Technical Partnerships Lead (Senior individual contributor)
Company:
Performance Drone Works (PDW)
PDW designs, engineers and manufactures high-performance small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) for the modern warfighter — combining mission insight, rapid iteration, technical rigor and scalable U.S. manufacturing.
Markets:
USA & Ukraine (defense technology) — from JD;
Team size
250+
Role description & who We are looking for
PDW's senior day-to-day interface with Ukrainian defense-tech companies, engineers, operators, manufacturers and ecosystem leaders — builds trusted relationships, connects technical teams and turns shared ambition into executable programs. Calls for an engineer's curiosity, a partnership leader's presence and a program owner's follow-through.
Key responsibilities
Own priority Ukrainian partner relationships;
technical translation & diligence of data packages (designs, BOM, interfaces, test evidence, quality docs);
convert MOUs into work plans, milestones and owners;
build export-authorization inputs with Legal/Export Compliance; prepare and support visiting/embedded PDW engineering teams.
Requirements (must-have)
Bachelor's in engineering (or equivalent) + 5+ yrs in defense tech / aerospace / UAS / advanced manufacturing / field engineering / technical program leadership;
professional Ukrainian & English;
can interpret designs, drawings, BOM, test reports, quality evidence;
strong program-management discipline;
authorized to work in Ukraine, Kyiv-based, willing to travel.
Nice-to-have
UAS, counter-UAS, FPV, sensors, comms, autonomy, EW, technical partnerships, systems integration, manufacturing transfer, export workflows, or Ukraine's defense-tech ecosystem.
Terms of engagement
Target start date:
15 September 2026
Probation period (length):
3 months (negotiable)
Working conditions / benefits:
24 days of vacation; computer and other equipment provided; bonus eligibility based on performance; health care; educational reimbursement for relevant courses, seminars and conferences.
Reservation from mobilisation (Ukraine):
No reservation from mobilisation provided.
Polygraph required:
No polygraph required. A full background check will be conducted after the job offer and before the official start of work; a successful background check is required to be hired.
Technical Partnerships Lead (Senior individual contributor)
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