Director of Product Compliance

Skydio; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 348,000; Full time

Job summary

Skydio is seeking a Director of Product Compliance to own compliance across its portfolio. You’ll build the governance framework, establish the policy, risk framework, and certification gates, and ensure decisions are timely and well‑informed across hardware, software, and regulatory domains.

You’ll lead a team of compliance engineers, collaborating with Product, Engineering, Security, Legal, and Supply Chain to anticipate risks and shepherd launches with defensible decisions while navigating

Qualifications

• 10+ years in product compliance, certification, or regulatory engineering, including experience leading a team.
• Deep technical grounding across EMC, radio, and product safety, plus knowledge of adjacent domains.
• Track record building process and governance where it didn’t exist.

Responsibilities

• Own product compliance for the company, set policy, arbitrate cross‑program tradeoffs, and sign off on launch readiness.
• Lead and grow the compliance team, embed engineers in programs, tailor plans per project.
• Translate unclear requirements into a clear compliance strategy while maintaining momentum.

Skills

EMC

Radio

Product safety

Cellular certification

Cybersecurity

Export controls

Job description

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

Skydio is looking for a Director of Product Compliance to own product compliance across our entire portfolio. As our product families and the markets we serve keep expanding, we're investing in compliance as a core product capability. You'll build the operating system for it: the policy, the risk framework, the requirements inventory, and the gates that make certification something we design from concept.

You'll lead a team of portfolio compliance engineers, each owning certification for their programs, and you'll work across Hardware Ops, Engineering, Product, Security, Supply Chain, Sales, Government, Aviation Regulatory, and Legal to get decisions made. This is a build role with real decision rights, including launch readiness sign-off.

How You’ll Make An Impact

• Own product compliance for the company. Set the policy, arbitrate cross-program tradeoffs, own the launch readiness recommendation and sign-off, and act as the single point of accountability when a requirement is contested or a launch is at risk.
• Lead and grow the compliance team. Develop compliance engineers embedded in program teams, balance their capacity against an 18-month roadmap, and make sure each program has a tailored plan rather than a generic checklist.
• Chart the path forward in ambiguity. Translate unclear or evolving requirements into a clear compliance strategy, maintaining program momentum and making defensible decisions.
• Partner with Product and Engineering on launch timelines that reflect real certification lead times, dependencies, and external constraints, and escape launch-critical risk early enough to act on it.
• Direct our SME bench and external strategy. Get the right experts engaged at the right time across cellular, radio, civil aviation, cybersecurity, supply chain, export, and more, while working with cross functional partners to shape policy and regulation rather than only react to it.

What Makes You a Good Fit

• 10+ years in product compliance, certification, or regulatory engineering, including experience leading a team
• Deep technical grounding across EMC, radio, and product safety, plus enough working knowledge of the adjacent domains - cellular and carrier certification, battery, aviation, cybersecurity, and supply chain and export controls - to know when a requirement applies, which expert to pull in, and whether the answer you're getting holds up
• Track record building process and governance where it didn't exist, and getting an organization to adopt it
• Comfortable holding decision rights, including telling a program its launch date is at risk
• Strong cross-functional operator, effective with engineering, legal, supply chain, and executive stakeholders alike
• Willingness to work outside the scope of your role to cover gaps in ownership
• Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions

Bonus Points If You Have

• Battery, cellular including PTCRB and MNO, or NRTL compliance experience
• Familiarity with UAS regulatory frameworks such as FAA, Remote ID, and EASA
• Experience with federal supply chain, export control, or cybersecurity requirements
• Regulatory advocacy or standards body engagement experience

Compensation:

At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $230,000 - $347,500*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company's group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company's policies and eligibility criteria.

• Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/