VP of Engineering: Scale Innovation, Quality & Compliance

Microwave Power Products (MPP); Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness programs

Career development

Retirement savings plan with company 2

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Microwave Power Products (MPP) is seeking a Vice President of Engineering to lead a global team of 40+ professionals focused on product development, quality, and International Trade Compliance. This executive role combines strategic insight with hands-on execution to drive margin growth, operational efficiency, and customer trust.

You will set vision and roadmap for engineering, quality, and ITC, partnering with executives, managers, customers, and partners to deliver compliant, high-performing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; Master’s degree or MBA is a plus.
• 15+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, industrial, or scientific environments.
• 10+ years leading engineering organizations, including managers and senior technical leaders.
• Proven experience building, scaling, and transforming engineering teams (20+ employees).
• Background in high-power or vacuum electron devices is a plus.
• Strong business acumen across sales, operations, finance, and product lifecycle management.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute engineering and innovation strategies aligned with MPP’s business and growth objectives.
• Lead and evolve Engineering, Quality, and International Trade Compliance functions to ensure product integrity, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
• Drive change management initiatives that modernize engineering processes, improve speed-to-market, and increase productivity.
• Oversee NPI, test and qualification, innovation resources, and low-cost design capabilities to optimize cost, quality, and delivery.
• Own engineering, quality, and ITC budgets, forecasts, KPIs, and performance reporting.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, Finance, and Business Unit leaders to support bookings, margins, customer commitments, and lifecycle management.
• Act as a senior customer-facing leader-supporting new product requirements, major design changes, qualification testing, and resolution of performance issues.
• Champion continuous improvement across engineering processes, delivering measurable productivity and cost savings.
• Build, develop, and retain top engineering talent through coaching, engagement, succession planning, and knowledge transfer.
• Lead hiring strategy and external partnerships with universities, research institutions, and technology partners to strengthen long-term capabilities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, providing clear visibility into risks, opportunities, and execution progress.
• Ensure all activities meet the highest standards of ethics, compliance, and regulatory requirements across global operations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change agent

Strong communicator

Customer focus

Commercial acumen

Talent development

Integrity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree or MBA

Job description

Microwave Power Products (MPP) is seeking a Vice President of Engineering to lead a global team of 40+ professionals focused on product development, quality, and International Trade Compliance. This executive role combines strategic insight with hands-on execution to drive margin growth, operational efficiency, and customer trust.

You will set vision and roadmap for engineering, quality, and ITC, partnering with executives, managers, customers, and partners to deliver compliant, high-performing