Engineering Director: From R&D to Field-Ready Systems

Doist; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary + equity

Health plan (United Health Care)

Flexible PTO

Field test travel

Lunches and snacks

Transport stipend

Direct access to leadership

Job summary

Aurelius Systems in San Francisco is seeking an Engineering Director to own the path from R&D to production across the full system. You will lead software, firmware, controls, hardware integration, test, and drive the handoff to volume manufacturing.

This role requires building and scaling the engineering org, setting technical direction, and translating mission requirements into engineering execution for field-ready systems.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in engineering with significant leadership of multi-disciplinary technical teams.
• Track record taking complex hardware/software systems from R&D through production or field deployment.
• Experience leading across disciplines — you don't have to be the deepest in every domain, but you have to earn the respect of engineers who are.
• Demonstrated ability to scale teams and turn dysfunction or ambiguity into high-performing execution.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction across software, firmware, controls, hardware integration, and test for the full system.
• Oversee the R&D to production transition and architecture for subsystems from prototype to manufacturable.
• Lead multi-team execution under ambiguous requirements and provide clear guidance.
• Direct field testing from test article design through system performance scoring in non-lab conditions.
• Build and scale the engineering organization from hiring, structure, and growth of high-performing teams.

Skills

Leadership

Systems engineering

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Hands-on lab work

Technical direction

Job description

Aurelius Systems in San Francisco is seeking an Engineering Director to own the path from R&D to production across the full system. You will lead software, firmware, controls, hardware integration, test, and drive the handoff to volume manufacturing.

This role requires building and scaling the engineering org, setting technical direction, and translating mission requirements into engineering execution for field-ready systems.