# Head of Manufacturing Engineering Automation & Controls

**Company:** [Skydio](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/skydio)
**Location:** California
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Salary:** $196k – $257k/yr
**Experience:** 12+ years
**Skills:** Plc Programming, Industrial Controls, Industrial Robotics, Motion Control, Machine Vision, Industrial Networking, Sensors, Servo Systems, Scada, Hmi, Mes, Dfm/Dfa, As9100, Industry 4.0
**Posted:** 2026-08-18

> Leads the manufacturing engineering organization responsible for scaling automated production systems for complex unmanned aircraft. The role requires deep factory automation and controls expertise, experience scaling electromechanical products, and a track record of leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Build, lead, and develop the Manufacturing Engineering organization from new product introduction through high-volume manufacturing.
- Define the manufacturing engineering strategy, technical roadmap, organizational structure, and capabilities needed for production growth.
- Partner with Design Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Test Engineering, and Product teams on manufacturability, automation, testability, and scale.
- Establish manufacturing standards, design reviews, equipment specifications, process qualification methods, and production-readiness criteria.
- Lead the architecture, development, deployment, commissioning, and lifecycle management of automated manufacturing equipment and production systems.
- Build capabilities in controls engineering, PLC programming, industrial robotics, motion control, machine vision, industrial networking, sensors, servo systems, safety systems, and automated material handling.
- Establish automation and controls standards for rapid equipment deployment, support, replication, and scaling.
- Develop strategies for manual, semi-automated, and fully automated manufacturing based on production rate, process capability, economics, and product maturity.
- Establish equipment development processes covering requirements, design reviews, FAT/SAT, commissioning, process validation, and production acceptance.
- Manage relationships with external automation integrators and equipment suppliers while developing critical capabilities internally.
- Connect manufacturing equipment with MES, traceability, quality, and factory data systems.
- Develop automated collection and analysis of process parameters, equipment states, cycle times, downtime, quality results, and genealogy.
- Use manufacturing data to identify process drift, predict failures, improve yield, and accelerate root-cause analysis.

## Requirements
- 12+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, automation engineering, controls engineering, equipment engineering, or related disciplines.
- 5+ years leading engineering organizations responsible for manufacturing systems or factory automation.
- Experience scaling complex electromechanical products into high-volume production.
- Experience in aerospace, automotive, robotics, industrial automation, electronics, battery, semiconductor, or another highly engineered manufacturing environment; aerospace experience strongly preferred.
- Deep understanding of manufacturing automation and controls, including several of the following: PLC and industrial controls architectures, robotics and robotic cells, servo and motion-control systems, machine vision, industrial networking and communications, sensors and instrumentation, automated test and inspection, machine safety systems, SCADA/HMI systems, and manufacturing equipment software.
- Experience developing custom production equipment from concept through production deployment.
- Experience developing capital equipment strategies and managing significant CapEx programs.
- Strong understanding of DFM/DFA and the ability to influence product architecture to enable manufacturing scale and automation.
- Experience with configuration management, traceability, process control, and quality systems.
- Ability to recruit, develop, and lead multidisciplinary technical organizations.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or a related technical field.

## Nice-to-Haves
- Experience scaling aerospace or similarly complex hardware from low-rate initial production to hundreds or thousands of units per month.
- Experience building an automation and controls engineering function from the ground up.
- Experience designing manufacturing systems for complex electromechanical products involving mechanical assemblies, electronics, motors, sensors, batteries, or composites.
- Familiarity with AS9100 and other aerospace manufacturing and quality frameworks.
- Experience with MES, equipment connectivity, manufacturing data infrastructure, and Industry 4.0 architectures.
- Experience with automated inspection, machine vision, robotic assembly, dispensing, fastening, material handling, or automated test systems.
- Experience developing standardized automation platforms replicated across multiple production lines or factories.
- Experience in fast-growth hardware organizations where product design and manufacturing systems evolve simultaneously.
- Master's degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent technical experience.

## Compensation & Benefits
- Annual base salary: **$196,000-$257,000**.
- Equity in the form of stock options.
- Comprehensive health insurance plans.
- Paid vacation, sick leave, holiday pay, and 401(k) savings plan.
- Relocation assistance may be available for eligible roles.
- FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days is strongly encouraged and required for certain positions.

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