VP R&D – Lead R&D in a Defence Tech Startup

We are looking for an experienced VP R&D to lead a multidisciplinary engineering organization developing advanced UAV and autonomous systems.

Reporting directly to the CEOש, this role will lead the company’s Software, Hardware, DevOps, Integration, and Engineering teams, while driving the technological roadmap and supporting the company’s transition from startup development to scalable product delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead multidisciplinary R&D and Engineering teams

Define and execute the technology and product development roadmap

Build effective management routines, development processes, and engineering standards

Drive end-to-end product development, integration, testing, and deployment

Lead productization, scale-up, and transition to production

Own system architecture, technical priorities, resources, and risk management

Support field trials and customer deployments in Israel and abroad

What We’re Looking For:

Previous experience as VP R&D, Director of R&D, or Head of Engineering

Proven experience managing multidisciplinary Software and Hardware teams

Strong background in complex, multidisciplinary products

Experience taking products from development to production and customer deployment

Strong leadership, execution, and scale-up capabilities

Ability to combine strategic thinking with deep technical involvement

Advantages:

UAV, drone, robotics, or autonomous systems experience

Defence, HLS, or mission-critical systems background

Embedded Linux, NVIDIA Jetson, Computer Vision, or Real-Time systems

NPI and transfer-to-production experience