1

Systems Engineering Manager Jobs in Bellingham, WA

... Engineering, Program Management, and Operations. Sales Engineers manage proposal development ... Experience with SAP or other ERP systems * Proficiency with 3D CAD software (CATIA, NX, etc.

Showing results 21-40

Systems Engineering Manager information

See Bellingham, WA salary details

$62.9K

$147.7K

$203.7K

How much do systems engineering manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for systems engineering manager in Bellingham, WA is $147,667.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,500.00 and $179,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a systems engineering manager?

To thrive as a Systems Engineering Manager, you need a solid background in systems engineering principles, project management experience, and typically a degree in engineering or a related field. Familiarity with systems modeling tools (such as SysML), requirements management software, and relevant industry certifications like INCOSE CSEP are often required. Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills help you effectively guide teams and collaborate with stakeholders. These skills and qualities are essential to ensure project success, technical excellence, and seamless integration of complex systems.

What are some common challenges faced by systems engineering managers, and how can they be addressed?

Systems Engineering Managers often navigate challenges such as coordinating multidisciplinary teams, ensuring clear communication across departments, and balancing technical leadership with project management duties. They may also face difficulties in aligning system requirements with organizational goals and managing resource constraints. To address these, effective managers foster open communication, implement structured processes for requirement management, and prioritize continuous training for their teams. Building strong relationships with stakeholders and promoting a culture of collaboration can also help overcome these challenges.

What does a systems engineering manager do?

A Systems Engineering Manager oversees a team of engineers responsible for designing, integrating, and maintaining complex systems within an organization. They coordinate project activities, ensure technical requirements are met, and manage resources to deliver efficient solutions. Additionally, they serve as a liaison between engineering teams and other departments, helping to translate business needs into technical specifications. Their role often involves mentoring staff, managing budgets, and ensuring projects are completed on time and within scope.

How much should a systems engineering manager be paid?

The average salary for a systems engineering manager typically ranges from $110,000 to $160,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. Higher salaries are common in sectors like aerospace, defense, and technology, especially for managers with advanced certifications and leadership skills.

What is the difference between Systems Engineering Manager vs Systems Engineer?

AspectSystems Engineering ManagerSystems Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, PMP or similar certifications often preferredBachelor's degree in Engineering, relevant technical certifications
Work EnvironmentLeads teams, manages projects, oversees system developmentDesigns, develops, tests systems, works on technical tasks
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech, aerospace, defense, and manufacturing companiesCommon in similar industries, often as technical staff
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding managerial roles, leadership responsibilitiesTechnical skills, system design, implementation

The main difference between a Systems Engineering Manager and a Systems Engineer lies in their roles and responsibilities. The manager oversees teams and projects, focusing on leadership and strategic planning, while the engineer concentrates on technical system development and implementation. Both roles require relevant engineering credentials and are vital in industries like aerospace, defense, and technology.

What cities near Bellingham, WA are hiring for Systems Engineering Manager jobs? Cities near Bellingham, WA with the most Systems Engineering Manager job openings:
Infographic showing various Systems Engineering Manager job openings in Bellingham, WA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,667 per year, or $71 per hour.

General Engineer

Defense Contract Management Agency

Sedro Woolley, WA • On-site, Remote

$101K - $155K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago


Defense Contract Management Agency rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

144th of 841 rated public administrative organizations


Job description

Summary
See below for important information regarding this job.
Additional vacancies may be filled from this announcement.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
Help
  • Implements agency policy and provides expert engineering support.
  • Analyzes engineering surveillance applications and developments.
  • Administers contracts in accordance with agency policies/standards/metrics and standard operating procedures for Department of Defense (DoD) acquisitions.
  • Assesses/records contractor performance using DCMA engineering surveillance performance indicators; then provides expert feedback to the Chief Engineer (CE).
  • Prepares/evaluates documents regarding specific, unique, engineering/manufacturing issues.
  • Provides expert feedback to the CE based upon daily application of engineering/analyses processes and agency reporting requirements.
  • Performs advanced engineering functions, often in a leadership capacity, while conducting engineering and analytical surveillance.
  • Monitors complex contractor engineering management systems; provides expert technical recommendations on substantive/critical/unique changes; researches/designs/develops/tests/produces engineering and analytical surveillance.
  • Conducts Contract Receipt and Review (CRR) related to cost, schedule, and performance.
  • The CRR functions include evaluating production engineering/ability; reviewing facilities/nonconforming hardware; evaluating logistics/support programs/master engineering planning schedules; evaluating special tooling/testing equipment.
  • Candidates that select the 0801 series will be given preference.

Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Security Requirements: Special Sensitive, Sensitive Compartmented Information
  • Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, where reciprocity cannot be applied; unfavorably adjudicated background checks will be grounds for removal.
  • Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service.
  • Drug Testing: Required

Qualifications
To qualify for an Interdisciplinary Engineer position your resume and supporting documentation must support:
A. Basic Requirement:
A Bachelor's Degree or higher in professional engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
OR
A combination of education and experience
college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
  1. Professional Registration or Licensure Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
  2. Written Test Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
  3. Specified academic courses Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the Basic Requirements above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in the Basic Requirements above.
  4. Related curriculum Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g. engineering technology physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions.

AND
C. Specialized Experience: In addition to the basic requirement above, you must possess one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position. To qualify for the NH-03 level, specialized experience must be at the NH-02 or GS-11 grade level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector.Creditable specialized experience includes:
  • Applying engineering and analysis principles, concepts, and standards in support of complex defense acquisition systems.
  • Performing oversight of the Systems Engineering Development Life Cycle for major Acquisition programs and provide technical support pertaining to missile systems and sensor technologies.
  • Conducting reviews of contracts and in conducting reviews of contractor performance; proposing and providing technical advice on changes relating to contract applications/developments.
  • Leadership capacity conducting engineering and analytical surveillance on substantive/critical and unique changes of advanced engineering functions implementing agency policy, and new/developmental processes.

Education
Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
If the position has a minimum education requirement you MUST provide transcripts (unofficial are acceptable at the time of application) to support your educational claims. Or, if you are using education to qualify in lieu of specialized experience you MUST provide transcripts (unofficial are acceptable at the time of application) to support your educational claims. The transcripts must include your name, the name of the college or university, class/course list, completed number of credits/hours, and the date degree conferred (if applicable). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Licenses must be current at time of application.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Additional information
  • This position does not meet criteria for appointment of Reemployed Annuitants. The DoD criteria for hiring Reemployed Annuitants can be found at: DoDI 1400.25-V300.
  • Tour of Duty: Flexible
  • FLSA: Exempt
  • Bargaining Unit: No
  • If selected for an interview, you may be required to provide your last three performance appraisals to the panel.
  • Selectee may be required to serve a trial/probationary period.
  • Financial Disclosure Required
  • Acquisition, Technology & Logistics(AT&L) NON-CAP: Position requires DoD Acquisition Engineering & Technical Management, Practitioner 2 certification within required timeframes. Selectee must also achieve 80 hours of Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every 2-years. Click here for more details and Resources.
  • Military spouses working remotely are exempt from in-person work under the conditions explained by OPM's February 12, 2025 memorandum and the March 20, 2025 Frequently Asked Questions.

Expand Hide additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

What Defense Contract Management Agency employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom