{"id":3687422,"url":"https://alion.io/job/skydio-director-npi-operations-engineering","title":"Director, NPI Operations Engineering","company":{"id":6786,"name":"Skydio","domain":"skydio.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/skydio","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":73,"open_postings":26,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.885,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":64,"computed_at":"2026-11-08T05:47:12Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["San Mateo, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":229500,"max":302500,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":302500},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":true,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"FMEA","optional":false},{"name":"Statistical Process Control","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-03T14:51:09Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-03","last_verified_at":"2026-11-08T05:49:17Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":4,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":4},"description":"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.\nAbout the Role:\nThe NPI Operations Engineering leader builds and leads the team responsible for making Skydio's next generation of autonomous robotics, including drones, docks and accessories, at our internal manufacturing facility in Hayward. You’ll deliver the process, manufacturing know-how and technology needed to build the most capable flying robots on the planet. The team combines Manufacturing Design Engineering and Supply Base Engineering into one organization that is 100% focused on new product development.\nYou will own the manufacturability of every new product: assembly time, assembly yield and the processes, fixtures, equipment and supplier readiness needed to hit them. You and your team will engage with Product Engineering from early architecture, carry products through EVT, DVT and PVT, and hand them to Process Engineering for sustaining once they meet clear production-readiness criteria.\nThis is a leadership role with significant scope to shape how Skydio develops hardware. You'll set the team's direction, hire and grow engineers, and be the single operations voice in product development. Sustaining engineering for products already in production sits with Process Engineering, so this team stays focused on getting new products right before they reach the line.\nHow You’ll Make an Impact:\nOwn manufacturability of new products\nOwn the operations engineering development for NPI programs across supply chain and in-house manufacturing\n\nDrive design-for-manufacturing, assembly and serviceability (DFx) input from early architecture onward\n\nSet and commit to assembly time and assembly yield targets for each new product, and track them at every build\n\nOwn operations sign-off at product development gates, and escalate manufacturability risks with clear trade-offs\n\nUse PFMEA, DFM reviews and prototype yield, quality and process data to align product design with manufacturing strategy\n\nIdentify manufacturing risks early and drive mitigation plans to closure before production ramp\n\nLead NPI execution through production readiness\nOwn the manufacturing plan for new products and major design changes, from prototype through PVT\n\nDefine assembly flow, line layout, fixtures and equipment for new products, with labor, cost and capacity estimates that sharpen at each build\n\nCoordinate engineering, design and production validation builds with Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Test and Quality\n\nDefine production-readiness and handoff criteria, and lead manufacturing readiness reviews\n\nDevelop and continuously improve Skydio's NPI process\n\nTransfer products to Process Engineering with complete documentation, released tooling, and yield and cycle time at target\n\nDevelop processes, fixtures and assembly equipment\nOwn development and validation of assembly processes, including mechanical assembly, electronics integration, adhesive bonding, fastening, soldering and calibration\n\nOwn design and qualification of assembly fixtures, error-proofing, and assembly equipment such as dispense systems and torque-controlled drivers\n\nOwn the capital budget for new-product assembly fixtures and equipment. Capital for the running production line stays with Manufacturing\n\nDevelop process specifications, control plans, component and assembly CTQs, inspections, inline tests, work instructions and manufacturing BOMs, all complete before handoff\n\nUse statistical process control (SPC), capability studies and structured experiments to establish robust process windows\n\nDevelop core manufacturing technologies\nBuild a roadmap of core process technologies that future products depend on, such as waterproofing and ingress protection, conformal coatings, sealing and advanced bonding\n\nPartner with material suppliers, equipment vendors and technology partners to develop, qualify and industrialize these processes ahead of product need\n\nServe as the technical owner for these technologies after production launch\n\nLead supply base engineering for new products\nDrive supplier selection, part qualification and supplier process readiness for new products\n\nOwn NPI automation at the process level during development, and partner with the Factory Automation team for production handoff\n\nWork with suppliers on component DFM, process capability, capacity and quality before production launch\n\nPartner with Supply Chain and Quality on make-versus-buy decisions, supplier development and capital business cases\n\nLead and build the team\nSet the vision, strategy and execution plan for NPI Operations Engineering\n\nLead, hire and develop a team