Executive Director, Test Engineering

Iridium Satellite LLC•Chandler, AZ

48d•Hybrid

About The Position

Iridium is seeking an accomplished and visionary Executive Director, Test Engineering to oversee the strategic direction, planning, and execution of system integration and verification across Iridium's entire portfolio - including new products, services, and operational capabilities. In this role, you will lead the teams responsible for ensuring that every Iridium product and service - from subscriber equipment to satellite and gateway systems - meets the highest standards of performance, reliability, and scalability. As a strategic leader, you will develop and manage multi-year CAPEX and OPEX budgets, drive long-term planning to transform and continue scaling integration and verification, and guide a talented team of directors, managers, engineers, and technical experts across every aspect of the network. This is an exceptional opportunity for a senior technology leader who thrives at the intersection of engineering innovation, operational excellence, and global impact.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or a related technical program of study
15+ years of experience in satellite or terrestrial telecommunications industry
10+ years of experience in technical development management (i.e., hardware and software)
Strong project management and engineering experience, specifically in satellite, radio, and communications development, with demonstrated track record of achieving deliverables
Strong communication skills and ability to adapt to the audience, from engineers to the CEO
Capable of being a strong motivator and source of direction for your team and exemplifying commitment to the company's goals
Excellent leadership qualities and the means to hold yourself and others accountable for their work
Must possess a strategic mindset, be capable of planning objectives for a large organization, and making informed decisions on major, corporate-wide strategic initiatives
Ability to manage significant and unique challenges that impact the achievement of company goals
Ability to lead team relationships and dynamics, ensuring active engagement and communication across all members
This position directly performs under, supports, or is exposed to a U.S. government contract. To comply with the requirements of that U.S. government contract, applicants for this position must be U.S. citizens
NOTE: This is a hybrid role, where the expectation is that you perform your work in the office 3-4 days per week
Be able to travel domestically and internationally as needed
Have or be eligible to obtain security clearance

Nice To Haves

Specific experience with the following:
Hardware and software development of satellite, telecommunications, or terminal devices
Comprehensive technical knowledge of communications systems and protocols such 3GPP cellular, IP Networking, VoIP, MPLS, etc.
Experience with AI tools and services to improve engineering productivity
Training/coursework in satellite communications, software/hardware development, or new advanced protocols

Responsibilities

Provide strategy and direction for Integration & Verification (I&V) team, including management oversight, best practices, resource planning, mentoring, and succession planning
Serve as the site leader for the Technical Service Center (TSC), manage the company's test assets, maximize their utilization, drive improvements, anticipate technology refresh, and maintain operational readiness as the disaster recovery (DR) backup
Develop a testing automation roadmap focused on scaling the test function, improving test intervals, and reducing field escapes
Represent I&V functions at various regular reviews and meetings including executive leadership meetings, Monthly Operations Review (MOR), Technology Review, Network Architecture Council, and various network change control boards by effectively presenting information, driving discussions, and responding to various scenarios across the organization
Lead cross-functionally within Technology Development Operations (TDO), to ensure product and service teams are delivering the right quality into I&V and are getting the right support from the I&V team
Lead, motivate, and grow the I&V team and other Iridium staff based at the TSC
Manage subcontractors to established performance goals
Host and manage technical inter-exchange meetings (TIMs) at major milestones such as Technical Requirements Reviews
Be responsible for the application for registration and licensing for non-ionizing radiation from the Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency

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