About Heads Up Technologies

At Heads Up Technologies, we’re redefining what’s possible in the air. Since our beginnings in a Dallas hangar in 1985, we’ve grown into a global leader in aviation technology driven by innovation, precision, and a relentless pursuit of better in-flight experiences. From pioneering digital audio and lighting systems to uniting with STG Aerospace, ALTO Aviation, and Innovative Advantage under one brand, we continue to lead the way in cabin systems integration for business and commercial aircraft. Join us as we shape the future of aviation where lighting, entertainment, safety, and audio come together to elevate every journey.

As part of the HUT Group, the HUT business unit in Addison is the hub for integrated cabin systems including Cabin Management Systems (CMS) and In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) systems – serving leading OEMs, MROs, and operators in business and commercial aviation.

We’re looking for a Director of Engineering to lead our ~20-person, multidisciplinary engineering team (Electrical, Mechanical, Software, FPGA) and help take our products – and our engineering culture – to the next level.

About the role

The Director of Engineering for HUT is responsible for:

• Leading and developing a multidisciplinary engineering team that designs and sustains HUT’s products (lighting, CMS/IFE, audio, safety, and related systems).
• Owning and evolving the product development practices used in Addison Texas, ensuring they align with HUT Group standards and AS9100-driven quality expectations.
• Delivering programs on time, on quality, and on cost, from early concept through certification, production release, and in-service support.

This is a hands-on leadership role:  you’ll spend time in design reviews, helping resolve technical trade-offs, and coaching engineers, while partnering closely with Production Engineering, Systems Engineering and Product Management, Program Management, Operations, and Customer-facing teams.

Key Details

• Work Days and Hours: Monday to Friday. Flexibility to set schedule.
• Location: This is a full-time onsite position located in Addison, TX.

• Compensation: Based on qualifications and comprehensive benefits package.

• Work Eligibility: Must be a United States citizen.

What you'll do

1.Own Engineering Practices & Product Development

• Define, evolve, and enforce HUT engineering and product development practices, including:
• • Software development practices and configuration management
  • Hardware / PCB layout and FPGA design standards
  • Requirements, specifications, and verification practices
  • Design review and sign-off criteria across disciplines
• Ensure engineering processes support safety-critical and high-reliability aviation products (DO-160, DO-254/DO-178 environments, AS9100 expectations) in partnership with Production Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality.
• Drive continuous improvement in how we scope, design, verify, and release products – reducing cycle time while protecting quality and compliance.

2. Align Engineering to Business & Product Priorities

• Translate business objectives and product roadmaps into clear engineering priorities and resource plans for the HUT design engineering team.
• Ensure shared understanding of product intent, requirements, and constraints across electrical, mechanical, software, and FPGA teams.
• Balance new product development, sustaining engineering, and customer commitments, making trade-offs explicit and data-driven.

3. Lead & Develop the Engineering Team

• Directly lead and develop a ~20-person team, including managers, technical leads, and individual contributors across multiple disciplines.
• Set clear expectations around ownership, technical rigor, documentation, and collaboration.
• Provide regular, candid feedback and coaching – recognizing strong performance, addressing gaps early, and supporting career growth.
• Build and maintain a high-trust, accountable culture where engineers are encouraged to raise risks early, ask questions, and propose better ways of doing things.

4. Drive Technical Excellence & Decision-Making

• Guide teams through complex technical decisions, asking the right questions rather than dictating answers; help engineers converge on sound solutions even outside your home discipline.
• Ensure the right technical reviews happen at the right time (architecture reviews, design reviews, FMEA, verification readiness, etc.).
• Serve as a technical leader and sounding board for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in hardware, software, and systems; step in where escalation is needed on critical issues.

5. Resource, Tools & Roadmap Enablement

• Identify current and future resource needs (skills, headcount, contractors/partners) and work with HR and the VP of Engineering to address them.
• Champion the tools and infrastructure the team needs: EDA and CAD tools, simulation, build and CI/CD infrastructure, lab equipment, test automation, etc.
• Partner with Product Management and senior leadership to shape the product and technology roadmap, ensuring feasibility, risk visibility, and realistic schedules.

6. Cross-Functional & Customer Collaboration

• Work closely with Customer Solutions / Systems Engineering, Program Management, and Operations to:
• • Support quoting and conceptual designs for new opportunities
  • Plan and execute development, verification, and certification
  • Transition designs into stable production and after-market support
• Engage with key customers, and strategic suppliers as the engineering voice for the HUT business unit.
• Track industry trends and attend major trade shows and customer events (as appropriate) to bring back insights that inform product and technology direction.

What will make you successful in this role

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, or related field); advanced degree a plus.
• Typically 10+ years of experience as an individual contributor engineer in embedded systems, electronics, or related domains.
• 7+ years of engineering leadership experience, including managing managers or multi-discipline teams delivering hardware and software products.

Domain & Technical Background

• Experience delivering embedded, opto-electronic, electro-mechanical products that combine hardware, firmware/software, and mechanical design.
• Background in high-reliability, regulated, or safety-critical industries (aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, etc.).
• Comfortable engaging at a detailed level in at least one core discipline (e.g., electrical/FPGA, embedded software, or systems engineering), with enough breadth to lead across them.

Leadership & Management

• Proven track record of building, coaching, and retaining strong engineering teams.
• Experience implementing or evolving product development processes in a small-to-mid-sized company context.
• Demonstrated ability to balance short-term program delivery with long-term capability building (tools, platforms, architecture, people).
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to clearly explain trade-offs to executives, peers, and customers.
• Ability to foster collaboration and reduce friction across multiple functional areas.

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

You don’t need all of these to be a great fit, but they’ll help you ramp faster:

• Experience with avionics / aerospace products, certification flows (DO-160, DO-254, DO-178), or AS9100 environments.
• Experience leading mixed electrical/mechanical/software/FPGA teams in a product company (vs. pure services or consulting).
• Background working in organizations that span both aircraft OEM and aftermarket/MRO markets.
• Experience in companies that have grown via acquisitions and are integrating multiple engineering cultures / sites.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Impact at scale: Your team’s work will ship on aircraft platforms across business and commercial aviation, shaping the in-flight experience for passengers around the world.
• End-to-end ownership: HUT designs, integrates, and supports its products – you’ll have line of sight from concept to cabin to in-service performance.
• Growth environment: As part of a growing group with recent acquisitions, you’ll help build the playbook for how we scale engineering across sites and product lines.

If you’re excited to lead a high-impact engineering team, shape how we build products, and help define the future of in-flight experiences, we’d like to talk.

Perks and Benefits

• A competitive compensation package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Opportunities to plan for the future with our 401(k) program.
• Paid Time Off - Take the well-deserved time off you need.
• Life Insurance - Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with life insurance coverage.
• Health and wellness benefits including Health Savings Account (HSA) option.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development within the company.
• Positive and inclusive work culture with a laid-back work environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance.
• Flexibility in your schedule to accommodate personal needs.

Why Us?

At Heads Up Technologies, you have the opportunity and support to reach for the sky collaborating internally and with partners to deliver artistry in engineering.

Every position in our company has its unique responsibilities, but they all require the same traits: motivated, self-starter, creative, enthusiastic and dependable. A team player that has respect for the opinions and input of others. Performance- and process-driven. Someone who gives 110% at work but still seeks balance by making time with family and hobbies a priority.

Did this post spark something in you? If so, we’re looking forward to reviewing your resume!

No recruiting agencies.