At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in precision weapons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Our team of engineers and innovators are developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions to deliver affordable and scalable precision weapons, interceptors, and UAS.

We're building the next generation of munitions and unmanned systems for the United States and its allies. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on defense technology, you belong here.

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).

About Us

At Zone 5 Technologies, we thrive on pushing boundaries and inventing solutions to real-world challenges. Join a community of forward thinkers who collaborate to create impactful products with a global reach. Our team, consisting of engineers and professionals, is prepared to overcome new frontiers and deliver innovative solutions in the field of unmanned aircraft systems.

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.