Director of Hardware

Zone 5 Technologies; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401k with match

Paid time off

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies seeks a Director of Hardware to lead Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, shaping architecture and enabling fast, safe, and manufacturable hardware for aerospace programs.

You will own strategy, ensure design rigor and compliance with AS standards, and guide cross-functional teams through major reviews while driving scalable engineering processes and capability investments.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline.
• 12+ years of hardware engineering experience in aerospace, defense, autonomous systems, or equivalent.
• 5+ years leading engineering managers or multi-disciplinary hardware teams.
• Demonstrated experience developing hardware architectures and scaling engineering processes.
• Strong understanding of DFMA, configuration control, integration workflows, and test readiness.
• Ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment with multiple active programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Managers and their teams.
• Set the strategic vision and roadmap for hardware capabilities, tools, and processes across Zone 5.
• Ensure hardware engineering delivers robust architectures, detailed designs, and high-quality integration support on schedule.
• Partner with Programs and IPTs to allocate resources, drive execution discipline, and resolve cross-functional issues.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards for hardware design, analysis, review rigor, documentation, verification, and configuration control.
• Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace standards (AS9100, AS6500, DO-160, MIL-STD-461/704).
• Oversee major design reviews and readiness events—PDR, CDR, TRR—ensuring hardware content meets technical and programmatic requirements.
• Identify and execute capability investments (equipment, software, training) needed for functional scalability.
• Guide root-cause investigations and ensure systemic corrective actions across hardware disciplines.
• Support proposal development by shaping hardware architectures, estimating labor, and defining execution approaches.
• Serve as the senior hardware engineering representative in portfolio, business area, and executive-level reviews.

Skills

Hardware leadership

Mechanical engineering

Electrical engineering

Program leadership

DFMA

Education

B.S./M.S. in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

M.S. in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Solidworks

Altium

MBSE/Cameo

Job description

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.

We're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.

Position Summary

The Director of Hardware leads Zone 5’s Mechanical and Electrical Engineering functions, developing world-class hardware capabilities and ensuring disciplined, high-velocity execution across all programs. This role owns the strategic direction, functional excellence, and organizational development of both ME and EE teams while partnering closely with Programs, Systems Engineering, and Manufacturing to deliver integrated aerospace systems.

You will be accountable for building the people, processes, and architectures that enable Zone 5 to design, integrate, and produce hardware that is safe, reliable, manufacturable, and rapidly deployable.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Managers and their teams.
• Set the strategic vision and roadmap for hardware capabilities, tools, and processes across Zone 5.
• Ensure hardware engineering delivers robust architectures, detailed designs, and high-quality integration support on schedule.
• Partner with Programs and IPTs to allocate resources, drive execution discipline, and resolve cross-functional issues.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards for hardware design, analysis, review rigor, documentation, verification, and configuration control.
• Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace standards (AS9100, AS6500, DO-160, MIL-STD-461/704).
• Oversee major design reviews and readiness events—PDR, CDR, TRR—ensuring hardware content meets technical and programmatic requirements.
• Identify and execute capability investments (equipment, software, training) needed for functional scalability.
• Guide root-cause investigations and ensure systemic corrective actions across hardware disciplines.
• Support proposal development by shaping hardware architectures, estimating labor, and defining execution approaches.
• Serve as the senior hardware engineering representative in portfolio, business area, and executive-level reviews.

Qualifications

Basic expectations for this role include a minimum of:

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline.
• 12+ years of hardware engineering experience in aerospace, defense, autonomous systems, or equivalent.
• 5+ years leading engineering managers or multi-disciplinary hardware teams.
• Demonstrated experience developing hardware architectures and scaling engineering processes.
• Strong understanding of DFMA, configuration control, integration workflows, and test readiness.
• Ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment with multiple active programs.

Our ideal candidate has:

• Experience in UAS, missiles, loitering munitions, or complex electromechanical systems.
• Familiarity with Solidworks, Altium, MBSE environments (Cameo), EVM, and AS6500-aligned program execution.
• Experience collaborating with vertically integrated manufacturing operations.

#LI-BC1

Pay range for this role

$220,000 - $280,000 USD

What's in it for you:

• Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
• 401k with company-match
• 3 weeks of paid time off each year
• 40 hours of sick time
• 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

• Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
• Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

If you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov .

Our contracts with the United States Department of Defense require that all Zone 5 Technologies employees are US Citizens - are you currently a US Citizen?

Are you at least 18 years of age?

Are you authorized to work in the United States?

Will you now or in the future require sponsorship from Zone 5 Technologies for employment (e.g, H-1B visa)?

How did you hear about Zone 5 Technologies?

Voluntary Self-Identification

As set forth in Zone 5 Technologies’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.