Technical Lead Manager, Flight Controls

About Us: 

Xwing is a cutting-edge aerospace technology company focused on revolutionizing the future of aviation. Backed by industry veterans and top-tier investors, our mission is to build a safer, more efficient, and more accessible air transportation system powered by autonomous flight. By combining artificial intelligence, proprietary software, and hardware solutions, Xwing is bringing uncrewed aircraft to commercial aviation. We are computer scientists, roboticists, and aerospace experts who are at the forefront of the transformation of the aviation industry.

Founded in 2016, Xwing is based in Northern California with offices in San Francisco and in Concord, CA. In 2021, Xwing completed the world's first fully autonomous cargo flight with a remote crew supervising the flight from the ground. In 2023, Xwing became the first company with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification project for an uncrewed aircraft system for large aircraft.  

Visit xwing.com to learn more, and see all available positions under "Careers" to join our rapidly growing team.

Who We’re Looking For:

Xwing is seeking an experienced Flight Controls Lead to lead our Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) engineering team.  You will be a key technical leader in our Engineering organization, establishing and fostering best practices for delivering the flight control toolbox that Xwing will use on current and future aviation autonomy programs. Your extensive experience in flight controls, algorithm development, and cross-team collaboration will play a critical role in shaping the future of the GNC team at Xwing. Your desire and demonstrated ability to lead teams will be essential to guiding the growth and development of your team. 

Responsibilities:

1. Leadership:

• Provide technical guidance and leadership to the GNC team.
• Oversee the development and optimization of flight control algorithms and systems.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and safety regulations in flight control design.
• Mentor and coach team members to foster their professional growth.
• Evaluate team performance, provide feedback, and facilitate skill development.

2. Algorithm Development:

• Utilize your expertise in flight control algorithms to design and implement reliable and safe solutions.
• Conduct analysis and simulations to optimize flight control performance.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Collaborate with hardware, software, and testing teams to integrate flight control systems.
• Communicate technical concepts and project updates to non-technical stakeholders.
• Working in an agile environment, coordinate project activities with relevant scrums, including program planning, estimation, and milestone tracking 
• Collaborate with other teams to define project requirements and objectives.
• Apply requirements-based engineering principles to project management, balancing schedule and cost management.
• Support the certification process under evolving regulatory standards such as DO-331 and DO-178C.

Required Qualifications:

• Strong background in algorithm development and simulation tools.
• Bachelor's degree in Controls Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field (graduate degree preferred).
• Knowledge of aerospace simulation and modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB, Simulink).
• Minimum 4 years of experience in flight control systems development.
• Familiarity with industry standards and regulatory requirements in aerospace 
• Exceptional technical problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to implement and test prototype algorithms in at least one programming language or simulation environment. 

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience selecting and testing sensors and/or other hardware
• Experience with autonomous systems
• MS/PhD in a related field (CS / ME / AE / EE)

Compensation & Benefits:

Base Salary range: $185,000 - $ 215,000 a year

Benefits:

• Equity
• 401k
• Unlimited PTO
• Parental leave
• Health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Various voluntary benefits

Employment Terms:

To conform to U.S. Government aerospace technology export regulations (EAR / ITAR), applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations