R&D Program Manager

In the pursuit of innovation, Aegis is seeking a strong R&D Program Manager to help lead the development of our next generation of products. In this role, you will own the execution of Agile, stage-gate R&D programs, driving cross-functional collaboration across engineering, product development, operations, marketing, and quality to bring new ideas to life.

What you'll do

• Lead complex, cross-functional R&D/new product development initiatives from concept through prototype and into manufacturing readiness – aligning scope, schedule, cost, and performance targets.
• Run disciplined Agile and Stage-Gate execution rhythms: facilitate sprint visibility, manage stage deliverables, prepare gate materials, and drive crisp decisions and follow-through.
• Translate strategic product concepts into clear, executable plans—defining deliverables, owners, dependencies/critical path, and the “what it takes” scope of work to deploy new products.
• · Partner across engineering, product development, operations, marketing, and quality to remove roadblocks and keep teams aligned—leading through influence as an individual contributor.
• Own program tracking and stakeholder communications: maintain schedules (e.g., Gantt), manage risk scorecards, and deliver leadership-ready updates and presentations.
• Drive early learning through proof-of-concept builds—planning “just enough” prototypes to validate direction quickly and cost-effectively.
• Plan and execute component-level and system-level validation testing, including tradeoff decisions, test-fixture conceptualization, and DOE (design of experiments) where appropriate.
• Apply structured troubleshooting and root-cause methods (e.g., FRACAS/FMEA/DFMEA) to improve reliability and accelerate iteration from field/test learning.
• Manage project budgets and spend discipline—tracking planned vs. actuals, surfacing variances early, and protecting delivery commitments.
• Collaborate with domestic and international suppliers on design guidance and quality issue resolution to keep development moving without compromising standards.
• Partner with technical teams on CAD-enabled development work to ensure designs are executable and reviewable across stakeholders.
• Proactively anticipate emerging risks/opportunities, de-bottlenecking constraints, and keeping momentum through ambiguity.

Embrace and promote by incorporating into your work the core values of Aegis:

1. Professionalism: Maintain a positive attitude and strong work ethic. Everyone is accountable for their work. Above all, respect others.

2. Customer Focus: Always work to exceed customer expectations.

3. Collaboration: Share ideas; train and mentor others to your level. Improve one another. 4. Take it Personal: Complete every task as if your reputation depends on it. Because it does!

5. Make it Better: Ask yourself, “What can I do to make our company better?”

6. Open Minded: Look at the possibilities and think outside the box. Embrace change.

• Bachelor’s degree is required (Masters preferred), with a focus/background in mechanical, electrical, controls engineering or product development
• Strong technical ability/experience with CAD tools
• Experience leading cross-functional R&D projects of high complexity
• Practical experience in Agile/Stage Gate NPD processes
• Experience with technical troubleshooting and root-cause analysis (FRACAS, FMEA, DFMEA)
• Experience with Proof of Concept development and testing techniques and project Scope of Work development
• Experience setting up components and system level validation testing: understating the tradeoffs and ability to conceptualize test fixtures needed for design validation, experience with design of experiment (DOE) development
• Strong communication and leadership skills
• Reliability practitioner status required (Black Belt preferred, Green Belt at a minimum)
• Ability to manage risk scorecards, maintain Gantt charts, and prepare leadership-ready presentations
• Experience with Scrum is preferred
• Ability to collaborate at all levels of the business
• Experience developing and tracking NPD project budgets and adhesion to them
• Ability to coach junior engineers
• Ability to travel to customer or vendor sites as needed (10%)