Director Of Engineering Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

The Director of Engineering provides technical leadership and strategic direction for Unlimited Technology's Government/Federal business and holds overall accountability for both the pre-sales and post-sales engineering functions. The Director leads two managers: the Solution Engineering Manager (pre-sales solution design, estimating, and proposal support) and the Systems Engineering Manager (post-sales design, integration, deployment, and lifecycle support), and is ultimately responsible for the performance, quality, and output of both organizations. The Director owns engineering standards and the integrity of the transition from sold solution to delivered system, and serves as the senior engineering authority for the Government/Federal business.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS & SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position reports to the Senior Vice President and directly supervises the Solution Engineering Manager and the Systems Engineering Manager, with indirect responsibility for all engineering personnel within the Government/Federal business, including solution architects, design engineers, application engineers, field survey engineers, and commissioning personnel. The Director holds hiring, performance management, staffing, and budget authority for the engineering organization and partners closely with Sales/Business Development, Project Management, Operations, Purchasing, and Contracts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Organizational Accountability

• Lead, develop, and hold accountable the Solution Engineering Manager and the Systems Engineering Manager; set performance expectations, conduct reviews, and build succession depth across both teams.
• Own the engineering staffing plan, capacity, utilization, budget, and labor forecast; arbitrate resource allocation when pre-sales and post-sales demands compete for the same personnel.
• Own and approve engineering standards, design methodologies, documentation practices, and the approved technology list, applied consistently across pre-sales and post-sales.
• Own the engineering career ladder, including leveling criteria, promotion standards, and certification paths across both functions.

Pre-Sales / Solution Engineering

• Set direction for solution design, system architecture, and technical proposal strategy; approve solution approaches and estimating assumptions on high-value, complex, or high-risk pursuits.
• Establish estimating methodology, design standards, and technical review requirements applied to bids, and approve exceptions.
• Serve as technical authority on bid/no-bid decisions, assessing risk, feasibility, and delivery capability prior to commitment.
• Own strategic OEM and technology-partner relationships and approve additions to the approved technology list.
• Engage directly in strategic pursuits, executive-level customer presentations, and major proposal reviews.

Post-Sales / Systems Engineering

• Set direction for engineering design, integration, deployment, and technical management across complex Government/Federal projects.
• Establish design review, documentation, and quality requirements; approve engineering deliverables and exceptions at defined thresholds.
• Serve as final technical authority on escalated design gaps, technical risks, and issues affecting mission-critical systems or customer operations.
• Direct evaluation of deployed system performance, reliability, interoperability, maintainability, and standardization opportunities across the portfolio.

Pre-Sales to Post-Sales Transition

• Own the design-to-delivery handoff, including as-sold to as-built accountability, scope validation, and formal turnover between the two teams. Establish the technical acceptance criteria Systems Engineering applies when receiving a sold design, and the escalation path when variance is identified.
• Drive estimating accuracy and reduce scope gaps, rework, and margin erosion identified after award; enforce change management and configuration control when conditions deviate from the sold design.

Compliance & Cross-Functional

• Ensure engineering practices meet applicable Government/Federal security, compliance, quality, and documentation requirements.
• Serve as executive technical authority and escalation point for Government/Federal customers; engage at senior levels and on strategic project milestones.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and Government/Federal engineering practices. Other duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE & REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical field; Master's preferred.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible engineering experience, including 5+ years leading engineering teams and experience managing managers or supervisors. Experience owning both pre-sales and post-sales engineering functions strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience designing and integrating complex technology, infrastructure, network, or security systems in enterprise or mission-critical environments; Government/Federal project experience strongly preferred.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
• Hands-on experience across electronic security and low-voltage systems: access control, video management, intrusion and perimeter detection, mass notification, command and control/PSIM, structured cabling and fiber, and supporting network and server infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of system architecture, high availability, resiliency, disaster recovery, and technology lifecycle management. Proficient with engineering design, documentation, and project management tools including AutoCAD, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Project; familiarity with AWS or Azure beneficial.
• Certifications preferred: ASIS PSP or CPP, and relevant manufacturer certifications.
• Ability to travel up to 20% and meet applicable customer, site-access, badging, background investigation, and security requirements.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Proven ability to lead through managers, setting direction and delegating ownership without absorbing the work of the teams below.
• Ability to develop managers and technical talent and build bench strength across both functions.
• Sound judgment balancing competing pre-sales and post-sales demands for limited engineering resources.
• Ability to resolve conflict between functions with differing incentives and drive alignment on shared outcomes.
• Executive-level communication and presentation skills, with credibility in front of senior customer and internal stakeholders.
• Business acumen connecting engineering decisions to margin, delivery risk, and customer outcomes.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer; must communicate effectively in person, by phone, and through virtual platforms.
• Regular access to active construction sites, data centers, and secure government facilities.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb ladders; work in elevated, confined, or restricted spaces; wear required PPE and navigate uneven terrain and outdoor conditions.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 15 pounds occasionally.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Incumbents may be assigned additional duties. Unlimited Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.