Title:
Senior Technical Specialist / SME – Supply Chain & Manufacturing (Ground-Launched Counter-Air Missiles)
Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!
KBR’s National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.
Why Join Us?
· Innovative Projects: KBR’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
· Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
· Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.
Position Summary:
KBR is seeking a highly experienced technical professional to support a U.S. Government program office executing a fast-paced acquisition effort to field next-generation ground-launched counter-air capabilities. A key priority for this effort is the ability to produce low-cost missiles at scale while maintaining quality, reliability, and schedule. In this role, you will provide independent technical evaluation and program support related to manufacturing, industrial base capacity, supply chain resilience, and production scalability. You will assess contractor manufacturing approaches, identify production risks, evaluate supply chain constraints, and help inform Government decisions related to affordability, readiness, and long-term production viability.
Candidates may be considered at the Senior or SME level based on experience and technical depth.
Key Responsibilities:
- Serve as a key technical resource for manufacturing, supply chain, and industrial base considerations related to ground-launched counter-air missile systems.
- Evaluate contractor production plans, manufacturing readiness, supply chain strategies, and industrial base risks.
- Assess the ability of contractors and suppliers to support low-cost, high-volume missile and ground launcher production.
- Identify production bottlenecks, long-lead material concerns, single points of failure, and supplier capacity constraints.
- Evaluate manufacturing processes for major missile and ground launcher subsystems, including propulsion, structures, sensors, seekers, electronics, power systems, and energetics.
- Assess manufacturing maturity, producibility, and readiness for transition from prototype development to low-rate and full-rate production.
- Research comparable missile and air defense production approaches across the Department of War and industry to identify best practices, lessons learned, and scalable manufacturing concepts.
- Support evaluation of contractor make-versus-buy decisions, supplier selection strategies, and second-source options.
- Assess risks related to foreign dependency, specialty materials, microelectronics, energetics, castings, forgings, and other critical supply chain vulnerabilities.
- Evaluate contractor plans for quality control, process repeatability, configuration management, and yield improvement.
- Support technical reviews focused on manufacturing readiness, supply chain performance, production scalability, and industrial base health.
- Assess opportunities for cost reduction through design simplification, modularity, commonality, automation, advanced manufacturing, and open architectures.
- Evaluate the use of additive manufacturing, digital engineering, model-based manufacturing, and automated production techniques where appropriate.
- Support planning for production ramp-up, surge capacity, depot support, sustainment, and long-term replenishment.
- Develop and deliver technical briefings, assessments, and decision support materials for Government stakeholders.
Work Environment:
- Location: On-site (Eglin AFB, FL)
- Travel Requirements: Medium, 50%
- Working Hours: Standard – Core hours 0900 - 1500
Qualifications:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Operations, or related technical field
- 10+ years of experience in missile systems, defense manufacturing, industrial base analysis, supply chain management, or closely related domains
- Hands-on experience supporting manufacturing, production, supply chain, or industrial base activities for complex defense systems
- Experience supporting transition from development to production, including manufacturing readiness, supplier management, or production planning
- Ability to independently assess technical and supply chain issues, identify risks, and provide actionable recommendations in support of Government decision-making
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production constraints, industrial base challenges, and supply chain risk management
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to brief technical findings to Government and military stakeholders
- Active DoD Secret clearance required
Desired:
- Experience supporting missile, munitions, air defense, or aerospace production programs
- Familiarity with Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs), Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), and production readiness assessments
- Experience evaluating major missile and ground launcher subsystem supply chains, including propulsion, energetics, electronics, sensors, power systems, and seekers
- Familiarity with Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) issues
- Experience with advanced manufacturing techniques, automation, additive manufacturing, or digital engineering
- Background supporting production ramp-up, multi-year procurement, or industrial base expansion efforts
- Prior experience supporting a Government program office or acquisition organization
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you’re excited about making a significant impact in the field of space defense and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let's shape the future together.
KBR Benefits
KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.
Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR
At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.
KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
