Sr Manager UAV

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Job Tiitle: Sr Manager UAV

Location: El-Segundo, CA (Onsite)

Employement Type:Full Time

We are seeking a seasoned and dynamic engineering leader to scale, direct, and inspire our multidisciplinary hardware, electrical, and software engineering teams. As our top engineering executive, you will bridge technical execution with strategic direction, interfacing both externally (e.g., defense customers, partners, Board of Directors) and internally (from product design to shop floor troubleshooting). You will shape Client's technical roadmap, ensure engineering excellence, and lead the delivery of robust, mission-ready UAV systems.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy

• Define and drive the engineering vision, structure, and strategy across hardware, embedded systems, and flight software.
• Develop the long-term engineering roadmap in alignment with company goals, and communicate it effectively to stakeholders, investors, and Board members.
• Build and mentor a high-performing engineering team, fostering technical growth and accountability.

Technical Program Management & Execution

• Oversee technical program execution including planning, scheduling, resource allocation, and delivery of milestones.
• Establish and manage engineering KPIs to track program and team performance.
• Own the configuration management strategy, ensuring traceability, consistency, and control of system baselines across all product lines.
• Create, implement, and continuously improve processes related to design reviews, change control, and engineering documentation.

Engineering Oversight

• Provide technical direction across mechanical, electrical, and software domains , with the ability to dive hands-on as needed in Onshape (CAD), Altium (PCB), and PX4-based flight control environments.
• Guide system integration efforts, ensuring alignment between design intent and field performance.
• Lead formal RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety) analyses to validate systems against mission-critical requirements.
• Drive integration and validation of key sensors such as radios, cameras, GPS modules, magnetometers, and other navigation or payload systems.
• Support the development of test plans, simulation models, validation protocols, and certification readiness.

Customer & Board Engagement

• Serve as the principal technical representative in customer meetings, defense partner briefings, and Board engagements.
• Manage resolution of technical discrepancies, evolving requirements, and engineering tradeoffs through clear communication and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements
Education
| bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field.

• 8+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, defense, robotics, or high-reliability autonomous systems.
• 5+ years of direct technical team leadership, including managing engineering programs from design through deployment.
• Strong communication skills and demonstrated experience working directly with customers and Board members in high-stakes environments.
• Deep technical background in at least two of the following:
• UAV systems (mechanical structures, propulsion, sensors)
• Electrical systems and PCB design (Altium)
• Embedded software and flight control systems (PX4, C++, RTOS)

Proven experience with:

• Sensor integration (e.g., radios, cameras, GPS, magnetometers, IMUs)
• Technical Program Management, including milestone planning, resource tracking, and cross-functional execution.
• Configuration Management and version control for hardware and software systems.
• RAMS analyses include FMEA, fault tree analysis, and reliability modeling.
• KPI development and engineering team performance tracking.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with Onshape, Altium, PX4, and aerospace test & certification workflows.
• DevSecOps knowledge and experience building automated development pipelines.
• Understanding of commercial drone market trends and regulatory frameworks (FAA, FCC, CE/UL)
• Cloud integration experience (e.g., AWS/Azure, S/4 HANA).