Vice President of Engineering (Palo Alto)

Vice President of Engineering at Microwave Power Products

Location: Palo Alto, CA

Reports to: President

THE OPPORTUNITY

Microwave Power Products (MPP) is seeking a Vice President of Engineering to lead and scale a high-impact engineering organization at the intersection of advanced technology, quality, and global compliance. This role owns the full engineering ecosystem—product development, innovation, quality, and International Trade Compliance—ensuring MPP delivers defect-free, compliant, and commercially successful products today while building the capabilities required for tomorrow.

This is a hands‑on, strategic leadership role for an entrepreneurial engineering executive who thrives in complex, regulated environments and knows how to translate engineering excellence into margin growth, operational efficiency, and customer trust.

What You’ll Do

As Vice President of Engineering, you will set the vision, strategy, and execution roadmap for engineering, quality, and ITC across MPP. You will lead a global organization of 40+ professionals, partnering closely with executive leadership, business unit managers, customers, and external partners to drive innovation, performance, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute engineering and innovation strategies aligned with MPP’s business and growth objectives.
• Lead and evolve Engineering, Quality, and International Trade Compliance functions to ensure product integrity, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
• Drive change management initiatives that modernize engineering processes, improve speed‑to‑market, and increase productivity.
• Oversee NPI, test and qualification, innovation resources, and low‑cost design capabilities to optimize cost, quality, and delivery.
• Own engineering, quality, and ITC budgets, forecasts, KPIs, and performance reporting.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, Finance, and Business Unit leaders to support bookings, margins, customer commitments, and lifecycle management.
• Act as a senior customer‑facing leader—supporting new product requirements, major design changes, qualification testing, and resolution of performance issues.
• Champion continuous improvement across engineering processes, delivering measurable productivity and cost savings.
• Build, develop, and retain top engineering talent through coaching, engagement, succession planning, and knowledge transfer.
• Lead hiring strategy and external partnerships with universities, research institutions, and technology partners to strengthen long‑term capabilities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, providing clear visibility into risks, opportunities, and execution progress.
• Ensure all activities meet the highest standards of ethics, compliance, and regulatory requirements across global operations.

What Success Looks Like

• Engineering is a competitive advantage—driving innovation, reliability, and profitability.
• Products are delivered on time, on spec, and in full compliance with global regulations.
• Margins improve through smarter design choices, disciplined execution, and cost optimization.
• Teams are engaged, developed, and ready for the next generation of leadership.
• Customers view MPP as a “supplier of excellence” across the full product lifecycle.

YOU’RE A STRONG FIT IF YOU BRING SOME OF THE FOLLOWING (NOT ALL REQUIRED)

We recognize that strong candidates may not meet every qualification below. If this role aligns with your experience and interests, we encourage you to apply.

Experience & Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; Master’s degree or MBA is a plus.
• 15+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, industrial, or scientific environments.
• 10+ years leading engineering organizations, including managers and senior technical leaders.
• Proven experience building, scaling, and transforming engineering teams (20+ employees).
• Background in high‑power or vacuum electron devices is a plus.
• Strong business acumen across sales, operations, finance, and product lifecycle management.

Leadership & Skills

• Strategic, decisive leader with a bias for action and results.
• Proven change agent who challenges the status quo and modernizes how engineering operates.
• Customer‑focused and commercially minded—able to connect engineering decisions to revenue and margin outcomes.
• Excellent communicator who builds credibility, trust, and alignment across functions and geographies.
• Strong coach and developer of talent, with demonstrated success in succession planning.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and unwavering commitment to ethics and compliance.
• Comfortable operating in fast‑paced, high‑accountability environments with competing priorities.

This role is restricted to U.S. persons (i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and other protected individuals) due to access to export‑controlled technology.

What We Offer

$200,000 - $300,000 salary depending on experience

We offer our employees an attractive compensation package with competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including health and wellness programs, career development, generous retirement savings plan with company match and more!

Why MPP

For more than 70 years, MPP has designed and built RF and microwave technologies that power critical applications from defense and aerospace communications to advanced medical diagnostics, cancer treatment and scientific reserach. In 2024, MPP joined the TransDigm Group (NYSE: TDG), gaining access to world‑class operational rigor, capital, and resources—while maintaining a fast‑moving, high‑impact engineering culture. This role offers the rare opportunity to lead a technically complex organization with deep legacy expertise and significant runway for modernization, scale, and value creation.

Who We Are

We value the unique and diverse skills, qualities, and backgrounds that each employee brings to MPP, and we respect each employee as an integral member of our growing team. MPP is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all current and prospective employees, as well as to promoting a culture of inclusion and respect for everyone. We celebrate the innovation that diversity creates in the work environment, and we recognize that each employee brings their own unique capabilities, experiences, and perspectives to the organization. It is this variety that adds value to our teams, as well as to our stakeholders. We welcome and encourage applicants to reach their full potential with us.

MPP is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affinitive Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or other applicable legally protected characteristics.