Chief Architect at Elroy Air

Imagine a small, determined team in South San Francisco working to make cargo fly itself. At Elroy Air we design and build autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that move goods faster and more efficiently than trucks or ships ever could. Our hybrid UAVs are already drawing strong interest from express-shipping companies spending billions on middle-mile logistics and from defense programs seeking reliable unmanned cargo delivery. Every day we turn bold engineering ideas into flight-ready hardware, and we are looking for a technical leader who wants to shape how the world moves freight.

The opportunity

As Chief Architect you will guide the full engineering effort behind our next-generation autonomous cargo aircraft. Reporting directly to the VP of Engineering, you will set the technical direction for multiple vehicle systems, align cross-functional teams, and ensure every subsystem works together from early design through production. Your decisions will directly influence how quickly we bring reliable, cost-effective aerial logistics to commercial and government customers.

A day in the life

• You translate high-level mission needs into clear system requirements, then break those requirements into well-defined subsystem functions and interfaces that teams can build against.
• You decide which groups own each subsystem by weighing technology maturity, performance targets, and cost, keeping the overall product line consistent and under configuration control.
• You serve as the primary technical voice in customer meetings and proposal reviews, while also mentoring project Chief Engineers and steering the vehicle from developmental testing all the way to production readiness.

Who you are

You hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, or a related discipline and bring at least ten years of hands-on technical experience, ideally in aerospace. You have guided complex products through the entire development cycle-requirements, design, manufacturing, integration, and test-and you know how to balance performance, reliability, and cost across multiple programs. Strong communication skills allow you to present clearly to both engineering teams and executive stakeholders, and you have a track record of mentoring others, managing change, and building accountability. Experience with eVTOL or uncrewed aircraft development is a plus, as is familiarity with aircraft flight sciences. You are comfortable working on-site in South San Francisco, with occasional travel to our flight-test site in Byron, California, and you are fluent in English.

Why you'll love it here

We offer a competitive cash compensation range of $300,000 – $375,000 for this role, along with equity and a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, a 401(k) with company contribution plus Roth IRA, three months of fully paid parental leave, generous and flexible paid time off, and round-the-clock access to an employee assistance program. You will join a kind, highly skilled, and diverse team that genuinely encourages you to take the time you need for family and personal life while you help define the future of aerial cargo transport.