Head of Electronics Department

About the Role

• Core Focus: Leading engineering teams and driving the full lifecycle of electronics development—from initial technical specifications and prototyping to mass-producible, combat-proven hardware.
• Key Scope: Team leadership, system architecture, R&D process management, risk mitigation, and cross-functional engineering integration across defense electronics.

SPE “Athlon Avia”, a full-cycle Ukrainian research and production enterprise and an industry leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), is seeking an experienced Head of Electronics Department. We are looking for a engineering leader who will own the execution and deliverable quality of our electronic systems—ensuring high reliability, volume manufacturability, and field resilience in combat environments.

In this role, you will lead, scale, and mentor a multidisciplinary team consisting of Schematic Design Engineers, PCB Layout Engineers, and Embedded Systems Engineers.

Core Responsibilities

• Full-Cycle Electronics R&D: Organize and oversee the end-to-end hardware development process in alignment with requirements: from architectural design to system validation.
• Product Lifecycle Ownership: Manage the complete hardware engineering lifecycle: initial architecture → functional prototype → testing → optimization → serial production.
• Resource Planning & Execution: Lead project planning, task prioritization, sprint/milestone scheduling, and delivery quality control.
• Multidisciplinary Team Integration: Ensure seamless collaboration and design synchronization between schematic designers, PCB layout engineers, and embedded software developers.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Coordinate closely with adjacent divisions including R&D, Manufacturing, QA/Testing, Field Service, and Combat Operational Readiness units.
• Design for Excellence (DFX): Enforce engineering adherence to Design for Manufacturability (DFM), operational durability, and field serviceability standards.
• Risk Management & Mitigation: Analyze technical risks, anticipate hardware failure modes, and drive mitigation strategies.
• Standards & Process Optimization: Establish, implement, and refine hardware engineering standards, technical documentation protocols, and internal workflows.
• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Drive talent evaluation, career growth frameworks, technical mentorship, and a high-performance engineering culture focused on end-to-end accountability.

Candidate Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Radio Engineering, Embedded Systems, or a related technical discipline.
• Domain Expertise: Proven track record in hardware and embedded engineering with deep knowledge of the full product development lifecycle.
• Leadership Experience: Experience managing engineering teams (or a strong technical lead ready to step into a department head role).
• Technical Breadth: Strong foundational understanding of schematic design, high-speed PCB routing, embedded firmware, hardware integration, and testing methodologies.
• Requirements Management: Demonstrated capability to translate high-level technical specifications into realistic engineering roadmaps and execution plans.
• Mindset: Strong systems-thinking capability, decision-making agility under uncertainty, and high accountability for operational outcomes.
• Soft Skills: Outstanding communication abilities and stakeholder management skills across executive, technical, and operational teams.
• Industry Background: Prior experience in MilTech / Defense or allied high-reliability sectors is a strong advantage.

What We Offer

• Formal Employment & Social Package: Official employment from Day 1 in compliance with Ukrainian labor laws, including paid annual leave, sick leave, and full social contributions.
• Competitive Compensation: Transparent salary reviews aligned with market dynamics to ensure fair, competitive pay.
• Career Growth & Advancement: Opportunities for horizontal and vertical professional development within a long-term corporate partnership.
• Cutting-Edge Defense Tech: Work alongside leading hardware engineers on vital defense systems.
• 100% Covered Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health coverage prioritizing employee physical and mental well-being.
• 100% Covered English Language Classes: Corporate language training to continuously improve or maintain your English proficiency.
• Military Reservation (Deferment): Official deferment processing initiated starting from your first day of employment.
• Comfortable On-Site Workspace: Well-equipped office space with a dedicated shelter, located within comfortable walking distance of a subway station.