In this episode, we sit down with McKray Jones, a Technical Program Manager and Deputy Director of Engineering, to explore the evolving role of the “Change Agent” in modern engineering organizations. McKray shares his unique journey from the Marine Corps to leading complex hardware integration teams, offering a fresh perspective on why the engineering industry is facing a leadership vacuum and how to fill it.

We dive deep into the challenges of transitioning from traditional waterfall models to accelerated, MVP-driven hardware development. McKray explains how to bridge the gap between software agility and hardware reality, the critical role of empathy in technical leadership, and when organizations should make the leap to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).

Whether you are an engineering leader, a systems architect, or an aspiring change agent, this conversation offers actionable insights on building trust, managing complexity, and keeping the business viable while driving innovation.

• Defining the Change Agent: Moving teams from long development cycles to revenue-generating MVPs.
• The Human Side of Engineering: Why empathy, listening, and understanding business flows are critical skills for technical leaders.
• Hardware vs. Software: Adapting Agile and “user story” concepts to physical hardware systems with long lead times.
• MBSE Strategy: When to switch from document-based engineering (Excel/SharePoint) to models (Cameo/Capella) and how it aids in certification.
• The Modern Engineer: How the profile of a successful engineer has shifted to demand higher EQ and communication skills.