VP of Engineering

Ascend Recruiting Partners; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 200,000 - 265,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascend Recruiting Partners seeks a hands-on VP of Engineering to build and lead the U.S. engineering organization in Tampa, FL. This leader will bridge U.S.

customers, Business Development, Operations, and the global engineering team to ensure a seamless transition from development to production. The role focuses on adapting existing UAS and autonomous platforms for U.S. defense customers, supporting production readiness, regulatory compliance, and rapidly changing program needs.

Qualifications

• Significant engineering leadership experience in UAS/autonomous systems or defense hardware.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams across systems, embedded, mechanical, electrical, and production engineering.
• Experience transitioning products from development to manufacturing and field deployment.
• Experience meeting U.S. defense customer requirements and ITAR compliance.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and scale the U.S. engineering organization.
• Lead engineering-to-production and product-transition activities.
• Adapt existing UAS and autonomous-system platforms to meet U.S. customer and program requirements.
• Drive rapid engineering changes based on customer and field feedback.
• Lead systems, embedded, mechanical, integration, test, and production-engineering activities.
• Partner with Operations and Manufacturing to support production readiness and scale-up.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop the U.S. engineering team.

Skills

Engineering leadership

UAS domain knowledge

Cross-functional leadership

ITAR knowledge

Product-to-manufacturing

People management

Education

BS in Engineering

Job description

Job Title: VP of Engineering

Industry: Defense Manufacturing / UAS

On-site Location: Tampa, FL

Relocation Provided: YES

Salary Range: $200,000–$265,000 base, depending on experience

Must be US Citizen (ITAR)

Job Overview:
Our client is seeking a hands-on, highly technical VP of Engineering to build and lead its U.S. engineering organization in Tampa, FL. This leader will serve as the technical bridge between U.S. customers, Business Development, Operations, and the company’s global engineering organization.

The primary focus of the role is not pure R&D, but rather taking existing UAS and autonomous-system platforms and adapting them for U.S. defense customers, production requirements, regulatory compliance, and rapidly changing program needs. The VP of Engineering will lead engineering-to-production efforts, support U.S.-specific product modifications, and build a multidisciplinary engineering team capable of responding quickly to customer requirements.

Minimum Requirements:

• Significant engineering leadership experience within UAS/UAV, autonomous systems, defense robotics, or closely related defense hardware.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across areas such as systems, embedded, mechanical, electrical, integration, test, or production engineering.
• Demonstrated experience transitioning products from development into manufacturing and field deployment.
• Experience adapting products to meet U.S. defense or government customer requirements.
• Experience building or scaling an engineering organization in a smaller or high-growth defense company.
• Experience with product qualification, testing, demonstrations, and field deployments.
• Strong understanding of rapid engineering change and short product-development cycles.
• Working knowledge of ITAR, export controls, and technical-data requirements.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Business Development, and customers.
• Hands-on leadership style with the ability to work directly with engineers, hardware, prototypes, and production teams.
• Ability to work on-site in Tampa, FL and operate effectively in a fast-growth, international environment.
• Must be US Citizen
• BS in the Engineering field

Preferred Requirements:

• Direct experience with small/tactical UAS or Group 1 UAS platforms.
• Experience with drones, autonomous systems, robotics, or rapidly fielded defense technology.
• Knowledge of components such as motors, batteries, sensors, payloads, communications, embedded systems, RF, and electromechanical hardware.
• Experience transitioning internationally developed technology into a U.S. engineering and manufacturing environment.
  

Responsibilities:

• Build, lead, and scale the U.S. engineering organization.
• Lead engineering-to-production and product-transition activities.
• Adapt existing UAS and autonomous-system platforms to meet U.S. customer and program requirements.
• Drive rapid engineering changes based on customer and field feedback.
• Lead systems, embedded, mechanical, integration, test, and production-engineering activities.
• Partner closely with Operations and Manufacturing to support production readiness and scale-up.
• Serve as a senior technical interface with U.S. defense customers and partners.
• Work closely with Business Development on upcoming programs and technical requirements.
• Establish strong configuration-management and engineering-change processes.
• Maintain appropriate ITAR and export-control boundaries for U.S. engineering activities.
• Coordinate technical handoffs and knowledge transfer with global engineering teams.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop the U.S. engineering team.
• Identify technical and program risks and drive them to resolution.
• Support testing, qualification, demonstrations, and field activities as needed.