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Hayward, California, United States
Onsite
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 Supervisor leads day-to-day manufacturing execution for new products from engineering and pilot builds through low-rate initial production (LRIP), production ramp, and handoff to sustained operations. This hands-on leader translates product requirements into safe, executable shop-floor plans and serves as the primary Production representative across Manufacturing Engineering, Product Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, Test, and Program Management.
How You’ll Make an Impact:
NPI, Pilot Builds & Manufacturing Readiness
Lead production execution for prototypes, engineering builds, pilot runs, manufacturing trials, LRIP, and new program launches.
Develop and execute build plans and daily schedules aligned with engineering, customer, and program milestones.
Own production readiness for staffing, materials, tooling, fixtures, equipment, workstations, documentation, training, safety, test, and inspection requirements.
Coordinate material readiness and resolve labor, material, quality, equipment, engineering, and process constraints before they affect milestones.
Represent Production in design reviews, readiness reviews, daily build reviews, customer visits, audits, and post-build retrospectives.
Capture lessons learned and drive them into product, tooling, documentation, training, and subsequent build improvements.
Process Validation, Quality & Continuous Improvement
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to validate new processes, tooling, equipment, assembly methods, test flows, and standard work before production release.
Provide structured production-floor feedback on manufacturability, operator experience, process clarity, ergonomics, quality, and throughput; support DFM and DFA activities.
Lead or support root-cause investigations, corrective actions, and recovery plans using structured problem-solving methods.
Ensure compliance with safety, quality, regulatory, customer, and workplace organization requirements, including strong 5S practices.
Support line balancing, workflow design, station optimization, labor planning, and repeatable processes that can scale to full-rate production.
Team Leadership & Build Performance
Provide direct floor leadership for technicians, operators, and leads assigned to NPI and pilot builds; set clear expectations for safety, quality, output, attendance, and accountability.
Plan staffing, workload balance, operator allocation, training, and qualification; develop leads and operators for a successful handoff to sustained production.
Establish build targets, monitor execution, remove blockers, escalate risks, and drive recovery when performance falls behind plan.
Track and communicate schedule attainment, output, first-pass yield, overall yield, scrap/rework, cycle time, labor efficiency, downtime, cost, defects, training readiness, and material constraints.
Provide concise status updates to Production and program leadership on readiness, build progress, risks, owners, corrective actions, and recovery plans.
What Makes You a Good Fit:
Required
5+ years of manufacturing, production, operations, or NPI experience, including 2+ years leading technicians, operators, or production teams in a fast-paced environment.
Experience supporting prototypes, engineering builds, pilot production, LRIP, new product launches, or production ramps.
Strong working knowledge of manufacturing flow, assembly, integration, test, inspection, production scheduling, and shop-floor operations.
Demonstrated ability to identify and resolve constraints involving labor, materials, equipment, processes, quality, or technical requirements.
Ability to interpret production data and use KPIs to prioritize work and drive decisions.
Strong leadership, organization, project coordination, written communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Ability to spend significant time on the production floor and lead effectively amid changing products, priorities, and processes.
Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions.
Preferred
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
Experience in aerospace, defense, robotics, electronics, automotive, or another complex or highly regulated hardware environment.
Experience transitioning products from prototype or pilot production into stable volume manufacturing.
Familiarity with AS9100, Lean manufacturing, 5S, line balancing, standard work, DFM/DFA, and continuous improvement methods.
Experience with ERP/MRP, MES, production scheduling, inventory management, manufacturing data systems, and production training or operator qualification programs.
Compensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $113,750 - $146,250*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.
*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.
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At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.
For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/