Leadership - System Engineering

ideaForge; Navi Mumbai; On-site; INR 6,000,000 - 9,500,000; Full time

Job summary

ideaForge seeks an experienced systems engineering leader to head the Systems Engineering function for UAV platform development. You will build and lead a high performing team, owning end-to-end system architecture, requirements management, and verification & validation across unmanned aerial platforms, including hybrid VTOL/fixed-wing systems.

You will bridge mechanical, electrical, propulsion, avionics, software, and payload disciplines, ensuring a coherent, certifiable, and mission-ready

Qualifications

• Experience leading systems engineering for UAV platforms.
• Proven ability to own end-to-end system architecture and verification & validation.

Responsibilities

• Define and mature the Systems Engineering function with processes and governance.
• Lead a team of systems engineers across requirements, architecture, integration and test.
• Own system-level architecture and trade studies for hybrid UAV platforms.
• Drive requirements engineering and traceability from customer needs to system specs.
• Plan and execute integration and verification & validation across subsystems.

Skills

Systems engineering leadership

MBSE

Requirements management

Trade studies

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

System architecture

V&V planning

Vendor management

Education

Master's in Systems Engineering

Bachelor's in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

DOORS

Matlab/Simulink

Job description

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 across the UAV product portfolio.
• 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).