Senior Manager, Electrical Engineering - Drone

Applied Intuition; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Intuition in Sunnyvale, CA is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineering Manager, Drone to lead the electrical design of our uncrewed aircraft platforms, from power and avionics architecture through full integration. You will hire and mentor a team of electrical engineers, own the roadmap, and collaborate with autonomy, mechanical, and flight test leaders to meet mission requirements.

This in-office role emphasizes hands-on leadership within a fast-growing hardware program with

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 12+ years designing electrical hardware for drones or aircraft.
• 7+ years leading electrical engineering teams.
• Hands-on with analog and power design and high-speed interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, I2C, SPI, UART, CAN).
• Proficiency in schematic capture and PCB layout.
• Experience with lab tools and measurement equipment.
• Experience with PCB manufacturing, testing, and validation.
• Track record of hiring and developing engineers.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a team of electrical engineers for drone power, avionics, sensors, and wiring.
• Design electrical schematics with various interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, I2C, SPI, UART, CAN).
• Oversee PCB layout ensuring DFx, performance, cost, and reliability targets.
• Design wire harnesses, routing, and distribution systems for manufacturability.
• Own validation quality from component to flight test.
• Engage with PCB/PCBA vendors and suppliers.
• Hire, mentor, and grow engineers and manage performance.
• Collaborate with autonomy, mechanical, avionics, software, and flight test leaders.

Skills

Power electronics

Schematic capture

PCB layout

Analog design

Digital design

High-speed interfaces

Vendor management

Team leadership

Mentoring

Education

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering

Drone/aviation hardware experience preferred

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Job description

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions

About the role

As the senior Electrical Engineering Manager, Drone, you will lead and grow the team responsible for the electrical design of our drone platforms, from power and avionics architecture through full aircraft integration. You will own the electrical engineering roadmap for our uncrewed aircraft, hire and develop a team of electrical engineers, and work hands-on with your team through the full product design lifecycle, from concept and prototype through flight test and production.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Build and lead a team of electrical engineers responsible for the power distribution, avionics, sensor, and wiring/harness systems of our drone platforms

• Guide your team’s design of electrical schematics incorporating SoCs/MCUs, power electronics (SMPS, linear regulation), memory components, and high & low speed digital interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, USB, PCIe, Ethernet, CAN, etc.)

• Oversee PCB layout and design, ensuring designs meet DFx standards and adhere to performance, cost, mechanical, thermal, and reliability constraints

• Guide design of wire harnesses, cable routing, and electrical distribution systems, ensuring ease of assembly, serviceability, and robust functionality

• Own design, analysis, and validation quality at the component, assembly, and fully integrated aircraft level, including bench, environmental, and flight test

• Champion design for manufacturability, repairability, and field serviceability across your team’s work, and engage with PCB/PCBA vendors and suppliers

• Hire, mentor, and grow electrical engineers, and manage their performance and career development

• Partner cross-functionally with autonomy, mechanical, avionics, software, and flight test leaders to ensure designs meet mission requirements

We're looking for someone who has:

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field

• 12+ years of experience designing electrical hardware and shipping products, ideally for drones, UAS, or aircraft

• 7+ years of experience leading and managing electrical engineering teams

• Hands-on hardware design experience with a strong grasp of analog and power design, digital design, and interfaces, including PCIe, Ethernet, DDR, I2C, SPI, UART, and CAN

• Proficiency in schematic capture and PCB layout

• Experience with lab tools such as bench power supplies, multimeters, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers

• In-depth understanding of PCB manufacturing, product delivery, and experience in testing, validation, and troubleshooting of electrical systems

• Track record of hiring, developing, and retaining strong engineering talent

Nice to have:

• Prior experience designing and building prototype vehicles or uncrewed aircraft

• Experience with high-volume production of hardware products

• Prior experience building real-time hardware systems with safety constraints

• Experience with Altium Designer

• Experience designing circuits that drive cameras and/or displays

• Hands-on experience shipping high-complexity hardware in both early-stage startup (0 to 1) and mass-production environments

• Experience with high power systems and batteries

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.

FOR US-BASED ROLES: Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact [e-mail]. We will work with you!