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Director, Engineering (Naval Shipbuilding)

Hanwha Defense USA

Arlington, VA · Posted October 8, 2026

More in Virginia job market · Aerospace & Defense · Engineering jobs

About the job

Job Title: Director, Engineering – Naval Shipbuilding Location: Washington, DC (On-site)

The Opportunity: Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) is seeking a Director, Engineering – Naval Shipbuilding to serve as the deputy leader of a growing U.S. naval shipbuilding engineering organization. This role helps build and lead the engineering function that supports U.S. Navy and government shipbuilding pursuits and programs, integrating international design and production expertise with U.S. Navy requirements.

Responsibilities:

Serves as deputy to the engineering organization lead, with authority to act on their behalf in technical, organizational, and customer matters

Leads development of the engineering organization, including staffing plans, hiring, team structure, processes, and engineering standards

Exercises technical oversight of design and production engineering across ship design, systems integration, and naval architecture disciplines

Leads the translation of international shipyard design and production practices into deliverables that meet U.S. Navy specifications, standards, and review requirements

Leads engineering inputs to proposals, including technical volumes, basis-of-estimate development, labor and schedule estimates, and ground rules and assumptions

Represents HDUSA at senior-level customer, industry, and partner engagements, delivering professional presentations to executives and VIPs

Coordinates development of ship specifications, deviations and waivers, and responses to customer and regulatory body issues

Ensures engineering processes comply with export control (ITAR/EAR), CUI handling, and other applicable security requirements, particularly in collaboration with international partners and affiliates

Qualifications Required:

Bachelor's degree in naval architecture, marine engineering, or a related engineering discipline

15+ years of engineering experience in naval ship design, construction, or integration, including at least 5 years in an engineering leadership role

Demonstrated experience leading engineering contributions to U.S. Government proposals, including cost and schedule estimating

Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to engage executives, government customers, and international partners

Ability to travel, including periodic international travel; travel is typically concentrated around program and proposal milestones rather than evenly distributed

Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance. US Citizenship is required to obtain a Secret clearance.

Desired Additional Skills:

Experience at a U.S. or international shipyard supporting U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command, or MARAD programs

Knowledge of NAVSEA acquisition processes, FAR/DFARS requirements, ship design review cycles, and milestone events

Experience working across cultures with international shipbuilders, including technology transfer under export authorizations

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

This is an on-site position and could require up to 25% travel both domestic and international. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to have adequate mobility to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, or crouch, in an office and/or manufacturing environment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty (20) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Hanwha Defense USA is committed to pay transparency and equitable compensation practices. The salary range listed for this position represents a good faith estimate of the base pay we reasonably expect to offer for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant skills/experience, education and certifications, market and business considerations, and internal pay equity. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for discretionary annual bonuses, benefits, and other forms of compensation as part of Hanwha Defense USA's total rewards package.

Hanwha Defense USA is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.