Senior Software Engineering Leader IRAD & Production

AV is seeking an experienced Senior Manager, Software Engineering to lead a multidisciplinary software organization responsible for backend architecture, UI/UX, quality assurance, and software integration for the Titan, AV’s RF CUAS product. The Senior Manager will establish the software processes, management practices, and engineering discipline required to support a fast-paced, growing organization.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader and experienced software engineering manager with a background integrating software into a hardware end product. This individual will work closely with the Chief Engineer to execute software IRAD projects and will partner with cross-functional hardware and software teams to deliver reliable, production-ready systems.

• Manages a multi-disciplinary group of software engineers, including staffing, training, performance evaluation and career development. Attracts and retains high caliber staff and provides mentorship.
• Establish and improve Agile development processes using Jira, including scope, scheduling, resourcing, prioritizing, sprint execution, reporting, and retrospectives.
• Define and implement software development standards, coding practices, documentation, and engineering metrics.
• Establish unit testing, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, code reviews, and quality gates.
• Lead software release management, including configuration management, versioning, release readiness, deployment, and rollback processes.
• Champions software quality through design reviews, requirements-based testing, code coverage, and disciplined branching and release practices
• Oversee backend architecture, UI/UX development, QA, and system-level software integration.
• Partner with the Chief Engineer to shape SW road-map, plan and execute software IRAD projects from concept through prototype, integration, verification, and production transition.
• Drive resolution of software integration issues, technical risks, dependencies, and defects.
• Communicate project status, risks, resource needs, and technical decisions to senior leadership.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years managing software engineering teams.
• Experience managing teams with a range of experience levels, including entry-level through principal engineers.
• Demonstrated experience establishing Agile processes and using Jira for engineering execution.
• Experience integrating software into hardware-based products.
• Experience working cross-functionally with mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, systems, quality, and software teams.
• Experience executing IRAD, prototype, or new product development projects.
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

• Advanced degree in a related technical field.
• Background delivering software for UAS, drones, robotics, autonomous systems, or other defense or aerospace platforms is a strong plus.
• Experience transitioning software from IRAD or prototype development into production and fielded systems.
• Experience implementing unit testing, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and software release management.
• Embraces AI-assisted development tooling and encourages its adoption to improve team efficiency and quality.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
• Exercises independent judgment in methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
• Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances.
• Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees.
• Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping others deal with the effects of change.
• Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships.
• Assesses the degree of risk and opportunity in plans or actions and takes appropriate action to mitigate them or makes plans to build on the opportunity.

• Ability to work in an office and production environment (Constant).
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).

• U.S. Citizen…