Vice President, Technology

Robinson Unmanned; Wilmington (MA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Robinson Unmanned, a startup division of Robinson Helicopter, seeks a VP of Technology to define and execute technology strategy across UAS product and platform stack.

Lead hardware, software, data analytics, and cybersecurity while aligning with business goals and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in aerospace or robotics, including hardware/software co-development.
• Experience navigating FAA/International regulatory processes for UAS.
• Proven track record translating business strategy into technology investments.

Responsibilities

• Define multi-year tech roadmap across hardware, software, and data platforms.
• Lead and scale engineering organization including hardware, firmware, software, and data analytics.
• Oversee certification and safety-critical design practices (DO-178C, DO-254).
• Collaborate with Product Management to align requirements with milestones.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic technology planning

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related STEM

Master’s or PhD strongly preferred

Tools

PX4

ArduPilot

MAVLink

AWS GovCloud

Azure Government

Job description

Company

Robinson Unmanned are an exciting start-up division of Robinson Helicopter. As well as manufacturing Group 1 and 2 UAVs, the business is currently developing Group 4 unmanned versions of the traditional R44 and R66 helicopters, which are being developed for heavy-lift cargo and agricultural applications.

Position Overview

The Vice President of Technology serves as the senior technology executive responsible for defining and executing the company's technology strategy across the full UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) product and platform stack. This leader bridges deep aerospace and software engineering expertise with strategic business acumen, driving innovation in autonomous flight systems, payload integration, data platforms, and regulatory-compliant operations.

The VP of Technology will lead a cross-functional engineering organization spanning hardware, embedded systems, software, data science, and cybersecurity - with direct accountability for the reliability, scalability, and competitive differentiation of the company's drone technology portfolio.

Although the business is focused on autonomous systems and software, candidates will be considered who may not be experts in these disciplines, potentially coming from a structures, mechanical, or electrical background, for example, provided they are now leading entire aircraft programmes and overseeing software, autonomy, or robotics teams. Strong management instinct and the ability to lead and develop teams, while effectively delegating responsibilities, are the priority over hands-on engineering expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and champion the multi-year technology roadmap aligned to market opportunities in commercial, defense, and public safety UAS sectors.
• Evaluate and drive adoption of emerging technologies including autonomous navigation, AI/ML-based mission planning, sense-and-avoid, and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.
• Maintain a deep understanding of FAA, EASA, and international regulatory frameworks to ensure technology development is compliance-forward.
• Partner with the CEO and executive team to translate business strategy into actionable technology investments.

Engineering Leadership & Organizational Excellence

• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing engineering organization across hardware design, embedded firmware, GCS (Ground Control Station) software, cloud platforms, and data analytics.
• Establish engineering culture, processes, and standards including agile development, safety-critical design practices (DO-178C, DO-254), and continuous integration/deployment pipelines.
• Drive talent acquisition, retention, and succession planning for critical technology roles.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Oversee systems engineering from concept through certification, including requirements management, design verification, and validation testing.
• Collaborate with Product Management to define technical requirements, prioritize features, and ensure delivery against program milestones.
• Lead architecture decisions for autonomous flight control systems, real-time data links, payload integration (EO/IR, LiDAR, SAR, communications), and ground-to-air interface design.
• Ensure robust cybersecurity posture across vehicle, communication links, and data infrastructure in alignment with NIST and CMMC frameworks.

Operations & Program Delivery

• Own technology program execution including schedule, budget, and risk management across hardware and software programs.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Operations to enable design-for-manufacturability and production scalability.
• Establish KPIs and OKRs for engineering performance, system reliability, and platform availability.
• Lead post-incident technical reviews, root cause analysis, and corrective action processes.

External Engagement & Partnerships

• Represent the company's technology capabilities with customers, investors, regulators, and strategic partners.
• Manage relationships with key technology suppliers, academic research partners, and government agencies (NASA, DoD, FAA).
• Stay current on competitive landscape and M&A opportunities that could accelerate technology capabilities.

Qualifications

Required Experience & Education

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field; Master's or PhD strongly preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive engineering and technology leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role (Director, VP, or CTO level).
• Demonstrated experience in UAS, aerospace, defense, or robotics industries with a hands-on understanding of autonomous systems architecture.
• Proven track record of leading complex hardware/software co-development programs from concept through production and fielding.
• Experience navigating FAA Type Certification, Part 135 operations, or equivalent regulatory processes.

Technical Expertise

• Flight Systems: Deep knowledge of Autopilot and flight control systems (PX4, ArduPilot, or proprietary), GNC algorithms, and real-time embedded systems.
• Communications & Datalinks: Strong familiarity with RF communications, mesh networking, spectrum management, and encrypted data links (MAVLink, STANAG, proprietary protocols).
• Software & Cloud: Proficiency in Mission planning software, fleet management platforms, computer vision, and cloud-based telemetry and data pipelines (AWS GovCloud, Azure Government).
• Cybersecurity: Familiarity with Secure-by-design principles, vulnerability management, and DoD CMMC compliance is highly desirable.
• Visionary yet execution-focused - able to think long-term while delivering near-term results.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to translate technical complexity for executive, customer, and investor audiences.
• High integrity, low ego, and genuine commitment to team development and inclusive leadership.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment typical of growth-stage aerospace companies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DO-178C (airborne software) and DO-254 (airborne hardware) certification processes.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, or equivalent environmental and EMI standards.
• Prior experience in a venture-backed or publicly traded aerospace/defense company.
• UAS Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107), is a plus.
• Proven experience scaling engineering teams