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JOB SUMMARY Manages all engineering/maintenance operations, including maintaining the building, grounds and physical plant with particular attention towards safety, security and asset protection.

McAllister Towing

Chief Engineer

Port Jefferson, NY · On-site

$828.28/day

Must possess a Chief Engineering License (Unlimited HP) * Valid Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC). * Must live within reasonable commuting distance of Port Jefferson, NY. * Pass pre ...

McAllister Towing

Chief Engineer

Port Jefferson, NY

$828.28/day

Must possess a Chief Engineering License (Unlimited HP) * Valid Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC). * Must live within reasonable commuting distance of Port Jefferson, NY. * Pass pre ...

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How much do chief engineering jobs pay per year?

As of May 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for chief engineering 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 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 knowledge, leadership experience, and a relevant engineering degree—often supported by a Professional Engineer (PE) license. Familiarity with project management software, CAD systems, and industry-specific technical tools is typically required. Strong decision-making, communication, and team management skills help distinguish high-performing Chief Engineers. These competencies are crucial for successfully leading engineering teams, ensuring technical excellence, and delivering projects on time and within budget.

What are some common challenges faced by a Chief Engineering Officer when leading cross-functional teams?

As a Chief Engineering Officer, one common challenge is ensuring effective communication and alignment between engineering and other departments, such as product management, design, and operations. Balancing technical priorities with business objectives often requires negotiation and strategic planning. Additionally, fostering a culture of innovation while maintaining productivity and meeting deadlines can be demanding. Successful Chief Engineering Officers proactively address these challenges by promoting transparency, encouraging collaboration, and implementing clear processes for decision-making.

What does a Chief Engineering do?

A Chief Engineering, often referred to as the Chief Engineer, oversees all engineering operations within an organization. They are responsible for managing engineering teams, developing technical strategies, ensuring that projects meet quality standards, and maintaining compliance with safety and industry regulations. The Chief Engineering also collaborates with other departments to support business objectives and drive innovation. Their leadership ensures the technical excellence and efficiency of engineering projects from conception to completion.

What is the difference between Chief Engineering vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectChief EngineeringMechanical Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering, often with leadership experienceBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles overseeing engineering teams and projectsDesign, analysis, and development of mechanical systems
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in large corporations, industrial, and infrastructure projectsCommon in manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and product design

Chief Engineering roles focus on leadership, project oversight, and strategic planning within engineering teams, often requiring experience and advanced credentials. Mechanical Engineers are involved in designing and analyzing mechanical systems, typically with a focus on technical expertise. Both roles are essential in engineering industries but differ in scope and responsibilities.

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Chief Engineering jobs near you
Sr Director, Chief Engineering (R4667)

Sr Director, Chief Engineering (R4667)

Shield AI

Washington, DC

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:
The Chief Engineering Sr Director leads and develops a team of Chief Engineers responsible for technical execution and delivery of software development and integration of Hivemind across multiple customer platforms. Chief Engineers serve as the primary engineering interface for their assigned projects and are responsible for maintaining the technical continuity across all engineering disciplines, ensuring execution on schedule and deliverables that delight the customer. 
 
This role ensures the Chief Engineering team is equipped, aligned, and empowered to define scope, remove technical blockers, manage cross-functional dependencies, identify integration issues, and prevent technical debt before it materializes. The Sr. Director drives consistency in how Chief Engineers balance technical rigor, risk, schedule, and cost in close partnership with Program Management. 
What you'll do:
  • This is a senior leadership role combining technical depth, organizational influence, and people development. Core responsibilities for this role as follows: 
 
  • Team Leadership and Development:
  • --Manage, mentor, and grow the team serving as project technical authorities on Hivemind Solutions projects 
  • --Set clear expectations for ownership, decision velocity, and accountability 
  • --Coach on cross-functional influence, executive communication, and customer-facing leadership 
  • --Conduct performance reviews and career development planning 
 
  • Functional Excellence:
  • --Establish and improve Chief Engineering standards, tools, and best practices, including in the areas of scope definition, trade management, technical risk identification and management, project execution, technical integration and problem solving 
  • --Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives 
 
  • Technical Alignment:
  • --Ensure projects maintain a consistent system-level view through integration of project inputs from all applicable engineering disciplines including Flight Systems Integration, Test, Infrastructure, etc 
  • --Identify interface risks, integration gaps, and technical debt early and prevent downstream churn 
  • --Promote disciplined decision-making that considers cross-functional interdependencies 
  • --Facilitate technical alignment through design reviews
 
  • Program Manager Partnership:
  • --Ensure Chief Engineers actively assess the impact of technical decisions on risk, schedule, and cost 
  • --Create clear escalation paths for cross-project technical conflicts 
  • --Ensure technical risks are surfaced, documented, and mitigated 
  • --Reinforce the expectation that Chief Engineers proactively steer projects 
  • --Support proposal development, estimating, and resource planning, coordinating cross-discipline Engineering inputs as a single voice for Engineering to the project 
 
  • Culture:
  • --Build a collaborative culture where teams are empowered to move fast while remaining technically rigorous 
  • --Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, reinforcing extreme ownership of outcomes 
  • --Develop a culture of integrators, listeners, organizers, motivators, and communicators 
  • --Promote clarity in technical communication and decision rationale 
Required qualifications:
  • 15+ years of experience in complex technical systems (autonomy, aerospace, defense, distributed software, or similar domains) 
  • Prior experience as a Chief Engineer, Technical Lead, Project Engineer, or equivalent system-level authority 
  • Deep cross-functional understanding across software, autonomy, systems engineering, and integration 
  • Proven experience leading cross-functional teams of senior engineers or technical leaders 
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.