Engineering Manager - Mechanical & Performance

Avy Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Hardware Engineering Manager – Avy

Lead the team behind the development of high performing fixed wing drones.

About Avy

Avy pioneers unmanned aviation technology for emergency services, healthcare logistics, and security and intelligence. We partner with innovative organizations that are among the first in the world to integrate long-range drone operations into their daily workflows.

We thrive on innovation, agility, and bold ideas and we’ve developed a range of cutting‑edge products that are ready to make impact at scale. We’re an award‑winning scale‑up in the aviation industry and we pride ourselves on combining an innovative garage startup culture with being a professional and safety‑minded aviation organisation.

About the role

To strengthen our engineering organization, we are looking for a Hardware Engineering Manager to lead and grow the team responsible for our aircraft hardware, systems engineering and overall vehicle performance. You’ll lead a multidisciplinary team currently consisting of 7 mechanical engineers, aerospace engineers, systems engineers and the like.

This role is one of two Engineering Manager positions within Avy’s engineering organization. Together, the two managers oversee the product development and R&D projects across all technical domains, ensuring balance between people, process and product, ensuring a smooth collaboration between domains. Both engineering managers report to the CTO.

In this position, your focus will be on people management, coaching, technical alignment and building a high‑performing engineering culture. You will guide personal and professional growth, foster collaboration across disciplines, play an active role in recruiting when necessary and help shape a structure that enables efficiency and ownership. While you will stay technically sharp and engaged, your main focus will be creating an environment where engineers thrive and great products get delivered on time.

A Hardware Engineering Manager at Avy spends roughly 40% of their time on people management: building and coaching the team, driving performance development and ensuring the right technical expertise is in place. Another 40% goes to technical project management: defining scope, allocating resources and aligning with other disciplines. The remaining time is spent on hardware quality oversight and improving team workflows through refined processes, design reviews and best practices.

Key responsibilities

• Build, coach and grow the team through hiring, performance management and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Define project scope, allocate resources and ensure alignment across engineering disciplines.
• Ensure technical excellence, hardware quality and robust design practices.
• Guide technical decision‑making and empower senior engineers in tech leadership roles.
• Establish scalable processes, effective review cycles and team workflow improvements.
• Collaborate with the other Engineering Manager and CTO to align on processes and priorities.
• Represent the team in cross‑functional planning and serve as liaison to Flight Operations and Production.

About you

You’re a strong communicator and thoughtful leader who combines technical understanding with a people-oriented approach. You’ve been in the trenches as an engineer and know how to balance delivery, quality and growth. You thrive in fast-paced environments and know how to keep a team focused, motivated and moving forward in such a challenging environment.

Requirements

Must haves

• At least 2 years of experience in an engineering management role (or tech lead with people responsibilities).
• At least 7 years of experience in engineering, preferably in systems with hardware/software integration.
• Finished Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or similar field.
• Experience working in cross-functional engineering teams.
• Experience with agile workflows and organizational skills such as priority setting, resource allocation, planning and task division.

Nice to haves

• Experience with drones or robotics.
• Knowledge of aerospace or other safety‑critical domains.

What we offer

• Impactful work: be part of a company using technology to save lives and drive sustainability.
• Leading the drone revolution: work on advanced aerial systems projects that keep you on the front lines of innovation as we shape the future of drone technology.
• Competitive salary, if you fulfill all requirements this will be around 6500. If you fulfill most of the requirements or are more senior than requested, this can differ.
• Unlimited time off: take the time you need to recharge and stay at your best.
• An inspiring office: work from our awesome space in Amsterdam, featuring a maker space, sauna, and great lunches!
• Startup experience: embrace the excitement, freedom, and fast growth of an ambitious tech startup.
• A great culture: a warm and fun atmosphere with regular get‑togethers, drinks, and celebrations plus a work environment built on trust, freedom, and learning from mistakes.

Apply for the job

If you’re ready to join our team and embark on this exciting adventure, we’d love to hear from you! Apply via the application form on the website and become part of the team or reach out to our recruiter, Randi (+31621934251).

EU citizenship or an EU work permit is required for this position (Avy does not offer relocation support). Acquisition for this vacancy is not appreciated.