Lead Product Development Engineer

Syos Aerospace; Mount Maunganui; Remote; NZD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship for international候选人

Competitive salary and benefits

Career growth opportunities

State-of-the-art UXV technology

Job summary

Syos Aerospace, based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, is seeking a Lead Product Development Engineer to steer the development of autonomous air and land vehicles. You will provide technical leadership across the full lifecycle, from concept to production, ensuring system-level integrity and timely delivery.

You will mentor engineers, drive architectural decisions, and chair reviews while collaborating with cross-functional teams to balance speed and rigor in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor/Master of Engineering or PhD required.
• 8+ years in product development with 2+ years in tech leadership.
• Experience leading engineering teams through design, build and test.

Responsibilities

• Drive technical development of autonomous air and land vehicles.
• Align technical scope with schedule, resources and budgets.
• Set technical direction and make architectural decisions.
• Lead cross-disciplinary trade-offs and ensure manufacturability.
• Chair technical reviews and project meetings.
• Define verification and validation strategy.
• Mentor and develop engineers for long-term capability.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Project leadership

Technical decision-making

Risk management

Education

Bachelor/Master of Engineering or PhD

Job description

SYOS is a fast-growing global robotics and aerospace company, driving the development of cutting-edge uncrewed vehicles (drones) across air, land, and sea for dual-use applications. We are committed to pushing technological boundaries and delivering exceptional products that consistently exceed customer expectations.

Role Overview

The Lead Product Development Engineerdrives the technical development ofone or more ofSYOS’ autonomous, uncrewed vehicles. This roleprovides technical leadership across the full product development lifecycle, fromdesignconcept through build, test, and transition to production. The roleis responsible forowningsystem‑leveltechnical outcomes, guidingcross‑disciplinaryengineering teams, and ensuring products are delivered with the right balance of engineering rigourand pace.

This role requires a senior engineerwhoexcels atprovidingclear direction to engineering project teamsin a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadershipof Product Development

• Drivethe technical development ofhighly capable,autonomous, uncrewedair and landvehicles
• Work closely with Project Managers to align technical scope and decisions with schedule,resourceandbudgets
• Setthetechnical direction andmakearchitecturaldesign decisions
• Guidecross‑functionaltechnicaltrade‑offsacross engineering disciplines and adjacent functions e.g.,production, quality
• Ensure designs are manufacturable, testable, andproduction‑ready
• Chair technical reviews and project technical meetings

Risk, Verification & Compliance

• Managetechnical risks byidentifyingand mitigatingrisksproactively
• Define and own the verification and validation strategy
• Ensure engineering outputs meettechnical standardsand safety expectations
• Approve technical documents, designs, and configuration baselines

ProjectTeam Leadership & Collaboration

• Drive successful product development by getting the best outcomes fromcross‑disciplinaryengineeringprojectteams
• Communicate technical plans, decisions, and actions clearly to stakeholders
• Act as the primary technical interface across internal teams and, whererequired, external customers or partners
• Mentor and develop engineers, buildinglong‑termcapability

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor/Master of Engineeringor PhD
• 8+ years’ experience in product development
• 2+ years’ experience intechnical leadership roles
• Strongengineering technicalbackgroundinclude exposure to multiple disciplines and cross-discipline integration
• Experience leading engineering teams throughproductdesign, build, and test
• Project leadership experience strongly desirable

Advantageous:

• Experience in aerospace/defence, uncrewed vehicles, or robotics
• Postgraduate qualificationsor advanced technical certifications

Key Attributes

• High technical credibility across multiple engineering disciplines
• Comfortable making decisionswith incomplete information
• Clear communicator with the ability to challenge constructively
• Structured, proactive approach to risk and dependency management
• Strategic thinker with strong delivery focus

Autonomy & Accountability

• High autonomy in technicaldecision‑making
• Accountable forsystem‑leveltechnical integrity and outcomes
• Trusted authority within the engineering organisation

What We Offer

• A dynamic and fast-paced environment working onstate‑of-the‑artUxVtechnology.
• Opportunities for career growth in a high-tech, innovative team.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Visa sponsorship for international candidates.

Location:

This position is based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Known for its stunning surf beaches, vibrant culture, and burgeoning tech scene, Mount Maunganui offers an excellent quality of life and a conducive environment for innovation.