Introduction – Why This Role Matters for Insitu
Insitu is redefining the future of unmanned aviation, delivering autonomous vehicle systems and mission solutions that support critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for global defense and security customers. As our Vice President, Engineering and Technology, you will be the senior technical leader guiding the next generation of Insitu’s platforms, payloads, autonomy, and mission services—shaping how our customers sense, decide, and act in the most demanding environments.
This is a high‑impact, enterprise‑wide role that combines technology strategy, engineering leadership, and operational integration. You will report directly to the CEO, lead both Engineering and Flight Operations through your department directors, and set the technical direction that underpins Insitu’s growth, competitiveness, and long‑term innovation roadmap.
Job Description Summary
The Vice President of Engineering and Technology is the company’s senior technical leader and primary technology strategist. This role owns the long‑term technology vision and roadmap for our autonomous systems portfolio and ensures that major business and investment decisions are grounded in deep technical insight and aligned with company strategy and customer mission needs.
The VP, Engineering and Technology sets and communicates the technology direction, architects the product and platform strategy, prioritizes R&D and capital investments, and maintains a coherent “system‑of‑systems” vision across platforms, payloads, autonomy, ground systems, and data/software.
This role reports to the Chief Executive Officer and is a key member of the executive leadership team, acting as the company’s chief technical authority and external technology ambassador.
The Engineering and Flight Operations departments both report directly to this position. The VP, Engineering and Technology provides executive leadership and guidance to both organizations and is accountable for integrating Engineering and Flight Operations to deliver safe, reliable, and innovative autonomous vehicle systems and mission services that meet customer, quality, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
Key Responsibilities
1. Technology Vision, Strategy & Architecture
- Own and continuously evolve the company’s multi‑year technology vision and roadmap for unmanned and autonomous systems, aligned with long‑range business plans, customer mission outcomes, and innovation priorities.
- Lead portfolio‑level technology and architecture decisions (e.g., make/buy/partner, modularity vs. integration, open architectures) to optimize capability, schedule, lifecycle cost, and technical risk.
- Translate emerging tech trends (autonomy/AI, advanced sensors, secure networking, cloud‑enabled mission services, digital engineering) into concrete, prioritized roadmaps and investment themes.
- Chair key technical governance forums (e.g., Architecture Review Board, Design Authority reviews) to maintain technical integrity, reuse, and common standards across programs.
2. Innovation, R&D & Productization
- Drive a focused, high‑impact R&D portfolio aligned with the technology strategy and customer needs, making clear go/hold/stop decisions on major technology bets.
- Guide the maturation of technologies from concept and prototype through flight test, production, and in‑service evolution.
- Sponsor and review research and case studies on leading‑edge technologies, identifying differentiating capabilities and ensuring rapid learning cycles (demo, test, iterate).
3. Chief Technical Authority & Governance
- Serve as the company’s ultimate technical authority for key design and architecture decisions, technical risk acceptance, and technology trade‑offs.
- Establish and track key technical KPIs/OKRs (e.g., defect rates, design cycle times, test coverage, reliability metrics) and drive continuous improvement based on data.
4. Engineering & Flight Organization Leadership
- Lead and integrate a multi‑disciplinary Engineering organization (Systems, Software, AI/Autonomy, Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Payloads, Test) to deliver cohesive, high‑impact solutions for global defense and security customers.
- Scale and structure the Engineering and Flight Operations organizations to meet strategic growth; assign authority and responsibility to department directors and their leadership teams, and monitor execution.
- Build and maintain a strong technical ladder, including Principal/Chief Engineers, to provide deep expertise, mentorship, and design leadership across programs.
- Provide strategic oversight and technical direction through the Director, Flight Operations to ensure operations (flight test, training, deployed missions) are tightly integrated with the technology roadmap and product strategy
5. Customer, Market & Ecosystem Engagement
- Engage directly with key customers, end‑users, and partners to understand mission problems, shape the technology roadmap around real operational needs, and advocate for investment priorities.
- Represent the company’s technology strategy and capabilities at customer briefings, industry events, standards bodies, and with key suppliers, serving as an external technical thought leader.
- Provide authoritative technical input to major pursuits and strategic partnerships, including solution architectures, discriminators, and risk/feasibility assessments.
6. Executive Leadership, Culture & Governance
- Partner with Programs, Operations, Product Lines, Business Development, and Finance to ensure technology strategy and engineering execution support growth, profitability, and long‑range business plans.
- Lead, mentor, and inspire Engineering and Flight Operations leadership and their teams, reinforcing a culture of technical excellence, safety, integrity, and accountability.
- Build and sustain an inclusive, high‑performance culture that attracts, develops, and retains top technical and operational talent.
- Own Engineering and Flight Operations budgets and resource plans, ensuring investments and staffing align with strategic priorities and program commitments.
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a closely related technical discipline from an accredited institution.
Experience
- Extensive experience in aerospace, defense, and/or autonomous systems, with significant time in senior technical leadership roles (e.g., Vice President, Chief Engineer, Head of Engineering, or equivalent).
- Demonstrated experience defining and executing technology strategy and technical roadmaps for complex, software‑enabled hardware products.
- Proven track record partnering with Programs/Operations and Business Development to deliver on schedule, on budget, and to spec for government or highly regulated customers.
- Demonstrated success managing sizable departmental budgets and contributing to annual operating plans and long‑range business planning.
- Ability to engage credibly at a deep technical level (e.g., architecture trade‑offs, algorithm performance, system safety, test strategies) while maintaining a portfolio‑level strategic view.
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills
- Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high‑performing technical organizations in fast‑paced, mission‑driven environments.
- Strong cross‑functional collaboration skills, with the ability to influence and align stakeholders from engineering, operations, programs, finance, and business development.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics in clear business and operational terms to executives, customers, and partners.
- Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguity, make sound decisions with incomplete data, and drive clarity, focus, and accountability.
Desired Qualifications
- Ability to obtain or maintain a Secret Security Clearance
- Prior experience as a senior technology leader (e.g., VP‑level Engineering/Technology, Chief Engineer) in aerospace, defense, or autonomous systems organizations.
- Deep familiarity with small tactical UAS, ISR mission concepts, and associated ground and data systems.
- Hands‑on or leadership experience in autonomy/AI for UAS, advanced payloads, mission systems, or secure communications networks.
- Demonstrated experience with Profit & Loss responsibility or strong P&L fluency in a technology‑ and operations‑intensive business.
- Familiarity with export control environments (e.g., ITAR/EAR) and experience working with U.S. and/or allied defense and security customers.
This role is eligible for hybrid work. There is a strong preference that this individual is on site at our facilities in Bingen, WA 3+ days/week. The ability to travel is required - travel needs will vary based on customer/partnership opportunities, timing of events, etc.
At Insitu, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
Insitu also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability programs and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.
The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire.
Please note that the salary information show below is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate experience, qualifications and work location.
Typical Hiring Range: 215,000.00 - 295,350.00
Insitu is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
