Onsite Lead (Program Management & Digital Engineering)

Onsite Lead (Program Management & Digital Engineering) Location: San Diego, CA / Hybrid Experience: Years Nationality: US Citizen Must Have : Strong background working with Aerospace clients (MRO- Maintenance Repair & Overhaul, engineering workflows, or operations 1. Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Onsite Lead / Program Management & Digital Engineering Specialist to be based at our client's location San Diego, CA / Hybrid. The role requires strong client-facing experience, end-to-end coordination with customer stakeholders, and the ability to translate business requirements into actionable tasks for offshore engineering and development teams. The candidate will support a strategic Aerospace MRO program focused on building an advanced MRO Work Order Scheduling solution usingGenerative AI, Operations Research algorithms, and modern cloud & data engineering technologies. The role requires strong understanding of project/program management, cross-functional collaboration, and engineering domain awareness. 2. Key Responsibilities Client & Stakeholder Management Serve as the primary onsite point of contact for all client interactions. Engage with business, engineering, and IT stakeholders to understand goals, timelines, dependencies, and constraints. Manage expectations, clarify open points, and ensure consistent communication across teams. Program & Project Management Drive project planning, tracking, and reporting in alignment with PMI knowledge areas (Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Risk, Communication, and Stakeholder Management Coordinate with offshore teams for timely delivery, issue resolution, and status reporting. Facilitate requirement workshops, sprint planning, risk assessments, and milestone reviews. Ensure alignment with the client's governance processes, compliance requirements, and quality standards. Technical Coordination Understand and translate client requirements related to: MRO processes and work order management Generative AI-based scheduling solutions Operations Research algorithms such as Critical Path Method (CPM), Critical Chain Method (CCM), heuristic scheduling, and optimization approaches Collaborate with technical teams in Data Science, Data Engineering, Cloud Engineering, and Software Engineering. Review functional and technical deliverables to ensure business alignment. Requirements Management Capture, document, and validate functional and non-functional requirements. Convert high-level problem statements into well-structured requirements and user stories. Proactively identify gaps, dependencies, constraints, and integration points. Delivery Oversight Monitor progress across all workstreams and ensure smooth interaction between onsite and offshore teams. Track deliverables, quality KPIs, and timelines and escalate risks or issues appropriately. Support UAT planning, execution, and feedback integration. 3. Mandatory Skills & Qualifications Experience years of total professional experience in Project/Program Management, Digital Engineering, or IT Services. At least 5+ years in client-facing onsite roles, preferably in the USA. Strong background working with Aerospace clients (MRO, engineering workflows, or operations Technical Knowledge Working knowledge of: Data Science concepts (predictive models, optimization, ML workflows) Data Engineering (ETL pipelines, data models, SQL, cloud data platforms) Cloud platforms (Azure/AWS/GCP fundamentals) Software Engineering basics AI & Optimization Awareness Exposure to: Generative AI solutions Operations Research methods (CPM, CCM, heuristics, optimization models) Scheduling or planning systems Project/Program Management Strong understanding of PMI frameworks, artifacts, and governance. Experience in managing multi-location delivery teams. Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills. 4. Nice-to-Have Skills PMI certifications: PMP / PgMP / PMI-ACP Understanding of aviation standards or MRO-specific workflows Exposure to MCP (Model Context Protocol), AI agent-based systems, or analytics platforms Experience working in engineering service environments similar to Cyient, Tata Elxsi, LTTS, Infosys Engineering, etc. Familiarity with scheduling tools and enterprise workflow systems Ability to build BRDs, FRDs, and solution documentation 5. Behavioral Competencies Strong executive presence and ability to engage senior stakeholders. Proactive, self-driven, and capable of working with minimal supervision. Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking skills. High accountability with a collaborative approach across teams. 6. Education Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field (Master's preferred Certifications in project management or cloud technologies are an advantage.