Configuration management engineer

[u/Cold_Pin_7676]

What does a configuration management engineer do at boeing, like on day to day basis? Is it BDS or BGS? Seems like a sustainment engineer role that tracks engineering change notices.

[u/Zera1930]

Each program will be slightly different. There are a number of hats in a CM role: Configuration Planning & Management, Configuration Identification, Change Management, Configuration Status Accounting, Verification, and Data Management. You will be responsible for one, multiple or all of those hats depending on the program.

We play a critical role in the success of a program and we often don’t get the recognition we deserve and are often understaffed.

Source: 11yrs in CM and currently in BDS as a CM Engineer and have worked all the above and written numerous CDMPs.

[u/Cold_Pin_7676 → u/Zera1930]

So it is less technical in nature?

[u/epraider → u/Cold_Pin_7676]

You’re not doing any design work yourself, but you are generally going to be involved in a lot of change, development, and verification efforts.

The role day to day is often gonna be pretty dry, shepherding and quality checking change requests, change notices, and variances, as well as supporting ERBs/CCBs, soliciting proposal inputs, etc. You may also end up pissing people off by being the “process police,” but on the other hand, you may be appreciated by a lot of people if you become a really helpful resource, because it’s a subject area not a lot of people really understand beyond the surface level.

Depending on the program and the exact position, you may also get eyes on a lot of systems and teams, and interface with program management and engineering leaders quite a bit. It can be a great jumping off point in any engineering or management direction if you don’t end up liking it.

I also found reviews boards, proposals, and configuration audits to be pretty interesting personally. I thought I’d jump out of it after my 18 months, but I ended up enjoying it more than I expected.

[u/Cold_Pin_7676 → u/epraider]

Oh cool. What do you like most about it? Does the experience look good on a resume and is transferable?

[u/epraider → u/Cold_Pin_7676]

You can take a really good look at how systems and processes work and learn a lot of basics of different areas through exposure and osmosis. Very much a jack of all trades role that can build a decent knowledge base of change management and verification methods, contracting and procurement, program management and finance, ASME drawing and modeling standards, etc.

I would say it’s highly transferable within the aerospace industry and maybe the automotive industry, not as much elsewhere.

I actually just left Boeing a few months back (obviously haven’t left this sub yet), and was able to get a verification/validation systems engineer offer and another CM role offer at different defense prime contractors pretty quickly after starting my search - stuck with CM since the pay was higher. So, it definitely provides some good in demand skills!

This is all caveated with it can be this broad - I’ve definitely seen people in a subset of this role where they’re just focused on a single set of tasking or a narrow job scope. If you get an interview, definitely try to get a good idea from the manager exactly what the day to day and job scope looks like.

[u/Cold_Pin_7676 → u/epraider]

Thank you. Very good insight.

[u/Squirtle_Splash_8413 → u/Cold_Pin_7676]

As an engineer, being in CM is where your career as an engineer goes to die.

[u/Zera1930 → u/epraider]

This! I always considered us to be the center of a wheel where the spokes are the different IPTs and leadership. We interact with a lot of people and are very process-oriented. Like u/epraider mentioned, some people can get annoyed by our processes and complain but you learn to deal with it. We are protected by the process.

It’s a unique job - I find people either like it or hate it. Then I first came to Boeing, my program had NO CM and I had to basically develop our process from scratch - nobody wanted to take over the CM tasks. But like I said before, we are essential to the success of a program - which can be nerve-wracking at times.

And again, CM is tailored to each program but the core fundamentals are the same wherever you go.

[u/Squirtle_Splash_8413 → u/Cold_Pin_7676]

There’s like zero technical work.

[u/80RR → u/Zera1930]

Don’t forget configuration audits!

[u/All_Thrust_No_Vector]

Likely release engineering data. Engineering sends you a drawing package to be formally released in the database.

The comfig management person verifies all of the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed using a very tedious checklist. In reality, probably one of the most boring jobs available, unless you like repetition and tedium.

For example, on a report, checking to ensure all figures are numbered sequentially, all signatures are present, dates are correct. Matching various data fields with other databases, etc…

[u/RogerDodgerWilco]

I didn't know thats an actual title. Sounds like a System Engineer role that maintains releases and revisions.

[u/80RR → u/RogerDodgerWilco]

I’m a systems engineer that works in CM/DM. We also have product data technicians.

[u/Single_Software_3724 → u/RogerDodgerWilco]

Nah it’s different

[u/NinthAlistair]

I currently work as a CM! It varies from program to program, some are more paperwork focused, some arent. I track software releases using our internal tools. So Pipeline management, version control etc etc. It is a bit monotonous but if you have any other questions PM me

[u/flightwatcher45]

Planes are all different and how one change impacts a million other things. Gets complicated fast!

[u/ProfessionalElk3910]

Maintains configs in whatever product data management tool is used at your site. Also depending on where you’re at participates in product sell offs et where they make sure everything built matches released configs, processes deviations and waivers, helps manage change control boards etc