Jobs › Woodward

This position has closed. Woodward removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 6, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Engineering Manager - Electromechanical Actuation

Woodward · Niles, IL · Full time

Posted Aug 20, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 4, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about an electromechanical actuator program you led. What were the hardest technical tradeoffs?

What they are checking: Whether they have real depth in EMA design, such as motor, gearing, controller and thermal tradeoffs.

Tell me about a time you had to move a strong engineer into a role they didn't want for the good of the program.

What they are checking: Whether they can make hard people decisions fairly and keep the engineer engaged afterward.

How do you grow engineers into technical leaders on your team?

What they are checking: Whether they deliberately build the next layer of leaders instead of staying the bottleneck on every decision.

Tell me about a time you pushed back on a program schedule because of a technical risk.

What they are checking: Whether they will raise risks to leadership with evidence rather than overcommitting their team.

What would you do

A qualification test fails late in the program and the customer delivery date is fixed. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they protect safety and honesty with the customer while working hard to recover the schedule.

A customer asks for a requirement change that will add weight and cost. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can lay out impacts clearly and negotiate changes formally rather than absorbing them quietly.

About the work

Aircraft are moving from hydraulic to electric actuation. What problems do EMAs still have to solve for flight-critical uses?

What they are checking: Whether they understand jamming, heat, weight and reliability issues that limit EMA adoption.

How do you manage an engineering team through DO-178 and DO-254 compliance on actuator controllers?

What they are checking: Whether they know how certification standards shape schedules, reviews and evidence for aerospace electronics and software.

How do you balance mechanical, electrical and software engineers so integration doesn't become a late surprise?

What they are checking: Whether they run cross-discipline work with early interface control and integration testing.

How do you decide when a design is ready to move from development into production?

What they are checking: Whether they think about manufacturability, test coverage and supplier readiness, not just design function.

What metrics do you use to know if your engineering group is healthy and on track?

What they are checking: Whether they track schedule, quality escapes and staffing in a way that catches problems early.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Woodward from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Woodward.

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards. We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future. Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. Engineering Manager I Estimated annual base pay: $113,000 (minimum) - $147,000 (midpoint) - $181,000 (maximum) Senior Engineering Manager Estimated annual base pay: $145,000 (minimum) - $181,500 (midpoint) - $218,000 (maximum) • All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity. • 401(k) match (4.5%) • Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%) • Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members • 12 paid holidays, including floating holidays. • Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire • Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave. • Paid parental leave. • Adoption Assistance • Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits. • Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life • Member referral bonus • Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending • Voluntary benefits, including: • Home / Auto Insurance discounts • Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave Summary: • Engineering Leadership: Proven ability to lead high-performing teams specializing in electromechanical actuation systems for aerospace applications, including commercial and military flight controls, utility actuation, and next-generation systems within a New Product Introduction (NPI) environment. • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Extensive experience working with multidisciplinary teams and organizational functions, such as Technology/Platform Development, Design & Drafting, Product Engineering, and Aero Electronics, to drive growth strategies and deliver innovative solutions. • Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge in the design, development, and production of electromechanical products, including proficiency in requirements management, design tools, analysis and simulation tools, and advanced manufacturing methods. • Operational Flexibility: Willingness and ability to work on-site at the Woodward Niles facility, with occasional travel (<20%) to other Woodward locations and customer facilities as required. Engineering Manager I Key Responsibilities: • Drive Continuous Improvement: Implement and support systemic and process improvements to enhance product development velocity, ensure robust design culture, and pursue better ways of working through learning, adapting, and driving measurable progress. • Go and See Leadership: Actively engage with teams by showing up where the work happens, listening deeply, and understanding team needs to provide effective support. • Coach and Mentor Staff: Build trust, empower team members, and provide feedback to grow individuals to their full potential while maintaining a highly skilled and adaptable team using talent management systems, training matrices, and performance reviews. • Develop and Maintain Design Standards: Create, maintain, and improve design standards to ensure high-quality, compliant products while leveraging lessons learned to enhance future designs. • Budget and Resource Management: Develop and manage budgets to align with profit planning activities, assign resources effectively to meet business needs, and achieve the company’s profitability objectives. Key Skills: • Leadership and People Management: Strong leadership and motivational skills to coach, mentor, and empower individuals while fostering collaboration and teamwork. • Adaptability and Learning Agility: Ability to adapt to changing environments, maintain a customer-focused mindset, and learn quickly to address emerging challenges. • Technical Expertise: Proficiency in tools like CAD systems, CAE systems, design evaluation matrices, DFMEA, GD&T, configuration management, ECR management, and test methods. • Continuous Improvement Knowledge: Expertise in Design for Six Sigma, lean product development, waste elimination, and structured problem-solving methods. • Communication and Presentation Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and effectively. • Product Life Cycle Knowledge: Strong understanding of the product life cycle, including key deliverables and integration of lessons learned into future designs. • Strategic Thinking: Ability to align technical direction with corporate strategic goals, execute effectively, and drive meaningful progress. • Risk Management: Superb skills in identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks to ensure robust product designs. • Training and Development: Skilled in creating training programs and maintaining training matrices to upskill staff to meet organizational needs. • Financial Analysis and Budgeting: Strong understanding of financial analysis tools and the ability to manage budgets effectively to meet objectives. Other Qualifications: • 4 year Bachelors BS • 10+ years equivalent experience in Management and Engineering. Senior Engineering Manager Key Responsibilities: • Drive Continuous Improvement: Work with leaders and senior engineers to implement and support systemic and process improvements to enhance product development velocity, ensure robust design culture, and pursue better ways of working through learning, adapting, and driving measurable progress. • Go and See Leadership: Actively engage with teams by showing up where the work happens, listening deeply, and understanding team needs to provide effective support. • Coach and Mentor Staff Leaders and Senior Engineers: Build trust, empower team members, and provide feedback to grow individuals to their full potential while maintaining a highly skilled and adaptable team using talent management systems, training matrices, and performance reviews. • Develop and Maintain Design Standards: Create, maintain, and improve design standards to ensure high-quality, compliant products while leveraging lessons learned to enhance future designs. • Budget and Resource Management: Develop and manage budgets to align with profit planning activities, assign resources effectively to meet business needs, and achieve the company’s profitability objectives. Key Skills: • Leadership and People Management: Strong leadership and motivational skills to coach, mentor, and empower leaders and senior engineers while fostering collaboration and teamwork. • Adaptability and Learning Agility: Ability to adapt to changing environments, maintain a customer-focused mindset, and learn quickly to address emerging challenges. • Technical Expertise: Proficiency in tools like CAD systems, CAE systems, design evaluation matrices, DFMEA, GD&T, configuration management, ECR management, and test methods. • Continuous Improvement Knowledge: Expertise in Design for Six Sigma, lean product development, waste elimination, and structured problem-solving methods. • Communication and Presentation Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and effectively. • Product Life Cycle Knowledge: Strong understanding of the product life cycle, including key deliverables and integration of lessons learned into future designs. • Strategic Thinking: Ability to align technical direction with corporate strategic goals, execute effectively, and drive meaningful progress. • Risk Management: Superb skills in identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks to ensure robust product designs. • Training and Development: Skilled in creating training programs and maintaining training matrices to upskill staff to meet organizational needs. • Financial Analysis and Budgeting: Strong understanding of financial analysis tools and the ability to manage budgets effectively to meet objectives. Other Qualifications: • 4 year Bachelors BS • 15+ years equivalent experience in Management and Engineering. This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).   All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee). Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws. #LI-AT1