Director, Hardware Engineering

ROLE OVERVIEW

As Director, Hardware Engineering, you’ll lead REGENT’s hardware engineering organization through its next critical phase - stepping into a team with real momentum and helping evolve it into the high-performing, process-mature organization that can carry Seaglider programs from concept through certification and into production. You’re joining a sizable organization with strong technical talent and real momentum already in motion. This is not a blank-slate build - the foundations are in place, and the next chapter is about strengthening leadership, sharpening execution, and building the systems needed to scale. Your first priority will be to listen, assess, and earn trust: understand where the team is strongest, where friction exists, and what support leaders and engineers need to perform at their best.

From that foundation, you’ll lead the next stage of growth - strengthening the organization where it matters most and building the capabilities required for scale. A core part of the role is coaching and developing functional managers into exceptional leaders: helping them raise performance, grow their teams, navigate tough decisions, and lead with greater clarity and accountability. You’ll build leadership capacity while creating an environment where managers can operate with ownership and consistency. You’ll also raise the bar on execution, mature the processes that enable complex hardware programs to move faster with less risk, and build the cross-functional partnerships that make the broader engineering organization more effective.

As part of Engineering leadership, you’ll co-own REGENT’s engineering operating system: shared standards for configuration management, design reviews, requirements traceability, and documentation that underpin both hardware and software delivery. Working closely with Chief Engineers and PMO, you’ll help ensure the hardware organization delivers consistently across multiple programs.

Success looks like an organization that is stronger, more cohesive, and more scalable than when you arrived - with stronger managers, improved systems, and a team ready to execute through certification and beyond. If you’re energized by inheriting something strong and helping make it exceptional, we’d love to meet you!

Responsibilities

Lead and Strengthen the Hardware Engineering Organization: Own the people, structure, and culture of a 30+ person (and growing!) hardware engineering organization spanning structures, electrical, and mechanical systems; Coach and Develop Functional Managers: Invest deeply in the growth of functional managers and emerging leaders; Own Delivery and Execution Rhythm: Establish clear operating cadences, decision-making mechanisms, and accountability systems that keep work moving; Mature Engineering Processes: Own the hardware side of REGENT’s engineering operating system including configuration management, design review discipline, documentation standards, release processes, and requirements traceability; Build a Stronger Leadership Layer: Create the systems, expectations, and support that allow the next layer of leaders to grow and operate independently; Partner Across Engineering: Work closely with software engineering to co-own shared standards and a unified engineering culture; Align Capacity with Program Demand: Partner with PMO and functional leaders to match resources to program priorities; Drive Execution Across Programs: Ensure the hardware organization’s outputs are synchronized with test campaigns, manufacturing readiness, certification milestones, and program schedules.

Requirements

Proven Senior Engineering Leadership: Demonstrated success leading complex engineering organizations in aerospace, defense, marine, automotive, or other hardware-intensive industries, especially in start-up environments; Experience Leading Leaders: Strong track record of managing and developing engineering managers; Demonstrated Success in Existing Organizations: Proven ability to step into an established organization, quickly assess strengths and gaps, earn trust, and lead meaningful change without disrupting momentum; Process Maturity, Change Management, and Operational Excellence: Experience building, improving, and scaling engineering processes; Broad Technical Fluency: Credible across multiple hardware disciplines including structures, mechanical, electrical, propulsion, and aero/physics; Certification and Production Mindset: Understanding of what it takes to build an engineering organization ready for certification and production; Cross-Functional Leadership: Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with software, manufacturing, program management, and executive leadership; Collaborative Team Player; Creative Problem Solver; Adaptable & Agile; Innovative Mindset

Benefits

Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan; Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance - we cover 100% of your premiums; 401(k) with company matching; Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks; Relocation packages available for those moving to join our team; Daily, free catered lunches; Learning & professional development opportunities