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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees