Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering - National Security (Defense)

The role

This role leads a team supporting the Department of War, United States Special Operations Command, and the Intelligence Community. You will manage upstream requirements development, evaluations, field trials, system integration, and unit-level enablement for UAS solutions.

What you will do

• Hire, onboard, coach, and retain the team
• Set technical quality standards for demos, trial plans, and documentation
• Manage team capacity and deployment tempo
• Own technical strategy for pursuits including evaluation and field trial design
• Serve as senior technical escalation point for pursuits and deployments
• Partner with Sales leadership on pipeline and account planning
• Shape requirements upstream with program offices and operators
• Build team fluency in accreditation paths and compliance
• Guide integration strategy with existing defense systems
• Represent the customer voice to Product and Engineering

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant technical experience, including time in a customer-facing technical role supporting defense customers
• 5+ years of federal government or defense experience in a discipline relevant to UAS
• 1+ years leading a technical team, formally or as a technical lead
• Demonstrated understanding of a defense acquisition process for technology
• Technical depth in at least one core area: UAS platforms, RF and datalink systems, EO/IR and other sensor payloads, software integration and APIs, cloud and data architecture, or government IT securit
• Comfort operating inside a Sales organization
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including regular international travel
• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs unaided
• Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance, or the ability to obtain one

Nice to have

• Direct experience supporting SOCOM or its components, a Theater Special Operations Command, or Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Space Force units
• Prior military UAS operator, maintainer, or instructor certification
• Experience with shipboard, small boat, or maritime UAS employment
• Experience in contested or degraded environments
• Hands-on experience with MANET radios and secure comms
• Experience navigating an RMF package or ATO from the vendor side
• Familiarity with foreign disclosure, ITAR, and FMS processes
• Working knowledge of Salesforce, Palantir, Databricks, or equivalents

Benefits

• Equity in the form of stock options
• Group health insurance plans
• Paid vacation time
• Sick leave
• Holiday pay
• 401K savings plan
• Relocation assistance may be provided for eligible roles

Before you apply

• Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance, or the ability to obtain one
• Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged

About the company

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight. The team combines expertise in artificial intelligence, hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession.