Lead Hardware Systems Architect & Tech Lead

This role serves as the technical cornerstone of hardware development and system integration at D-Fend Solutions, a leader in cyber-takeover counter-drone technology. You will bridge high-level system requirements with physical deployment reality, acting as the designated Tech Lead driving day-to-day engineering execution. You will orchestrate the integration of complex tactical sensor suites, including SDR, radar, EO/IR cameras, and jamming payloads, and steer hardware through its entire lifecycle while implementing Design for Excellence frameworks.

Responsibilities

• System of Systems Integration: Architect, model, and define hardware-level interfaces and high-speed data flow paths for multi-sensor integration (SDR, Active/Passive Radar, EO/IR Cameras, and RF Jamming payloads).
• Requirements Definition: Translate high-level operational and product demands into detailed, actionable hardware and system-level requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and structural specifications.
• System Modeling: Establish and manage rigorous physical power, thermal, high-speed data bandwidth, and RF link budgets for deeply integrated tactical configurations.
• Technical Ownership: Direct day-to-day engineering activities, lead comprehensive design reviews, and serve as the final authority on architectural and hardware design trade-offs.
• Product Lifecycle Management (PLCM): Guide hardware products smoothly through the entire lifecycle—from early concept and prototyping to mass production, validation, field deployment, and subsequent obsolescence management.
• Cross-Functional Orchestration: Align and coordinate specialized teams across RF/Analog, high-speed digital, FPGA, embedded software, and mechanical engineering to achieve seamless hardware/software synergy.
• Test Strategy Definition: Architect and define the end-to-end testing, verification, and validation (V&V) strategy for complex hardware-software systems.
• Progressive Integration: Design and oversee methodical integration plans, successfully migrating subsystems from standalone bench testing to full "System of Systems" integration.
• System Verification: Oversee high-reliability Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, RF performance verification, and automated test regression setups.
• Operational Validation: Partner with field testing and QA teams to design real-world tactical validation scenarios (including drone flight trials and complex RF interference environments) to ensure top performance in the field.
• DFx Implementation: Drive critical design decisions optimizing for manufacturability (DFM), automated testing (DFT), reliability (DFR), and target cost (DFC) without sacrificing tactical performance.
• Tactical Ruggedization: Ensure all physical architectures are designed to withstand harsh outdoor deployments, aligning with rigorous international and military standards (MIL-STD-810G, IP66/67, and MILSTD-461 EMI/EMC).

Requirements

• Education: B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline. M.Sc. is highly preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years of hardware and systems engineering experience, including a minimum of 4+ years
• leading complex technical projects or driving system architecture.
• Industry: Proven track record of shipping defense, aerospace, or advanced commercial telecom/tactical rugged systems to market.
• SDR & Core Hardware Foundations: Strong hands-on background in high-performance digital and RF design.
• Proficient in selecting, configuring, and integrating SoCs, FPGAs (e.g., AMD/Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+, RFSoC), RF transceivers, and high-speed converters.
• Multi-Sensor Systems: Deep practical experience integrating diverse hardware subsystems (e.g., SDR sensors, active radar systems, EO/IR cameras, tactical communication networks, and RF jamming architectures).
• Systems Engineering Mastery: Expert capability in technical writing, formal requirements management, writing complex ICDs, and performing SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) optimizations.
• IV&V Methodologies: Thorough understanding of Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, environmental stress screening (ESS), and field testing protocols for complex RF products.
• PLCM & Design Tools: Practical experience working with modern Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools, CAD/EDA tools, and implementing structured hardware release flows.
• Electrical Integrity: Solid comprehension of high-efficiency Power Distribution Networks (PDN), thermal dissipation strategies, and high-speed PCB stack-up design.
• Assertive Project Driver: Natural capability to lead and inspire highly specialized R&D teams, resolve technical disputes objectively, and maintain high project execution velocity.
• Strategic Communicator: Outstanding capacity to articulate deep, complex multi-system technical challenges into structured, actionable items for engineering teams and concise strategic summaries for executive leadership.