Advanced Designs & Technology Manager in Mobile, AL at Austal

REPORTS TO:  Director, Business Development

SUPERVISES:  Engineers as assigned

DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as technical lead for Business Development & External Affairs department; support customer engagement and capture efforts across all Lines of Business including Surface Programs, Submarine Programs, Repair & Services, Solutions, & Advanced Technologies Lead business Austal USA’s technology and concept design efforts.
• Track engineering review milestones across current Austal USA programs, highlighting technical challenges, schedule impacts, & mitigation strategies, & translate technical insights into actionable information for sales, engineering, & other functions as appropriate
• Lead the assessment & identification of new vessel concept designs for ships, craft, & unmanned / autonomous platforms & drive technical sales activities through pre‑sale engineering support, including review of customer vessel requirements & mission profiles
• Translate complex vessel design & performance data into compelling technical value propositions to support solution development
• Develop & deliver technically compliant responses to requests for information (RFIs), sources sought, proposals, feasibility studies, & cost estimates
• Assist in the creation & presentation of briefs to customers & Austal USA senior leadership team in support of Austal USA’s Business Development Process including:
  • Scope Verification: Review the technical scope & confirm all solution components, design specs, deliverables, & materials are accounted for in the pricing
  • Gap Identification: Flag any technical elements that may be underpriced, over-priced, or missing relative to the proposed solution
  • Clarify Technical Narrative: Help craft or review slides that explain how the solution satisfies requirements & supports value‑added claims
  • Highlight Differentiators: Emphasize unique technical advantages—like proprietary design features, performance metrics, or lifecycle cost benefits
• Lead the evaluation and implementation of all department technology and software initiatives
• Attend industry events, trade shows, & conferences as appropriate

QUALIFICATIONS / KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in naval architecture or marine engineering or related discipline
• Five (5) years’ work experience in ship building, ship repair, or ship acquisitions
• Exceptional communication, project management, and leadership skills - capable of preparing technical proposals, conducting detailed presentations, & negotiating with engineering & executive stakeholders
• Sound understanding of vessel design & production processes

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Working knowledge of US Navy, US Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, International Maritime Organization (IMO), & other regulations & requirements
• Commercial &/or government/Department of Defense shipbuilding experience
• Strong proficiency with CAD tools (ShipConstructor, AutoCAD, Rhino, SolidWorks), plus FEA/ship motion analysis software.
• Program management experience
• Estimating experience in ship construction &/or ship repair
• Foreign Military Sales (FMS) experience
• Familiarity with monitoring & control systems for vessel machinery & systems
• Experience in design of oceangoing steel & aluminum vessels (including multi-hull, high-speed)
• Proficiency with naval architecture software required

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:

Candidates must meet the following employment eligibility guidelines to be considered for employment with Austal USA:

• 18 years of age or older at time of application
• Able to provide proof of US Person Status
• No felony convictions of Theft/Deception or Violent crimes within seven years from disposition date
• No felony convictions of Drug crimes within three years from disposition date
• Willing to submit to a drug screen
• Willing to submit to a background check

TOOLS: Microsoft Office (Power Point, Access, Excel); naval architecture software; Adobe Creative Suite

DIRECTION EXERCISED:

DISCRETION EXERCISED:

LIAISES WITH:

• All Austal USA departments
• Navy clients, teammates, external stakeholders
• Major subcontractors & suppliers

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to humid conditions, bright flashing lights, moving mechanical parts, high precarious places, outside weather conditions, & extreme heat.  The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes &/or airborne particles at or below the PEL, toxic or caustic chemicals, & heat & cold.  The noise level in the work environment is usually very loud, + 90 dB.

SAFETY

Must comply with company, federal, state, & local safety & environmental rules & regulations while performing daily job tasks. 

Equal Employment Commitment

Any qualified individual with a disability who is having difficulty in completing an application because of incompatible technology or other disability-related application issues may contact us at the following phone number for assistance: 251-445-1932.

Austal’s commitment to equal employment opportunity applies at all levels of employment, in all job titles, including the executive level, and to all employment actions, including but not limited to decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, training, and promotion.