Jobs at Performance Drone Works

Lead the design and implementation of complex software features and subsystems using C++. Collaborate across Product, Design, and Engineering; mentor engineers; improve performance, reliability, security, and code quality; enforce development standards; and support field deployments, demonstrations, and real-world debugging. The role focuses on embedded and cross-platform applications, responsive UI systems, backend integration, and continuous engineering improvement.

Leads sustaining and NPI manufacturing engineering for tactical drone platforms, overseeing industrialization, production readiness, process validation, automation, testing, MES and enterprise-system integration, capacity planning, equipment commissioning, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. Builds multidisciplinary engineering teams, scales high-volume production, improves yield, throughput, cost, OEE, and manufacturability, and partners with engineering, supply chain, quality, and contract manufacturers to support reliable production.

Administer endpoint management across Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android devices. Configure, image, provision, secure, patch, and troubleshoot endpoints using Intune, Jamf, and related tools. Manage applications, compliance policies, encryption, antivirus, conditional access, mobile application protection, remediation scripts, and asset lifecycles. Document procedures and collaborate with IT Operations, Identity, and Security teams on device trust and access standards.

Develop and deploy production software for tactical robotic and sUAS systems. Design cross-platform Qt and C++ applications with QML interfaces, integrate REST and JSON data, manage builds and dependencies, and use third-party APIs. Support field deployments, troubleshooting, code reviews, optimization, and security improvements while collaborating with product teams and stakeholders. The role requires Secret clearance eligibility and occasional travel to customer locations.

Leads the design, deployment, and sustainment of software for automated manufacturing tests, production diagnostics, hardware validation, telemetry, and traceability. Develops Python and systems automation, maintains Linux manufacturing infrastructure, manages configuration and release processes, troubleshoots integrated hardware and software, and improves production throughput and reliability. Partners with engineering, quality, supply chain, production, and field teams; mentors others and supports deployment, training, and sustainment across manufacturing environments.

Supervise inbound and outbound logistics operations, with emphasis on accurate and timely customer shipments. Lead, coach, and develop the logistics team; enforce SOPs, safety, quality, export, customs, and HAZMAT requirements; monitor KPIs; resolve discrepancies; maintain ERP shipping and inventory transactions; and improve scalable logistics processes in a manufacturing environment.

Owns quality deliverables for new product introductions from prototype through production ramp. Develops control plans, inspection criteria, and test procedures; leads root cause and corrective action investigations; supports engineering changes, supplier qualification, process validation, and production readiness. Partners cross-functionally to improve yield, reduce scrap and rework, and ensure reliability, manufacturability, traceability, and mission readiness for tactical robotic systems.

Provide technical leadership and architecture for complex electrical subsystems across tactical robotic product programs. Establish engineering standards, lead design reviews, improve reliability and manufacturability, support high-rate manufacturing and suppliers, resolve production issues, investigate system failures, and mentor engineers. The role requires deep analog, digital, power, embedded, and high-speed design expertise, with occasional customer or facility travel.

Leads electrical manufacturing engineering across tactical sUAS platforms, focusing on DFM/DFT, NPI industrialization, production readiness, tooling, fixtures, test systems, automation, factory layouts, capacity planning, and continuous improvement. Partners cross-functionally to develop manufacturing documentation, resolve production issues, implement quality controls, scale automated assembly and test lines, optimize labor and material flow, and support pilot-to-ramp production while improving throughput, cost, quality, safety, and yield.

Design, implement, test, and optimize software features for tactical robotic systems. Participate in code reviews, collaborate with Product, Design, and QA, debug live systems, provide occasional field support, maintain technical documentation, uphold engineering standards, and support CI/CD pipelines. The role involves taking end-to-end ownership of well-scoped technical problems and developing software primarily in C++ for embedded and cross-platform environments.

Own schedule, cost, and scope for cross-functional production programs from concept through design, integration, verification, and production transition. Manage schedules, risks, action items, change control, readiness reviews, and program metrics. Coordinate engineers, operators, manufacturing teams, suppliers, and customers while escalating issues and driving resolution. Track design reviews, prototype builds, testing, validation, and production-release milestones in a fast-paced defense and robotics environment.

Develop and maintain software for tactical robotic systems under senior engineering guidance. Responsibilities include implementing features and bug fixes, writing unit tests, participating in code reviews and QA, debugging during field testing, documenting code, and collaborating to translate requirements into software. The role emphasizes mentorship and technical growth across embedded systems, UI development, and robotics technologies.

Provides technical leadership across the software development lifecycle, architecting and delivering complex cross-platform systems. Leads design reviews, technical decisions, deployments, field testing, demonstrations, debugging, performance optimization, and security improvements. Mentors engineers, drives high-impact initiatives, collaborates with cross-functional stakeholders, and advances engineering standards. The role focuses on software for tactical robotic and aerial systems, including embedded Linux, Android, Qt, QML, REST, and JSON integrations.

Drive software and integrated-system QA for UAV products across bench, simulation, and flight-test environments. Develop manual and automated tests, Python utilities, and CI/CD validation workflows; analyze defects, logs, telemetry, and system behavior; maintain QA documentation and test management records; support release readiness and corrective actions; collaborate with firmware, embedded, production, and flight-test teams; and mentor junior QA engineers.

Owns schedule, cost, and scope for cross-functional technical production programs from concept through design, integration, verification, and production transition. Responsibilities include managing schedules, risks, action items, production reviews, change control boards, readiness assessments, program metrics, design reviews, prototype builds, testing, validation, and issue resolution across hardware and software teams.

Support and sustain UAS platforms across air vehicles, electronics, payloads, communications, ground control, and infrastructure. Investigate complex system-level issues, perform root-cause analysis, manage issue resolution through validation, and evaluate engineering changes for safety, reliability, performance, and compliance. Collaborate with design, manufacturing, testing, flight operations, and customer support teams while maintaining configuration documentation and lifecycle processes.

Provide Tier 1/2 enterprise IT support, diagnose endpoint and network issues, manage device imaging and deployments, write PowerShell or Bash scripts, administer Entra ID workflows, and support endpoint security, patching, and encryption. The role also contributes to incident, problem, and change processes; collaborates with security and engineering teams; maintains knowledge-base content; and performs occasional hardware installation, lab support, and travel to facilities or test sites.

Design and review electrical schematics and PCB layouts, define system architectures, select components, and develop hardware validation plans and test fixtures for sUAS systems. The role supports hardware development cycles, high-speed signaling, high-power systems, communication bus debugging, PCB stack-up optimization, engineering documentation, cost analysis, process improvements, and cross-functional collaboration. Occasional travel to test sites, customers, and suppliers may be required.

Provides technical leadership for complex electrical systems throughout architecture, schematic design, PCB layout, bring-up, testing, manufacturing, and production. Leads design reviews, standards development, root-cause analysis, supplier collaboration, field deployments, and hardware debugging. The role requires advanced analog, power electronics, high-speed digital, signal integrity, EMI, manufacturability, and reliability expertise, along with mentoring responsibilities and occasional customer-site travel.

The Solutions Engineer supports Account Executives by translating customer mission requirements into unmanned aerial system solutions. Responsibilities include technical discovery, UAS demonstrations, CONOPS development, RFI/RFP responses, payload and software integration, field operations, FAA airspace compliance, technology evaluation, deployment support, and mentoring junior engineers. The role serves defense, law enforcement, military, and commercial customers and requires extensive domestic and international travel.