of manufacturing design engineers and supply base engineers, acting as the team's lead technical expert and mentor\n\nIntegrate MDE and SBE into one team with shared programs, goals and ways of working\n\nSet priorities and staffing across multiple concurrent programs and SKUs at different stages, working with leaders across the company to understand build targets and focus the team on hitting them\n\nProtect the team's focus on new products, with a clean handoff to Process Engineering for sustaining\n\nBuild an inclusive, diverse, engaged and high-performing team through a mix of external hiring and developing internal talent, with regular coaching and growth opportunities\n\nBuild a culture of technical rigor, ownership and close partnership with design engineering\n\nCollaboration\nWork closely with Product Engineering leaders on airframes, propulsion, cameras, sensors, batteries, gimbals and payloads\n\nAlign with Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Test Engineering and Automation Engineering on capacity, equipment and handoff plans\n\nCommunicate program status, risks and manufacturability trade-offs clearly to executive leadership\n\nWhat Makes You a Good Fit:\nBachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial or Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.\n\n10+ years of hands-on experience in manufacturing engineering, NPI or production engineering for complex electromechanical products, ideally including high-volume production.\n\n[4+] years leading engineering teams, including hiring and developing engineers [and managers].\n\nA track record of taking multiple complex hardware products from early development into high-quality production.\n\nDeep expertise in DFM/DFA and a history of influencing product design early, not only fixing problems at the build.\n\nHands-on fixture design experience, and a strong understanding of factory lines, assembly flow and how to optimize them.\n\nSPC, Lean and Six Sigma experience.\n\nExperience working with suppliers on part qualification, process capability and production readiness.\n\nStrong data skills: you set yield, cycle-time and cost targets, measure them and use the data to drive decisions.\n\nExcellent interpersonal and communication skills, working collaboratively with people at every level, from technicians to executive leadership.\n\nStrong project management, analytical skills and attention to detail, with sound independent judgment on complex, broad-scope problems.\n\nComfort working in a fast-paced environment with evolving products, and willingness to be on the floor during critical builds.\n\nObtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions.\n\nNice to have\nExperience with drones, aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems or consumer electronics.\n\nExperience developing waterproofing and ingress-protection solutions (IP-rated products), conformal coating, sealing or adhesive processes.\n\nExperience with PCBAs, cameras and optics, gimbals, inertial sensors, motors, batteries or composite structures.\n\nExperience working with contract manufacturers or managing NPI across in-house and outsourced production.\n\nCompensation: 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 $229,500 - $302,500*. 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.\n*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.\n#LI-AR2\nAt 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.\nQualified 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.\nFor 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/","description_format":"text","description_chars":10237,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Equity","Growth opportunities","Health insurance","Relocation assistance","Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Drones & UAVs","Computer Vision","Military Drones","Drone AI"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-03T15:24:24Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":0,"sanctioned_now":false,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 34 · green card filings: 6","filings_12m":34,"filings_prev_12m":24,"green_card_filings_12m":6,"median_offered_wage_usd":198500,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-11-07T07:57:00+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":2}],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":4,"expected_fill_days":64,"reasons":["seen:4","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-08T05:47:12Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":302500,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/skydio-director-npi-operations-engineering","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/skydio-director-npi-operations-engineering.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-08T09:31:07Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":20685,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-09T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":6786},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=6786"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fskydio-director-npi-operations-engineering"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fskydio-director-npi-operations-engineering"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fskydio-director-npi-operations-engineering"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/skydio-director-npi-operations-engineering\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fskydio-director-npi-operations-engineering"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3687422}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"skydio.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3687422},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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