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techroles

Director of Software Engineering

thinkom Open · verified Oct 24, 2026
Hawthorne Full-time Director Engineering Leadership

At a glance

Director-level Engineering Leadership role at thinkom. Hawthorne · full-time · $170,000–$220,000 base.

SalaryStated by thinkom
$170,000 – $220,000
Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.
RoleEngineering Leadership
SeniorityDirector
LocationHawthorne
EmploymentFull-time
Base pay$170,000–$220,000
PostedSep 11, 2026 · 6w ago
Role brief

techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

  • Set direction for software architecture and AI use, then guide design through integration and testing across products
  • Lead software development, quality assurance and DevOps teams, setting expectations and building capability through coaching and cross-training
  • Plan staffing and program estimates across concurrent work, adjusting assignments to keep delivery on track
  • Strengthen release controls, configuration tracking and quality gates so software acceptance is consistent and traceable
  • Coordinate software requirements with Systems Engineering and support proposals with technical input and design-review materials

What you bring

  • A CS, CE or EE degree, or equivalent industry experience, plus at least ten years in software development
  • At least five years in technical leadership or management, including leading a software organization through process and quality improvements
  • Hands-on background in embedded software, algorithm development and software requirements, with experience in C, C++ or another listed language
  • Experience with Agile delivery, formal configuration and release governance, and regulated export-control environments
  • U.S. citizenship or permanent residency to qualify for the required U.S. DoD clearance

Who this fits

This director role suits an experienced software leader who can guide technical direction and manage development, QA and DevOps teams. Work takes place in office, lab and manufacturing settings, with occasional equipment handling and exposure to testing environments. Travel may reach five percent for vendor visits, customer reviews or off-site testing.

From the employer

Build the Future of High-Performance Connectivity

At ThinKom, we don’t just build antennas - we design high-performance, next-generation mechanical systems that connect the world across air, land, sea, and space. From Inflight Connectivity (IFC) to High-Power Microwave (HPM) systems to Defense SATCOM, our technology operates in some of the world’s most demanding environments.


We foster a collaborative culture that values innovation, technical excellence, continuous learning, and professional growth. If you're looking for an opportunity to solve complex engineering challenges while helping shape the future of advanced antenna and electromagnetic technologies, we encourage you to apply.


POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Software Engineering is a key leadership role responsible for the overall technical direction, strategic planning, and execution of the company's software development initiatives. Supported by technical leads and project managers, this leader will drive software design, project execution, shape product strategy, and manage team growth, ensuring our software products and the engineering organization continue to scale effectively while delivering mature, high-quality, and maintainable systems. Building on a capable, high-performing team and strong delivery momentum, this role is chartered to strengthen and formalize the department’s governance, delivery, and quality processes as the organization continues to scale.


WHAT YOU'LL DO

Leadership & Personnel Management

  • Provide inspirational leadership and mentorship to the SW Development, SW Quality Assurance and SW DevOps teams.
  • Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular evaluations, and foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture, leveraging Agile development methodologies.
  • Be involved in all aspects of talent management and team building.
  • Oversee development of program plan estimates and drive teams to meet the plan.
  • Ensure adequate allocation of resources to support the simultaneous execution of multiple programs and product lines.
  • Establish clear organizational structure, roles, and decision-making authority across the software organization.
  • Build organizational resilience through cross-training, documentation, and succession planning to reduce key-person dependencies.


Technical Strategy & Oversight

  • Develop and champion the long-term approach for software architecture and design and utilization of AI in software development across all products, ensuring new tools and technologies meet applicable security and export-control requirements.
  • Provide effective and efficient design support through the conceptual design, detailed design, integration, and test phases of the software development lifecycle.
  • Prepare and present design, analysis, and test case summary materials for both internal and external design reviews.
  • Oversee the development, integration, and testing of complex system software.
  • Own end-to-end release integrity, ensuring disciplined configuration management, build traceability, and consistent, and repeatable acceptance and release processes.


Process & Quality Improvement

  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives in software development processes, utilization of AI in software development, tooling (e.g., Jira, Confluence), and product quality. Including, developing the business case for significant tooling and infrastructure investments.
  • Monitor project progress, making timely adjustments to assignments and team structure to ensure on-time completion of assigned tasks.
  • Ensure all software designs and development activities adhere to company procedures, SW Security protocols, and corporate policies.
  • Establish and enforce objective quality gates within the development pipeline, and maintain program-level visibility into software cost and schedule performance.


Business & Program Support

  • Support business development activities by providing technical leadership and assistance during proposal efforts.
  • Own the requirements interface with Systems Engineering, ensuring incoming work is clearly defined and adequately specified before being accepted as software tasks.
  • Oversee documentation of software designs, system integration, data collection, and product support as required.


WHAT YOU BRING

Must-Haves

  • BS or MS in CS/CE/EE or equivalent industry experience.
  • 10+ years of professional software development experience, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership or management role, including demonstrated experience leading a software organization through a process/quality maturity uplift.
  • Extensive experience with embedded software coding, algorithm development, and definition of SW requirements.
  • Experience in C, C++, Java, Linux, MATLAB, Python, Bash and other object-oriented programming languages.
  • Experience in Agile Development process.
  • Demonstrated experience establishing or operating formal configuration-management and release-governance processes.
  • Experience operating within ITAR/EAR and export-controlled or similarly regulated environments.
  • Experience in writing detailed test plans and procedures.
  • Technically proficient in MS Office products.
  • U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) required to hold a U.S. DoD Security Clearance in support of U.S. Government contracts.


WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

  • Typical office and lab/manufacturing environments.
  • Ability to lift or move prototype equipment up to 40 lbs on occasion.
  • Comfortable working near testing setups that may involve elevated noise levels, hazardous materials, chemicals, or electromagnetic energy.
  • Willingness to travel up to 5% for vendor visits, customer reviews, or off-site testing.


Salary Range $170,000 - $220,000


ThinKom offer generous benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, 401k Matching (4%), PTO, paid Holidays and Bonus Plan.


ThinKom Solutions is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.


ThinKom Solutions is a Drug and Alcohol free working environment with a zero-tolerance policy.

Opportunity

Engineering Leadership work from LinkedIn, X, Reddit and Upwork, in one list.

Each morning you get everything that fits, strongest first.

Engineering Leadership$170k+

Find me work

By the team behind techroles.

Find me work
Opportunity

Engineering Leadership work from LinkedIn, X, Reddit and Upwork, in one list.

Each morning you get everything that fits, strongest first.

Find me work

By the team behind techroles.