Engineering Manager

Engineering ManagerLOCATION Tempe, AZ (Onsite) ABOUT THE COMPANY Deus X Defense is an emerging leader in autonomous security, deploying drone-based solutions to supplement traditional manned guarding. The company is actively expanding into ground robotics and maritime operations, with a proprietary Command & Control (C2) platform in development that will unify fixed, pivoting, drone, ground robot, and maritime camera feeds into a single integrated operational system. The long-term roadmap includes AI-driven autonomy across all platforms with human-in-the-loop oversight for critical alerts and events.POSITION OVERVIEW The Engineering Manager at Deus X Defense leads a team of engineers while staying hands-on in building and shaping the product. This is a player-coach role — balancing coding, design decisions, and technical problem-solving with guiding the team, removing blockers, and driving execution against company priorities. The ideal candidate is technically deep, mission-obsessed, and ready to build something from the ground up.KEY DELIVERABLES 01 Define key technical gaps and establish a clear plan to address them 02 Own end-to-end development for the Deus X platform 03 Build out a team of internal engineers and partner with external engineering team(s)RESPONSIBILITIES Team Leadership & Development Hire, develop, and lead a high-performing engineering team as the function scales Serve as a player-coach — staying close to the code while guiding and unblocking the team Set engineering standards, drive code quality, and cultivate a strong technical culture Partner with external engineering teams to ensure seamless collaboration and delivery Technical Direction & Architecture Define key technical gaps and own the plan to address them Set architecture and engineering standards across core systems Own end-to-end development of the Deus X Command & Control platform Ensure delivery of scalable, reliable solutions as the business grows Lead technical decisions at the team level, escalating org-level decisions appropriately Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner closely with Product, Drone Operations, and Business Development teams Bring engineering expertise into cross-functional discussions and planning Align technical execution with company priorities and product roadmap Remove blockers and drive execution against key milestonesREQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE Proven experience leading cross-functional engineering teams spanning frontend and backend development Demonstrated track record building UX-heavy platforms with real-time data and information Experience working with modern interfaces at moderate-to-high security levels Hands-on coding ability — comfortable staying technical while leading a team Strong architecture and system design judgment across complex, integrated platformsPREFERRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE We're looking for someone who understands the environment we operate in — not just the technology. Prior exposure to any of the following is a strong plus: Experience in drone technology, autonomous systems, or AI/ML (stretch) Background in real-time operations platforms or command & control systems Familiarity with law enforcement, defense, or public safety operating environments Ability to quickly operate with context and credibility in mission-critical settingsLEVEL OF OWNERSHIP & DECISION MAKING An Engineering Manager at DXD owns both the team and the technical direction. They are responsible for hiring and building a high-performing team, setting architecture and engineering standards, and driving execution across core systems. As a senior leader, they operate with a high level of autonomy — making key technical and team decisions, aligning with company priorities, and ensuring the team delivers scalable, reliable solutions as the business grows.