Project Manager – Robotics Hardware & Software

WingXpand; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

WingXpand is seeking a Project Manager – Hardware & Software to lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams across hardware, software, and electrical domains. You will drive execution from concept to deployment, manage milestones, and translate customer needs into actionable plans.

This high-ownership role reports to leadership and offers direct impact on fielded autonomous systems, with opportunities to shape product roadmaps for drone and robotics platforms used in defense, public safety,

Qualifications

• 3+ years direct project management experience with hardware and software development.
• Led projects using Agile/Scrum frameworks with sprint planning and backlog prioritization.
• Experience with agile tools such as ClickUp, Jira, or Asana to manage complex workflows.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-disciplinary product development across hardware, software, and electrical engineering teams from concept to deployment.
• Manage scrum and agile processes to ensure projects are organized, on time, and aligned with goals.
• Own complex contract execution plans with milestones, deliverables, and roadmaps across multiple customers.

Skills

Project management

Agile/Scrum

Technical communication

Education

Engineering degree

MBA or certifications

Tools

ClickUp

Jira

Asana

Job description

Project Manager – Robotics Hardware & Software

At WingXpand®

Locations

Chicago (Schaumburg), IL

Type

Full-time | Open 8/12/26 | Close 8/26/26

About WingXpand

WingXpand is Expanding What’s Possible™ with Autonomous Systems, building long-endurance, backpackable smart plane drones and robotics systems that support defense, public safety, disaster response, and commercial missions. Our platforms operate across air, ground, and maritime domains, integrating autonomy, AI-powered sensing, edge computing, and networked systems to deliver real-world intelligence and threat detection. We design, build, and deploy complete systems — hardware, software, and data — and we move fast. As WingXpand scales, we are seeking high performers to grow with our team.

Position Description

WingXpand is seeking a Project Manager – Hardware & Software to support leading execution across multi-disciplinary engineering teams, including hardware, software, and electrical engineering. This role is ideal for a technically grounded project manager who thrives in fast-paced environments, enjoys solving hard problems, and can move seamlessly between strategy, execution, and customer engagement. You will work hands-on with engineers, executives, and customers to deliver WingXpand’s core products, meet contract milestones, and shape future product roadmaps. This is a high-ownership role with direct visibility to leadership and real impact on fielded autonomous systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multi-disciplinary product development across hardware, software, and electrical engineering teams, driving execution from concept to deployment.
• Manage scrum and agile processes using ClickUp (or similar tools) to ensure projects are organized, on-time, and aligned with strategic goals.
• Own and deliver on complex contract execution plans—tracking milestones, deliverables, and new product roadmaps across multiple customers.
• Serve as a conduit between leadership and engineering, translating strategy into actionable tasks and ensuring engineers are aligned with business priorities.
• Engage directly with customers, translating their needs into technical requirements and MVP strategies to rapidly deliver feedback-driven results.
• Support business development by crafting technically-grounded proposal content and collaborating on customer engagement strategies.
• Brief senior leadership with crisp, technical summaries and timeline updates while diving deep with engineers to resolve execution challenges.
• Rapidly build trust with technical teams by demonstrating a hands-on, self-starting approach to understanding the full product ecosystem.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of direct project management experience with demonstrated success managing hardware and software development in tandem.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or a related discipline, MBA, or certifications in scrum, agile, or systems engineering are a strong plus.
• Led projects using Agile/Scrum frameworks, facilitating sprint planning, standups, retrospectives, and backlog prioritization.
• Expertise with agile tools like ClickUp, Jira, or Asana for managing complex engineering workflows.
• Proven ability to lead without micromanaging, ensuring teams are unblocked and timelines are met—or exceeded.
• Comfortable getting into the weeds with technical contributors while presenting clear takeaways to non-technical stakeholders.
• Passionate about building solutions that deliver real-world impact and shape the future of robotics.

Additional Qualifications

• Personal or professional experience with robotics, drones, RC aircraft, or maker projects (e.g., hackathons, DIY builds, hobby flying).
• Experience working at high-growth startups where speed, autonomy, and clarity of communication are critical.
• Technical background in aerospace, robotics, AI, defense, or a related engineering field.
• Familiarity with hardware prototyping
• Experience with field testing autonomous or edge AI systems in real-world environments.
• Passion for emerging tech and a track record of exploring new tools, platforms, or frameworks for fun or innovation.

What Else You Need To Know

To conform to U.S. Government aerospace technology export regulations, applicant must be a 'U.S. Person' (U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident/Green Card Holder).

If you are a self-motivated, results-driven individual with a passion for innovation and technology, we want to hear from you!