-solving, communication, and team management skills help drive innovation and ensure smooth coordination across engineering teams. These skills and qualifications are crucial for overseeing complex projects, maintaining high technical standards, and achieving organizational goals.

What does a Chief Engineer do?

A Chief Engineer is responsible for overseeing the engineering operations of an organization or project. They lead engineering teams, manage technical projects, and ensure that systems and infrastructure are maintained and improved according to industry standards. Chief Engineers also develop policies, coordinate with other departments, and solve complex technical problems to support the organization's goals. Their role often involves budgeting, staff management, and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory requirements.
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Chief Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Chief Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 99% Full Time, and 1% Part Time. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,945 per year, or $44.7 per hour.
Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer

Verity Integrated Systems

Huntsville, AL • On-site

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago

Job description

Position Summary
Verity Integrated Systems is seeking a Chief Engineer to provide senior technical leadership across aerospace and defense programs involving missile systems, hypersonics, mission systems, digital engineering, integration, test, and advanced prototype development.
The Chief Engineer will work side-by-side with the Program Manager to drive program results by ensuring the technical solution is executable, integrated, traceable, and aligned with cost, schedule, performance, and customer requirements. This role requires experience supporting Department of War program execution, including the discipline required to move complex defense programs through planning, technical reviews, integration, test readiness, customer coordination, and delivery.
While the Program Manager owns overall program execution, the Chief Engineer owns the technical integrity of the program and ensures engineering activities directly support program milestones, customer commitments, contractual requirements, and mission outcomes.
This role bridges systems engineering, design, integration, software, hardware, suppliers, test planning, risk management, and program execution. The Chief Engineer must be able to lead engineers, challenge assumptions, resolve technical issues, and provide the Program Manager with clear, honest technical assessments needed to make informed decisions.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned technical leader who understands how to operate within government program environments, support disciplined defense program execution, and move a program from concept through design reviews, integration, test readiness, flight test support, and customer delivery.
Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related technical field.
  • 12+ years of relevant engineering experience in aerospace, defense, missile systems, aviation, space systems, weapons systems, or complex integrated systems.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting Department of War program execution, including technical planning, customer coordination, major reviews, integration, test readiness, and delivery of complex defense systems.
  • Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams.
  • Strong understanding of systems engineering, requirements management, integration, verification, and validation.
  • Experience supporting major technical reviews such as SRR, SFR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR, or equivalent government/customer reviews.
  • Experience with hardware/software integration, supplier coordination, and technical risk management.
  • Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to executives, customers, government stakeholders, and engineering teams.
  • Strong judgment, technical discipline, and ability to make decisions under schedule pressure.
  • U.S. citizenship required due to defense program requirements.

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