Deputy Node Lead

Panthalassa • Portland, OR

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Deputy Node Lead is a director-level strategic and execution partner to the Vice President of Node Program, helping lead the company’s largest technical program through its next stages of growth. The role complements the existing Node leadership team with technical breadth, ideally in electrical systems, embedded software, controls, systems engineering, integration and test, or software-enabled hardware programs. The Deputy Node Lead is expected to understand the full program, take direct ownership of responsibilities aligned with their expertise, and lead through influence, credibility, and judgment rather than formal reporting authority.

The role spans the node’s integrated mechanical, electrical, software, controls, data, operations, and ocean-deployment systems. It calls for close technical engagement with engineers as well as communication with executives, and ownership of designs from concept through fabrication and deployment at sea. The company describes its environment as creative, scrappy, and collaborative, with frequent changes in direction based on the best ideas.

This is a full-time, on-site position based in Portland, Oregon. The role requires travel to vendors and test sites as needed, and may intermittently involve longer hours and weekends for critical needs. The company offers flexible working hours and flexible paid time off.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field.
• At least 10 years of experience in complex technical environments, preferably involving integrated hardware/software systems.
• At least 5 years of experience in technical leadership, program leadership, or engineering management.
• Depth in at least one relevant domain, such as electrical systems, embedded software, controls or autonomy, systems engineering, integration and test, software-enabled hardware, enterprise software or data systems, turbomachinery or generators, or manufacturing and operations for complex hardware.
• Experience helping lead large, complex technical programs from planning through execution across areas such as engineering, test, manufacturing, operations, software, or supply chain.
• Strong systems thinking and ability to reason across technical, schedule, cost, resource, and organizational constraints.
• Ability to earn trust with senior technical teams and communicate complex technical topics clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong judgment in ambiguous, fast-moving environments with incomplete information.
• Ability to travel to vendors and test sites as needed.
• Ability to work longer hours and weekends intermittently to support critical needs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as an engineering leader, integrated product team lead, or senior technical program or systems leader on electrical, embedded software, controls, autonomy, or software-intensive hardware programs.
• Experience in ocean technology, energy systems, aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous systems, industrial equipment, or other complex engineered products.
• Strength in influence-based leadership, including coaching, team development, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant technical field.
• PMP, systems engineering, or related certifications.
• Familiarity with Jira, Confluence, MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar planning and execution systems.

Responsibilities

• Deliver node designs and physical nodes that meet performance targets, fit available resources and timelines, and are technically coherent across hardware, software, data, operations, and deployment.
• Lead planning, execution, and delivery of the Node program in partnership with technical program managers, engineering leaders, and functional teams, managing scope, schedule, budget, resources, and dependencies.
• Strengthen program operating rhythms by leading planning cycles, milestone reviews, decision forums, and execution tracking.
• Translate company-level goals into actionable program priorities.
• Identify risks and opportunities early, develop mitigation or capture plans, and provide appropriate organizational visibility.
• Provide strategic leadership for systems engineering, architecture, and integration across mechanical, electrical, software, controls, data, test, operations, and deployment considerations.
• Lead trade studies and decisions involving performance, reliability, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and operational complexity.
• Communicate program status, risks, milestones, decisions, and tradeoffs clearly to executive stakeholders and technical teams.
• Bring clarity to ambiguous technical and organizational contexts, ensuring decisions are made at the appropriate level and clarifying ownership, priorities, interfaces, and decision rights.
• Build trust across engineering, program management, operations, supply chain, finance, and executive stakeholders.
• Coach technical leads through ambiguity, tradeoffs, and execution challenges.

Benefits

• Equity in the company.
• Flexible paid time off.
• Health insurance: the company pays 100% of the gold-level PPO plan for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents.
• Dental insurance: the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents.
• Vision insurance: the company pays 100% for full-time employees, their partners, and dependents.
• Disability insurance, with the company paying 100% for a policy providing long-term financial support in the event of disability.
• Ability to contribute to tax-advantaged accounts, including a 401(k), health FSA, and dependent care FSA.
• Relocation assistance to facilitate a move to Portland, if needed.
• Flexible working hours and a high degree of autonomy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director