Leadership - System Engineering

ideaForge

We are looking for an experienced systems engineering leader to head our Systems Engineering function for UAV/UAS platform development. In this senior leadership role, you will build and lead a high-performing team of systems engineers, owning end-to-end system architecture, requirements management, and verification & validation across our unmanned aerial platforms — including hybrid VTOL/fixed-wing systems. You will be the technical authority bridging mechanical, electrical, propulsion, avionics, software, and payload sub-disciplines, ensuring the platform is engineered as a coherent, certifiable, and mission-ready system, while partnering closely with program management, manufacturing, quality, and customers to deliver robust, field-proven products.

Key responsibilities:

Establish, lead, and continuously mature the Systems Engineering function — defining processes, tools, and governance for requirements management, system architecture, interface control, and verification & validation (V&V) across the UAV product portfolio.2
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of systems engineers across requirements, architecture, integration, and test disciplines, fostering technical depth, accountability, and career growth.
Own system-level architecture and trade studies for hybrid VTOL/fixed-wing UAV platforms — balancing payload, endurance, propulsion, structural, and mission performance requirements.
Drive requirements engineering and traceability from customer/stakeholder needs (GSQR/SRS) through system, subsystem, and component-level specifications, ensuring full bidirectional traceability.
Lead integration and verification & validation planning across propulsion, avionics, GNC/flight controls, EMI/EMC, structures, and payload subsystems, ensuring compliance to applicable standards (MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, ARP4754A, STANAG, DO-160 where applicable).
Own technical risk management at the system level — identifying, assessing, and tracking design and integration risks, and driving mitigation through design reviews and test campaigns.
Chair and govern technical design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR) and serve as the senior technical interface with program management, quality, certification bodies (CEMILAC/DGQA), and customers.
Partner with PMO, manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement to ensure system designs are manufacturable, testable, and aligned with program schedules and cost targets.
Drive root-cause analysis and design improvements from flight test, field deployment, and reliability/endurance data, closing the loop into the engineering baseline.
Lead make-vs-buy and vendor technical evaluations for critical subsystems (propulsion, avionics, payload, navigation) and manage technical relationships with external partners and consultants.
Drive systems engineering tooling and infrastructure investments (requirements management, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), configuration management, simulation platforms).