Director, NPI Operations Engineering

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders , soldiers in battlefield scenarios , and beyond .

About the Role:

The NPI Operations Engineering leader builds and leads the team responsible for making Skydio's next generation of autonomous robotics, including drones, docks and accessories, at our internal manufacturing facility in Hayward. You’ll deliver the process, manufacturing know-how and technology needed to build the most capable flying robots on the planet. The team combines Manufacturing Design Engineering and Supply Base Engineering into one organization that is 100% focused on new product development.

You will own the manufacturability of every new product: assembly time, assembly yield and the processes, fixtures, equipment and supplier readiness needed to hit them. You and your team will engage with Product Engineering from early architecture, carry products through EVT, DVT and PVT, and hand them to Process Engineering for sustaining once they meet clear production-readiness criteria.

This is a leadership role with significant scope to shape how Skydio develops hardware. You'll set the team's direction, hire and grow engineers, and be the single operations voice in product development. Sustaining engineering for products already in production sits with Process Engineering, so this team stays focused on getting new products right before they reach the line.

How You’ll Make an Impact:

Own manufacturability of new products

• Own the operations engineering development for NPI programs across supply chain and in-house manufacturing

• Drive design-for-manufacturing, assembly and serviceability (DFx) input from early architecture onward

• Set and commit to assembly time and assembly yield targets for each new product, and track them at every build

• Own operations sign-off at product development gates, and escalate manufacturability risks with clear trade-offs

• Use PFMEA, DFM reviews and prototype yield, quality and process data to align product design with manufacturing strategy

• Identify manufacturing risks early and drive mitigation plans to closure before production ramp

Lead NPI execution through production readiness

• Own the manufacturing plan for new products and major design changes, from prototype through PVT

• Define assembly flow, line layout, fixtures and equipment for new products, with labor, cost and capacity estimates that sharpen at each build

• Coordinate engineering, design and production validation builds with Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Test and Quality

• Define production-readiness and handoff criteria, and lead manufacturing readiness reviews

• Develop and continuously improve Skydio's NPI process

• Transfer products to Process Engineering with complete documentation, released tooling, and yield and cycle time at target

Develop processes, fixtures and assembly equipment

• Own development and validation of assembly processes, including mechanical assembly, electronics integration, adhesive bonding, fastening, soldering and calibration

• Own design and qualification of assembly fixtures, error-proofing, and assembly equipment such as dispense systems and torque-controlled drivers

• Own the capital budget for new-product assembly fixtures and equipment. Capital for the running production line stays with Manufacturing

• Develop process specifications, control plans, component and assembly CTQs, inspections, inline tests, work instructions and manufacturing BOMs, all complete before handoff

• Use statistical process control (SPC), capability studies and structured experiments to establish robust process windows

Develop core manufacturing technologies

• Build a roadmap of core process technologies that future products depend on, such as waterproofing and ingress protection, conformal coatings, sealing and advanced bonding

• Partner with material suppliers, equipment vendors and technology partners to develop, qualify and industrialize these processes ahead of product need

• Serve as the technical owner for these technologies after production launch

Lead supply base engineering for new products

• Drive supplier selection, part qualification and supplier process readiness for new products

• Own NPI automation at the process level during development, and partner with the Factory Automation team for production handoff

• Work with suppliers on component DFM, process capability, capacity and quality before production launch

• Partner with Supply Chain and Quality on make-versus-buy decisions, supplier development and capital business cases

Lead and build the team

• Set the vision, strategy and execution plan for NPI Operations Engineering

• Lead, hire and develop a team of manufacturing design engineers and supply base engineers, acting as the team's lead technical expert and mentor

• Integrate MDE and SBE into one team with shared programs, goals and ways of working

• Set priorities and staffing across multiple concurrent programs and SKUs at different stages, working with leaders across the company to understand build targets and focus the team on hitting them

• Protect the team's focus on new products, with a clean handoff to Process Engineering for sustaining

• Build an inclusive, diverse, engaged and high-performing team through a mix of external hiring and developing internal talent, with regular coaching and growth opportunities

• Build a culture of technical rigor, ownership and close partnership with design engineering

Collaboration

• Work closely with Product Engineering leaders on airframes, propulsion, cameras, sensors, batteries, gimbals and payloads

• Align with Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Test Engineering and Automation Engineering on capacity, equipment and handoff plans

• Communicate program status, risks and manufacturability trade-offs clearly to executive leadership

What Makes You a Good Fit:

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial or Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing engineering, NPI or production engineering for complex electromechanical products, ideally including high-volume production.

• [4+] years leading engineering teams, including hiring and developing engineers [and managers].

• A track record of taking multiple complex hardware products from early development into high-quality production.

• Deep expertise in DFM/DFA and a history of influencing product design early, not only fixing problems at the build.

• Hands-on fixture design experience, and a strong understanding of factory lines, assembly flow and how to optimize them.

• SPC, Lean and Six Sigma experience.

• Experience working with suppliers on part qualification, process capability and production readiness.

• Strong data skills: you set yield, cycle-time and cost targets, measure them and use the data to drive decisions.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, working collaboratively with people at every level, from technicians to executive leadership.

• Strong project management, analytical skills and attention to detail, with sound independent judgment on complex, broad-scope problems.

• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with evolving products, and willingness to be on the floor during critical builds.

• Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions.

Nice to have

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