Director of Engineering

About the role

WHO WE ARE Aurelius is the autonomous directed energy company. We are a group of engineers, operators, and company patriots building American-made, laser-based, counter-UAS defense systems that neutralize aerial threats. We're a small team that designs in San Francisco, manufactures in Detroit, and field tests Archimedes, our fiber-laser counter-UAS system, weekly on our own 400-acre private range. ABOUT THE TEAM You'll own the path from R&D to production across the whole system, and run the engineering org that executes it. This is the person who turns a demonstrator into a weapon system. You'll lead across software, firmware, controls, hardware integration, and test, and drive the handoff from a lab system to one that survives downrange and can be built at volume. You set technical direction, and you stay close enough to be useful in the lab and on the range. As a Director of Engineering you will set technical direction, stand up the R&D to production transition, and build the team that delivers field-ready systems at volume. You'll work daily with the technical leads, manufacturing in Detroit, and the programs team that sits with customers. MUST-HAVES - Significant leadership of multi-disciplinary technical teams, with a track record taking complex hardware and software systems from R&D through production or field deployment - You can earn the respect of specialists across software, controls, and hardware even if you are not the deepest person in every domain - Demonstrated ability to scale teams and turn ambiguity into high-performing execution - Comfort operating hands-on in a lab and on a test range, not just in planning tools - U.S. citizenship (required for export control). WHAT YOU'LL OWN Priority deliverables in the first 6 months: - A clear technical direction and authority architecture across software, firmware, controls, hardware integration, and test - The R&D to production plan: what has to be true for subsystems to be field-ready and manufacturable, with owners and dates - Field test leadership for upcoming range campaigns, from test article design through scoring system performance in non-lab conditions - A hiring and team structure plan for the engineering org, and the first key seats filled or in late stages - A working interface with programs and customers so mission requirements turn into engineering execution, not a pile of tickets NICE TO HAVES It would help if… - Directed energy or high energy laser weapon system experience - Experience standing up engineering processes and tooling for a scaling org - Track record of hiring and growing senior technical talent - Active security clearance or ability to obtain one. NOT A FIT IF - You're a people leader who has stepped away from the technical work and would not be useful in the lab or on the range - You've only managed a single discipline, or you've never taken a system through production or field deployment - You need remote or hybrid work HOW WE WORK At Aurelius we work what we call, 5+X. Our core operating hours are 5 days a week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Pacific Time. The X is the honest acknowledgment that hard work sometimes takes more. For engineering, that means late nights and weekends during sprints and ramp-up periods. For growth, ops, and support, it means conferences, deployments, and events when the mission calls for it. This role is onsite 5 days a week in San Francisco. BENEFITS At Aurelius Systems, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package is available at little to no cost to employees and supports health, recovery, and whatever comes next. Explore Our Benefits https://www.aureliussystems.com/careers#:~:text=Explore%20Our%20Benefits. EXPORT CONTROL NOTICE This role requires access to export-controlled information or items and requires U.S. citizenship. NOT A PERFECT FIT? Email our Head of Talent, alfredo@aureliussystems.us with your the most extraordinary thing you've built or done.