Manufacturing Team Lead

Draganfly Inc.; Merrifield (MN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage reimbursement

401(k) matching

Generous time off

Professional development support

Job summary

Draganfly Inc. is seeking a Manufacturing Team Lead for our Merrifield, Virginia facility. You will run a two-technician team, stay hands-on at the bench, and translate engineering tasks into buildable work that fits the team’s skills and tools.

You will plan daily work, ensure schedules and quality, and serve as the link between technicians and engineers, with occasional travel to events for on-site support.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; hands-on skills or equivalent experience.
• Experience as a line technician, assembler, or similar hands-on manufacturing role.
• Skilled at soldering small electronics, building wiring harnesses, and common mechanical assembly techniques.
• Able to read and follow build plans and schematics with attention to detail.
• Organize work, set priorities, and keep a small team on schedule.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work closely with engineering.
• Must be a U.S. Person under ITAR due to export-controlled work.

Responsibilities

• Plan, assign, and sequence daily/weekly work for a two-person technician team to meet production schedules.
• Provide on-the-floor direction, training, and coaching to grow technician skills.
• Track team output, quality, and progress and report status to management.
• Handle timekeeping, scheduling, and day-to-day performance feedback.
• Set safety, cleanliness, and workmanship standards and enforce them.
• Support hiring by evaluating and onboarding new technicians.

Skills

Team leadership

Communication

Training

Safety

Problem solving

On-site presence

Education

High school diploma or GED

FAA Part 107 certification (preferred)

Tools

CNC milling

3D printing

ArduPilot

BetaFlight

INAV

QGroundControl

Job description

About Draganfly

Draganfly Inc. (the “Company”) has been a recognized technology leader within the commercial UAV space for over two decades. We helped establish the commercial market & adoption of multi-rotor helicopters for public safety, agriculture, aerial imaging, & more. As a leader who helped shape the industry, Draganfly’s focus is on the sale of drone products and services, contract engineering & custom integration product development, and health monitoring products and services.

About Draganfly

Draganfly Inc. (the “Company”) has been a recognized technology leader within the commercial UAV space for over two decades. We helped establish the commercial market & adoption of multi-rotor helicopters for public safety, agriculture, aerial imaging, & more. As a leader who helped shape the industry, Draganfly’s focus is on the sale of drone products and services, contract engineering & custom integration product development, and health monitoring products and services.

Additional information on our expertise, projects, and culture can be found at https://draganfly.com/

About The Role

The Manufacturing Team Lead runs the day-to-day work of a small prototyping/production team at our Merrifield facility, currently two Manufacturing Technicians, while staying hands‑on at the bench. You will set the daily plan, keep builds moving on schedule and to quality standards, and serve as the direct link between your team and our engineers, translating one‑off technical requests into clear, buildable work that fits your team’s skills and toolset.

This is a first‑line leadership role built for someone who has previous experience as a technician and is ready to take responsibility for a team. You will still build, test, and troubleshoot alongside your technicians. It is in‑person at our manufacturing facility in Merrifield, Virginia, with occasional travel to provide onsite technical or operational support at events.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Plan, assign, and sequence the daily and weekly work of a two‑person technician team to meet production schedules. This team leadership role will grow over time.
• Provide on‑the‑floor direction, training, and coaching, and help technicians grow their skills
• Track team output, quality, and progress, and keep your manager informed of status, risks, and needs
• Handle first‑line people tasks such as timekeeping, scheduling, and day‑to‑day performance feedback
• Set the standard for safety, cleanliness, and consistent workmanship, and hold the team to it
• Support hiring by helping evaluate and onboard new technicians as the team grows

Engineering Collaboration

• Work directly with engineers to understand one‑off technical tasks and turn them into clear build instructions for the team. These could be related to production or prototyping efforts.
• Judge whether a requested task fits the team’s current skills, tools, and capacity, and flag when it does not
• Provide practical feedback from the floor to improve build plans, work instructions, and processes
• Help capture and maintain manufacturing records, work instructions, and inventory control processes

Hands‑On Production

• Build, test, and troubleshoot prototype and production sUAS alongside your technicians
• Assemble mechanical and electronic components, solder wiring harnesses and PCBs, and finish parts to standard
• Set up and operate CNC machinery, thermoforming equipment, and 3D printers, with on‑site training provided as needed
• Step in to unblock builds, cover gaps, and keep the line moving

Who are you really?

• You have done hands‑on technician or assembly work and are ready to step into your first leadership role
• You take ownership, when the team’s work is late, off‑spec, or unsafe, you treat it as yours to fix
• You communicate clearly with both technicians and engineers, and you are comfortable being the link between them
• You are organized and calm under pressure, and you can keep several builds and priorities moving at once
• You lead by example on quality, safety, and cleanliness, and people follow your standard
• You enjoy teaching, and you get satisfaction from seeing your team improve

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED, with relevant hands‑on skills or equivalent practical experience (formal post‑secondary education is not required)
• Experience as a line technician, assembler, or similar hands‑on manufacturing role
• Skilled at soldering small electronics, building wiring harnesses, and common mechanical assembly techniques
• Comfortable reading and following build plans and schematics with a high degree of attention to detail
• Able to organize work, set priorities, and keep a small team on schedule
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work closely with an engineering team
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined under ITAR (22 CFR 120.62), U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual, due to the export‑controlled nature of the work

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience leading, training, or acting as a lead for even a small group of people
• Experience setting up and troubleshooting radio control and data transmission devices
• Familiarity with software used to configure and operate UAS, such as ArduPilot, BetaFlight, INAV, or QGroundControl
• Experience with CNC milling, 3D printing (FDM or SLA), or composite and thermoforming processes
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, or the ability to obtain one
• Familiarity with basic inventory, quality, or production‑tracking systems

Compensation Package

• Competitive salary: $70,000 – 92,000 USD
• Health Coverage Reimbursement: We reimburse the cost of your existing or preferred healthcare plan (amount varies depending on family size).
• 401(k) program with employer matching
• Generous time‑off program, including vacation, wellness days, and the week off between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Professional development support, including assistance in obtaining or maintaining role‑relevant certifications (e.g., FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, where applicable)

Why Join Us?

At Draganfly Innovations, you’ll join a collaborative team that values innovation, curiosity, and continuous improvement. We’re in an exciting growth phase, scaling our technologies, product lines, and teams as we continue to shape the future of UAV innovation. Joining us now means becoming part of a company with deep roots in the industry - and bold ambitions for what comes next.

You’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, work on diverse and cutting‑edge projects, and grow your skills alongside passionate experts. We offer competitive compensation, strong benefits, and a supportive environment where your contributions truly matter. Here, you won’t just join a company - you’ll help build what comes next.

As part of our hiring process, all candidates must successfully complete reference checks and a criminal background check.