Product development manager

Product Engineering ManagerLocation: Thanjavur (On-Site) | Full-timeExperience: Minimum 6–10 years in UAV / Aerospace / Hardware product developmentReports To: CTO / CEOManages: Product Design & Development, UAV Electronics, Software & Integration teamsRole OverviewWe are looking for a highly skilled Product Engineering Manager to lead and manage the engineering teams responsible for the end-to-end development of our UAV platforms. The role requires strong technical depth, leadership capability, and proven experience in taking hardware-software integrated aerospace products from concept to production.You will be responsible for overseeing Product Design (Mechanical & Aerodynamics), Avionics/Electronics Engineering, Software & Integration functions to ensure technical excellence, timely execution, and high-quality deliverables.Key Responsibilities Engineering Leadership & Team Management- Lead, mentor, and manage cross-functional engineering teams (Design, Electronics, Software & Integration).- Allocate tasks, track progress, and ensure timely delivery of engineering milestones.- Set performance expectations, conduct periodic reviews, and drive skill development.- Establish structured engineering processes and documentation standards.Product Development & Technical Ownership- Own the full product lifecycle from concept, prototyping, testing, to production readiness.- Provide technical guidance for aerostructure design, avionics architecture, and embedded software integration.- Review and approve engineering drawings, schematics, FEA/CFD analysis, and test reports.- Work hands-on with teams during design reviews, failure analysis, and root cause resolution.Testing, Validation & Quality- Oversee ground testing, flight validation, reliability testing, and compliance documentation.- Ensure engineering deliverables meet safety, performance, and DGCA/defense requirements.- Identify risks early, derive mitigation strategies, and solve critical technical issues.Cross-Functional Collaboration- Collaborate with production, supply chain, testing, and operations teams for manufacturability and scalability.- Work closely with BD, client demo, and operations teams to translate requirements into technical solutions.- Support prototype builds, field trials, test campaigns, and demonstrations.Planning & Reporting- Build engineering schedules, resource plans, BOM cost controls, and project timelines.- Present engineering status updates, risks, and decisions to leadership.- Ensure clean documentation, configuration management, and version control for all product builds.Required Skills & Experience- 6–10+ years experience in UAV / Aerospace / Robotics / Defense hardware product engineering.- Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.- Strong understanding of aerostructures, composites, propulsion, avionics, embedded systems & integration.- Familiarity with CAD (Solid Works / CATIA), PCB design, PX4/Ardupilot, and systems engineering approaches.- Experience with prototype development, flight testing & troubleshooting.- Excellent communication, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.