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Overview
Saildrone is a defense company delivering maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products to military, homeland security, and commercial customers. Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are extreme-endurance platforms equipped with advanced sensors and proprietary AI to provide persistent insights above and below the sea surface. Insights support border security, law enforcement, undersea infrastructure protection, hydrography, and naval power applications. Saildrone is based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operates missions worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services, autonomy, and AI. You will be part of a high-performing, multidisciplinary team delivering data, intelligence, and firepower for strategic superiority. Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers views of San Francisco Bay in Alameda. The Role
The Head of Engineering will lead Saildrone’s engineering organization, overseeing Hardware, Software, Firmware, Electrical Engineering, Technical Program Management (TPM), Systems engineering, Security, and Change Management. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role provides operational leadership to a multidisciplinary team of approximately 100 engineers. This senior leadership position is responsible for translating the CEO’s technical vision into key requirements, defining engineering priorities, and ensuring that projects and deliverables are executed to high standards of quality and timeliness. The Head of Engineering will work closely with cross-functional leaders to align engineering initiatives with Saildrone’s mission and business objectives. Having full budget responsibility for the company-wide engineering organization, the Head of Engineering will manage that organization within an agreed budget and timeline, ensuring teams are adequately resourced, trained and tasked to achieve engineering deliverables. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing large, diverse engineering teams in a fast-paced, high-growth technology environment, ideally within the defense, aerospace, or maritime sectors. They must be a hands-on leader capable of balancing strategic oversight with deep technical engagement, while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and execution. Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership: Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary engineering team of ~100 engineers across Hardware, Software, Firmware, Electrical Engineering, TPM, and Change Management. Execute the engineering organization’s strategic direction, goals, and priorities in alignment with ongoing mission support, new functionality, and wider company objectives. Drive technical excellence and innovation across all engineering disciplines. Program & Project Delivery: Oversee prioritization, planning, and execution of all engineering deliverables. Define project timelines with milestones and deliverables, owning the overall project schedule and adapting as priorities change. Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to high quality standards. Implement best practices for technical program management, quality, resource allocation, and risk mitigation. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Business Development and Mission teams to ensure engineering solutions meet operational and customer requirements. Facilitate communication and alignment across departments to support Saildrone’s mission. Align with Production and Operations leads around engineering releases and product roll-out timelines. Talent Development & Team Building: Recruit, retain, and develop top engineering talent across all disciplines. Foster a culture of high performance, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Mentor and coach engineering leaders to build strong management capabilities within the organization. Operational Excellence: Develop and manage engineering budgets, resource plans, and performance metrics. Oversee change management processes to ensure well-thought-out ECO protocol and adequate testing and validation prior to roll-out. Ensure adherence to relevant industry standards, regulations, and best practices. Required Skills and Experience
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or related technical field; advanced technical or management degree preferred. 15+ years of engineering leadership experience, including managing large, multidisciplinary teams in high-growth technology companies. Proven track record in delivering complex hardware and software systems on time and within budget. Experience in the defense, aerospace, or maritime industries is strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills. Strong understanding of engineering best practices, product lifecycle management, and configuration control. Physical Requirements
Work is performed on a computer and requires ability to operate a keyboard and other peripheral devices. Location
Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay. Additional Information
All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. The Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent residency to work in the U.S. If sponsorship is required for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone. Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and problem-solving ability. Benefits
Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching Company-sponsored life insurance Stock options Annual learning and development stipend Office amenities and dog-friendly work environment
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Saildrone is a defense company delivering maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products to military, homeland security, and commercial customers. Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are extreme-endurance platforms equipped with advanced sensors and proprietary AI to provide persistent insights above and below the sea surface. Insights support border security, law enforcement, undersea infrastructure protection, hydrography, and naval power applications. Saildrone is based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operates missions worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services, autonomy, and AI. You will be part of a high-performing, multidisciplinary team delivering data, intelligence, and firepower for strategic superiority. Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers views of San Francisco Bay in Alameda. The Role
The Head of Engineering will lead Saildrone’s engineering organization, overseeing Hardware, Software, Firmware, Electrical Engineering, Technical Program Management (TPM), Systems engineering, Security, and Change Management. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role provides operational leadership to a multidisciplinary team of approximately 100 engineers. This senior leadership position is responsible for translating the CEO’s technical vision into key requirements, defining engineering priorities, and ensuring that projects and deliverables are executed to high standards of quality and timeliness. The Head of Engineering will work closely with cross-functional leaders to align engineering initiatives with Saildrone’s mission and business objectives. Having full budget responsibility for the company-wide engineering organization, the Head of Engineering will manage that organization within an agreed budget and timeline, ensuring teams are adequately resourced, trained and tasked to achieve engineering deliverables. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing large, diverse engineering teams in a fast-paced, high-growth technology environment, ideally within the defense, aerospace, or maritime sectors. They must be a hands-on leader capable of balancing strategic oversight with deep technical engagement, while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and execution. Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership: Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary engineering team of ~100 engineers across Hardware, Software, Firmware, Electrical Engineering, TPM, and Change Management. Execute the engineering organization’s strategic direction, goals, and priorities in alignment with ongoing mission support, new functionality, and wider company objectives. Drive technical excellence and innovation across all engineering disciplines. Program & Project Delivery: Oversee prioritization, planning, and execution of all engineering deliverables. Define project timelines with milestones and deliverables, owning the overall project schedule and adapting as priorities change. Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to high quality standards. Implement best practices for technical program management, quality, resource allocation, and risk mitigation. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Business Development and Mission teams to ensure engineering solutions meet operational and customer requirements. Facilitate communication and alignment across departments to support Saildrone’s mission. Align with Production and Operations leads around engineering releases and product roll-out timelines. Talent Development & Team Building: Recruit, retain, and develop top engineering talent across all disciplines. Foster a culture of high performance, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Mentor and coach engineering leaders to build strong management capabilities within the organization. Operational Excellence: Develop and manage engineering budgets, resource plans, and performance metrics. Oversee change management processes to ensure well-thought-out ECO protocol and adequate testing and validation prior to roll-out. Ensure adherence to relevant industry standards, regulations, and best practices. Required Skills and Experience
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or related technical field; advanced technical or management degree preferred. 15+ years of engineering leadership experience, including managing large, multidisciplinary teams in high-growth technology companies. Proven track record in delivering complex hardware and software systems on time and within budget. Experience in the defense, aerospace, or maritime industries is strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills. Strong understanding of engineering best practices, product lifecycle management, and configuration control. Physical Requirements
Work is performed on a computer and requires ability to operate a keyboard and other peripheral devices. Location
Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay. Additional Information
All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. The Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent residency to work in the U.S. If sponsorship is required for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone. Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and problem-solving ability. Benefits
Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching Company-sponsored life insurance Stock options Annual learning and development stipend Office amenities and dog-friendly work environment
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