Configuration Manager (Defense and Commercial)

We are seeking a highly skilled Configuration Manager to lead and oversee configuration management (CM) activities across both Department of Defense (DoD) programs and commercial product lines in Huntsville, AL. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of defense-specific standards (e.g., MIL-STD-973, EIA-649) while maintaining the agility required for commercial product lifecycles. You will be responsible for the integrity of our systems, ensuring that all hardware, software, and documentation are accurately identified, controlled, and audited.

Key Responsibilities:

• Program Planning & Compliance: Develop and maintain Configuration Management Plans (CMP) that satisfy strict DoD requirements while integrating internal commercial best practices.
• Identification & Baselines: Establish and manage configuration baselines (Functional, Allocated, and Product) for complex defense systems and commercial variants; maintain the Configuration Status Accounting (CSA) database.
• Change Control: Facilitate Configuration Control Boards (CCB) for both sectors. Manage Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs), Requests for Deviations (RFDs), and Notice of Revisions (NORs) for defense contracts, alongside standard Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) for commercial efforts.
• Audits & Verifications: Lead Physical Configuration Audits (PCA) and Functional Configuration Audits (FCA) to ensure hardware and software deliveries meet contractual specifications and quality standards.
• Data Management: Manage the technical data package (TDP) and ensure secure handling of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or classified data in accordance with defense security protocols.
• Tool Management: Oversee the administration of PLM/PDM and ALM tools (e.g., Windchill, Teamcenter, Jira, or Git) to ensure a single source of truth for engineering data.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Serve as the primary point of contact for government QARs (Quality Assurance Representatives) and commercial stakeholders regarding configuration integrity.

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field and five (5) + years of experience in configuration management within the defense/aerospace industry.

Security Requirements: 

• Must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

Required Qualifications:

• Standards Expertise: Proven expertise in EIA-649 (National Consensus Standard for Configuration Management) and MIL-HDBK-61.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of the defense acquisition lifecycle and the transition from development to production and sustainment.
• Systems Integration: Experience managing CM for projects that involve both heavy hardware components and integrated software systems.

Preferred Skills:

• Certification: CMII, CMPIC, or NDIA Configuration Management certification.
• Commercial Agility: Experience applying CM in Agile/DevSecOps environments for commercial software or rapid prototyping.
• Digital Engineering: Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and how CM evolves within a digital thread.
• Communication: Ability to translate complex defense regulatory requirements into actionable processes for commercial engineering teams.