About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role

Forterra is looking for a Sustainment Engineer to support the implementation and expansion of Sustaining Engineering disciplines within Operations. The Sustainment Engineer conducts critical technical product and performance analysis and provides guidance in support of multiple fielded programs and product configurations. The Sustainment Engineer is the go-to subject matter expert for product lifecycle information and continuously assesses the impact of product performance and configuration changes to fielded systems – in both commercial and defense sectors. Scope of support includes, but is not limited to:

• Source data, knowledge, drawings and guidance supporting the Technical Manual department with creation and updates to Operations and Maintenance Manuals.
• Parts obsolescence planning, impact assessments, communications and mitigation strategies.
• Field Service technical reach back support.
• Test Incident Report (TIR) triage.
• Failure Reporting, Analysis, and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) analysis.
• Maintenance data and support to Reliability, Availability and Maintenance (RAM) engineering.
• Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) development.
• Field and depot-level Modification and Configuration planning.

Sustainment Engineers work in close partnership with internal Operations functions including Manufacturing, HW Product Development, Supply Chain, RAM, Field Service, Sparing and Sustainment as well as key staff in Engineering, Product Management, Growth, and cross-functional vehicle program teams.

What you'll do

• Serve as the central technical point of contact for comprehensive lifecycle support of fielded products.
• Lead internal configuration change management and ECP coordination with impacted stakeholders.
• Liaise with HW Product Development to prepare source technical data and drawings to support new programs, field modifications, and all Technical Manual updates.
• Liaise between Supply Chain and Program Teams to analyze and report obsolescence risks, develop mitigation strategies, and provide program / production impacts assessments.
• Support Customers—generally via Field Service—with triage and direct engineering support for critical operational-level maintenance and TIRs.
• Support provisioning, level-of-repair analysis and PHS&T efforts with applicable technical insights for DoD supply chain integration.
• Participate in problem-solving efforts to improve operational efficiency and program execution.
• Support new process rollouts and drive continuous improvement initiatives within the operations workflow.
• Support new product gate processes for sustainment risks and impacts.
• Manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Exercise strong organizational and project coordination skills with high attention to detail
• Utilize spreadsheets, NetSuite, Arena, Jira and other digital tools for tracking and documentation.
• Ability to work on-site in Clarksburg, MD and other Montgomery County and Frederick County Forterra facilities and engage in hands-on activities as needed.

Qualifications

• Sustainment-minded and detailed technical enthusiast with an ownership mentality – desire to ensure Forterra's autonomous products - and thereby the customers we serve - are always mission-ready.
• Mission-first mindset, steadfast determination to win, a healthy dose of skepticism, and a desire to contribute to a culture of performance.
• Strong background in mechanical and/or electrical engineering. Technical aptitude and intellectual curiosity
• Effective communicator with experience collaborating across cross-functional teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and CAD tools.
• Adaptable and comfortable working in evolving or ambiguous environments.
• Ability to enjoy teamwork and tough challenges in a fast-paced environment.
• Comprehensive understanding of the disciplines critical to post-sale support.
• Drive to fix problems before they can impact a customer.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience / familiarity with: 

• System post-sale sustainment activities 
• Engineering designs, drawings, and BOM (bill of materials) 
• Configuration management tools, concepts and practices 
• Defense system maintenance, lifecycle logistics or engineering  
• CAD design / manipulation 
• Troubleshooting and maintenance procedures 
• Obsolescence reporting 
• Technical manual source data
• Engineering change proposals and CCB processes 
• Robotics or autonomous systems 
• Defense systems or yard tractors systems 

Education & Experience

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or similar with 4+ years of experience; or 8+ years relevant experience, which may include relevant military experience.
• Military sustainment and DoD program office experience in sustainment engineering and/or logistics support is valued.

US Salary Range

 $110,000 — $140,000, negotiable based on experience

Location

On-Site in Clarksburg, MD; hybrid schedule permissive

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.  
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption. 
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires. 
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.  

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.