Technical Director, UAS Programs at Atropos Group

<p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>About Us</strong></span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">We’re a combat-tested group of engineers, operators, and entrepreneurs who believe America’s edge depends on autonomous airpower that’s <strong>trusted and deployable today not in 2040.</strong> Backed by tier-one investors, we’ve secured the runway - financial, regulatory, and literal - to move at startup speed while tackling a national-security mission that matters. We’ve structured the company for&nbsp;<strong>radical ownership:</strong> no silos, no “systems integrator” overhead, just tightly knit mission-focused IPTs that live and breathe the hardware and code they ship.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">If you thrive where <strong>hard-tech ambition meets national-security urgency,</strong> you’ll build faster here than anywhere else. Let’s get after it.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Culture That Ships</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Strong Core Values, Startup Execution.</strong> Integrity, Service Before Self, Excellence, Honor, Courage, Commitment—powered by a bias for action and a “figure it out” mindset.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Self-Starters Only.</strong> You’ll have clear objectives, a blank sheet of paper, and the trust (plus capital) to move fast. Bureaucracy stays out of your way.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>One Team, No Tourists.</strong> Whether you’re tuning a control law at 2 a.m. or heat-treating a Ti-6Al-4V spar, everyone sweats the details. We celebrate wins together and own failures together.</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>What’s In It for You</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Mission With a Pulse.</strong> Every line of code, bracket, or test you deliver expands the toolbox of the warfighter on Day 1 of a conflict.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Resources Without Red Tape.</strong> VC speed + DoD customer pull: access to test ranges, flight hours, and operator feedback while retaining startup agility.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Career-Defining Upside.</strong> Significant equity, best-in-class benefits, and the chance to see your product deliver in months, not decades.</span></li> </ul> <h3 style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</h3> <h3 style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>About the Role</strong></span></h3> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">As a Technical Director for Uncrewed Aerial Systems at Atropos, you will serve as engineering leadership for our hardware engineering organization. This group is responsible for the hardware engineering disciplines in the design of uncrewed aerial systems. This includes conceptual and configuration design, aero performance, mechanical systems, structures design and analysis, propulsion integration, and electrical engineering efforts.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Areas of responsibility include the end-to-end development of aircraft, from conceptual development to detailed design; to include designing for scaled manufacturing, and designing for flight test and certification. The ideal candidate will be able to ensure the adequacy of the technical designs and solution, as well as drive the long term organizational development of the team. The ideal candidate will have previous experience as the technical lead for a major uncrewed aerial weapon system program or programs,&nbsp; and will also have foundational expertise in one or more engineering disciplines below. You will leverage your technical expertise as well as leadership skills to set program objectives, build a team from zero to one, and drive this team to completion. You are hired for your ability to trust your intuition and prior experience in key technical decisions in order to be decisive in making the right design/analysis/ and test decisions, as well as roadmapping the program’s future engineering path.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>What You’ll Do</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Lead the technical execution of new and existing air vehicle systems design, fabrication, test and productization of unmanned aerial weapon systems</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Lead the long term functional engineering team development roadmap to ensure we have the skillsets, capabilities and workflows to enable successful execution of current and future programs</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Own the technical success and meet deliverable timelines in all phases of development</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Establish a center of excellence in air vehicle design that includes a library of standards, allowables, and tool sets to build upon.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Find, hire, manage, and mentor the team of internal and external subject matter experts, and communicate that vision to them</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Partner closely with the business lines in areas of proposal capture, customer interface, resource planning, capital expenditures and program schedules</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Partner closely with additional stakeholder disciplines that are not under you direct organizational leadership; these include but are not limited to manufacturing, supply chain, energetics, mission systems integrations, GNC, Flight test and evaluation</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Manage the detailed design of the system and subsystems including requirements development, sub-system trades and optimization, risk management to ensure the appropriate consideration of design key performance parameters, schedule, costs and risks</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Own the overall model/drawing/documentation package required for initial build and effective production transition</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Work with senior leadership to ensure resource plans are adequate</span></li> </ul> <h4 style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</h4> <h4 style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>What You'll Bring</strong></span></h4> <ul> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Deep understanding and previous systems leadership of unmanned aerial weapon systems in major defense acquisitions programs (i.e. Group 5 UAS)</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Early previous baseline experience in any of the following disciplines you will be managing</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">10+ years of real experience in a senior role leading air vehicle programs from initial concept through test and delivery to customers</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Experience in mission engineering driving vehicle and systems design</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical or Software engineering, or equivalent experience in a relevant field.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Experience in building teams from 0 to 1, and leading teams in fast-paced programs</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Bonus Points</strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Experience in start-up, or equivalent fast paced culture</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Experience in end-to-end aircraft development, from design through certification</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.2;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Why You’ll Love Working Here (Compensation and Benefits)</strong></span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Base Salary: $260,000 to 300,000 USD</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Atropos's total compensation package. Additionally, Atropos offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Platinum Healthcare Benefits:<strong> </strong>Atropos offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with 100% employer-paid premiums and little to no cost to you</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Basic Life/AD&amp;D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Atropos, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Unlimited PTO, with minimum of 15 days enforced</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">20 weeks of paid Caregiver &amp; Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Family Planning &amp; Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Tuition and professional development reimbursement for STEM, MBA, and licenses</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Daily Lunch catered&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Company-funded child care stipend&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).</span></li> <li style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). 6% employer matching contribution</span></li> </ul> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.</span></p> <p style="line-height: 1.2;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Atropos is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Atropos team is made up of incredibly talented and unique individuals. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you are someone who is interested in disrupting the way the Department of Defense buys and operates unmanned weapon systems, please apply!</span></p>