Lead Product Development Engineer

About SYOS Aerospace

SYOS Aerospace is an expanding global entity specializing in robotics and aerospace technologies that design and develop advanced autonomous vehicles (drones) capable of operating in air, land, and sea environments with dual-use applications. The company emphasizes innovative technologies and delivering products of exceptional quality to surpass customer expectations.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Lead Product Development Engineer to steer the technical progression of one or more autonomous uncrewed vehicles. This senior role encompasses full ownership of the product lifecycle, from conceptual design through building, testing, and transition to production. You will lead system-level technical results and provide guidance to multidisciplinary engineering teams, ensuring a balance between engineering precision and development speed in a dynamic setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical development of sophisticated autonomous uncrewed air and land vehicles.
• Collaborate closely with Project Managers to align technical scopes with timelines, resources, and budgets.
• Define technical strategies and architectural frameworks.
• Facilitate cross-disciplinary technical trade-offs involving engineering, production, and quality functions.
• Ensure designs are feasible for manufacturing, testing, and production readiness.
• Preside over technical reviews and project-specific technical meetings.

Risk, Verification, and Compliance

• Proactively identify and mitigate technical risks throughout product development.
• Establish and oversee verification and validation approaches.
• Guarantee that engineering outputs conform to technical standards and safety requirements.
• Authorize technical documents, designs, and configuration baselines.

Project Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams to achieve optimal product development outcomes.
• Clearly communicate technical plans, decisions, and activities to stakeholders.
• Serve as the main technical liaison internally and with external customers or partners when necessary.
• Mentor engineering staff to enhance long-term organizational capabilities.

Qualifications and Experience Required

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree in Engineering.
• Over 8 years of experience in product development.
• At least 2 years in technical leadership roles.
• Extensive engineering expertise across multiple disciplines and their integration.
• Proven experience leading engineering teams through design, build, and testing phases.
• Project management or leadership experience is highly preferred.

Desirable Qualifications

• Background in aerospace, defense, uncrewed vehicles, or robotics industries.
• Postgraduate degrees or advanced technical certifications.

Key Attributes

• Recognized technical authority spanning diverse engineering disciplines.
• Comfortable making decisions despite limited information.
• Excellent communicator with a constructive approach to challenging ideas.
• Proactive and methodical in managing risks and dependencies.
• Strategic thinker with a strong orientation toward delivery and results.

Autonomy and Accountability

• Operates with considerable independence in technical decision-making.
• Responsible for maintaining system-level technical integrity and success.
• Respected figure within the engineering organization.

What SYOS Offers

• A fast-paced, technology-driven environment working with state-of-the-art uncrewed vehicle technology.
• Career development opportunities in a high-tech innovative team.
• Competitive remuneration package and benefits.
• Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance for international candidates.

Location

The position is based in Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, an area known for its exceptional surf beaches, vibrant culture, and burgeoning technology community, offering an excellent lifestyle and a supportive atmosphere for innovation.

Additional Information

Recruiters and agencies are kindly requested not to contact regarding this vacancy.