Solutions Engineer - State, Local, Educational (SLED) Corrections Security

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

About the Role

Skydio is looking for seasoned corrections security professionals to join our team of Solutions Engineers. In this capacity you will be responsible for demonstrating Skydio's end-to-end autonomous dock solutions for site security across state Departments of Corrections (DOCs), county jails, and other correctional facilities. A successful candidate has worked inside security operations at a correctional facility, understands how the facility runs day to day, has a thorough understanding of their pain points, loves to travel, and is detail oriented — able to conduct thorough discovery, run trials inside live secure facilities, capture the customer feedback that guides product development, and work cross-functionally to prepare Customer Success Plans. Priority will be given to candidates who have deployed security technology inside a correctional facility, such as video management, perimeter intrusion detection, contraband detection, or access control.

This is a remote role. Travel of 50 to 75% is required to support customer engagements, field activities, deployments, team onsites, and company events.

This role reports to the Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering – State, Local, Educational (SLED) Corrections, Campus, and Ports Security.

About the Team

The SLED Solutions Engineering team is the technical arm of Skydio's state and local go-to-market motion. We sit between the agency and the product: turning operational problems into program designs, proving capability in the field, and making sure Skydio's products are used, integrated, and flown at scale.

The team is measured on technical win rate, trial and proof of concept outcomes, program expansion, site assessment quality, and the requirements we push back into the product organization.

Solutions Engineers are critical members of the Skydio organization and work closely with Key Account Leaders, Engineering, and Product to support deal progression, customer confidence, successful deployments, and the long-term success of Public Safety sUAS programs.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Collaborate with Departments of Corrections and correctional facility leadership to understand their security operations and develop tailored drone solutions as a trusted expert and an integral member of the account team.

• Conduct product demonstrations and lead dock trials inside correctional facilities, working within facility security procedures, access controls, and post orders.

• Ensure the smooth integration of technology into facility operations and existing systems, including video management, perimeter detection, and facility control rooms, and support agency IT and cybersecurity reviews.

• Own site assessment quality in your accounts. Solutions Engineers are the DRI for verifying a dock location before deployment, and the quality of the resulting installation reflects on the team.

• Run proofs of concept to a standard: structured deployments tied to an active opportunity with measurable operational value, not casual evaluations.

• Support the airspace path your programs need, including BVLOS approvals, waivers, COAs, remote and docked operations, and the flight restrictions some correctional facilities fall under.

• Gather and analyze customer feedback to inform product improvements, work with cross-functional teams on Customer Success Plans, and help build the trial templates, site survey guides, and SOPs for this new segment.

What Makes You a Good Fit

• Deep understanding of correctional facility security operations, including counts, movement, post assignments, perimeter security, contraband interdiction, and incident response.

• 5+ years of experience in security operations at a state, county, or federal correctional facility.

• Experience deploying or supporting security technology inside a correctional facility, and an understanding of how it is approved and adopted, including the role of IT, security, and labor stakeholders. Strongly preferred.

• Strong understanding of drone technology, sUAS operations, and regulatory compliance.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically in high-pressure situations.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication. You can brief an officer, a warden, and a commissioner without changing the facts.

• Comfort operating inside a Sales organization, including the judgment to know when to commit technical time and when to decline.

Nice to Have

• Prior service in a security supervisory or leadership role, such as sergeant, shift commander, captain, or security director.

• Experience with contraband detection and interdiction technology, such as body scanners, cell phone detection, managed access systems, or counter-drone systems.

• Familiarity with Drone as First Responder concepts of operation, dock-based remote operations, or counter-UAS programs.

• Familiarity with American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation standards.

• Familiarity with how drone contraband deliveries are detected and countered at correctional facilities, including the technical limits of detection systems and the regulatory limits on mitigation.

• Experience with correctional emergency response, such as escape response, perimeter breach procedures, or Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT) operations.

• Familiarity with grant funding pathways and cooperative purchasing vehicles used by state and local agencies.

What Is Required

• FAA Part 107 Certificate, or the ability to obtain one within 60 days of hire.

• Ability to travel 50 to 75% of the time.

• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs unaided.

• Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions.

Compensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary + commission range for this position is $150,000 - $200,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

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At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

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