Head - System Integration

Hands On; Mumbai; Hybrid; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Hands On in Mumbai is seeking a senior lead for Systems Engineering to drive the UAV program lifecycle. You will define processes, mentor engineers, and own system-level architecture for hybrid VTOL/fixed-wing platforms, ensuring traceability and rigorous V&V planning across all subsystems.

You will chair design reviews, interact with PMO, certification bodies, and customers, and push for manufacturable, testable designs aligned with program timelines and cost targets.

Qualifications

• Experience leading UAV systems engineering programs.
• Proven track record in requirements management and system architecture.
• Strong experience in V&V planning and traceability.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-461/810, ARP4754A, DO-160.

Responsibilities

• Lead Systems Engineering function; establish processes, tools, governance.
• Mentor a team across requirements, architecture, integration, and test.
• Own system-level architecture and trade studies for hybrid UAV platforms.
• Ensure bidirectional traceability from customer needs to specs.
• Plan integration and verification & validation across subsystems to meet standards.
• Manage system-level technical risk and drive mitigations.
• Chair PDR, CDR, TRR and interface with PMO, QA, certification bodies, customers.
• Coordinate with PMO, manufacturing, supply chain to ensure manufacturability and schedules.
• Drive root-cause analysis from flight/test data into engineering baseline.
• Lead make-vs-buy and vendor evaluations for critical subsystems; manage external relations.
• Drive tooling/infrastructure investments (MBSE, RM, CM, simulations).

Skills

Systems engineering leadership

Requirements management

System architecture

MBSE

Trade studies

V&V planning

Traceability

PDR/CDR/TRR governance

Vendor evaluations

Systems engineering tooling

Tools

MBSE tools

Configuration management tools

Simulation platforms

Job description

Role & responsibilities

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, and simulation platforms).