Vice President of Engineering

About the Opportunity Surlamer’ s affiliate, a venture-backed aerospace and defense technology company, is looking to recruit a Vice President of Engineering. The startup company designs and manufactures autonomous UAV systems for commercial use and for military mission-critical logistics. This position requires operating at the intersection of mechanical engineering, robotics, embedded systems, and autonomy in high-reliability environments. You will serve as both an external technical leader, working with customers, partners, and the Board, and an internal execution leader, guiding product design through shop-floor troubleshooting, shaping the technical roadmap, and delivering mission-ready UAV systems. Responsibilities: Engineering Leadership & Strategy • Set and execute engineering vision, structure, and strategy across mechanical, electrical, embedded, and flight software • Design and communicate the long-term engineering roadmap to executive leadership and the Board • Build and lead high-performing teams with clear accountability and technical standards Technical Program Management & Execution • Oversee end-to-end engineering program execution, including planning, resourcing, scheduling, and milestone delivery • Establish and track engineering KPIs for team and program performance • Own configuration management, design reviews, change control, and engineering documentation Engineering Oversight • Provide senior technical direction across UAV structures, propulsion, sensors, avionics, and embedded and flight software • Operate hands-on as needed in CAD, PCB design, and PX4 flight control environments • Lead system integration, RAMS (FMEA, fault tree, reliability), sensor and payload integration, and test, validation, and certification readiness Customer, Partner & Board Engagement • Serve as the primary technical representative with customers, partners, and the Board • Communicate technical strategy, status, risks, and tradeoffs and lead resolution of technical issues and evolving requirements Qualifications: • Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, or a closely related field • 8+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, defense, robotics, or high-reliability autonomous systems • 5+ years of direct engineering leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams and programs from design through deployment • Strong communication skills and experience interfacing with customers and Boards in high-stakes environments Deep Technical Expertise (2+ required): • UAV systems including mechanical structures, propulsion, and sensors • Electrical systems and PCB design • Embedded software and flight control systems such as PX4, C++, and RTOS Proven Experience With: • Sensor and payload integration including radios, cameras, GPS, magnetometers, and 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 including FMEA, fault tree analysis, and reliability modeling • KPI development and engineering team performance tracking Preferred Qualifications: • Advanced degree or continued technical training • Familiarity with CAD, Altium, PX4, and aerospace test and certification workflows • Experience with Development (Dev) through security (Sec) to operations (Ops) DevSecOps and automated development pipelines • Understanding of commercial UAV markets and regulatory frameworks including FAA, FCC, CE, and UL • Cloud integration experience, such as AWS, Azure, or SAP S/4HANA Compensation • $200K per year, plus equity participation