Electrical Engineering Manager

Overview

Join our team at Zone 5 Technologies as an Electrical Engineering Manager, where innovation and cutting-edge technology drive us to pioneer advancements in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Based in the vibrant city of San Luis Obispo, California, we're seeking talented individuals to join our growing team and contribute to managing the technical development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

Position Summary

The Electrical Engineering Manager manages a team of Zone 5 electrical and avionics engineers, owning capability development, technical excellence, functional wellbeing, and staffing across multiple programs and IPTs.

This role ensures the electrical engineering discipline consistently delivers high-quality architectures, hardware, and integration support while maintaining the speed, rigor, and safety required for aerospace and weapons-system development.

You will partner closely across Programs, Engineering, and Manufacturing to ensure electrical engineering supports program execution while proactively developing the processes, tools, and people required to scale.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop Electrical Engineers across all levels, ensuring strong technical capability and functional wellbeing.
• Define and maintain EE discipline standards, design practices, and verification methods.
• Assign EE resources to programs and IPTs based on skillset, workload, and priority.
• Ensure delivery of EE architectures, schematics, harness designs, power budgets, and integration documentation.
• Support IPT standups and cross-functional coordination, escalating electrical risks early.
• Provide senior technical guidance on architecture decisions, component trades, and risk mitigation.
• Oversee design reviews (e.g. PDR, CDR, TRR), ensuring rigor, completeness, and configuration control.
• Ensure compliance with relevant aerospace standards (AS9100, DO-160, MIL-STD-704/461).
• Guide root-cause analysis and corrective actions for electrical issues in integration, test, or production.
• Identify and drive capability improvements in tools, processes, and test infrastructure.
• Contribute to proposals by providing EE architectures, cost/schedule inputs, and staffing plans.

Qualifications

Basic expectations for this role include a minimum of,

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience designing and delivering electrical systems for aerospace, defense, or complex hardware products.
• 2+ years of technical leadership experience (team lead, supervisor, or engineering manager).
• Strong expertise in electrical system architecture, power distribution, harnessing, or embedded electronics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment.
• Experience working within a structured engineering framework (requirements, V&V, configuration management).

Our ideal candidate has,

• M.S. in Electrical Engineering or Systems Engineering.
• Prior experience in UAS, missiles, loitering munitions, or safety-critical avionics.
• Familiarity with Altium, Cameo MBSE, DO-178/254, FMEA/FMECA, and environmental testing.
• Experience collaborating with manufacturing teams in a vertically integrated environment.
• SLO: Manager III: $175,000 - $221,000; Manager IV: $195,000 - $243,000
• DFW: Manager III: $147,000 - $190,000; Manager IV: $180,000 - $224,000
• Pay range for this role $147,000 - $243,000 USD

Benefits

• Competitive total compensation package
• Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
• 401k with company-match
• 3 weeks of paid time off each year
• 40 hours of sick time
• 12 annual company holidays