Head of Design for Excellence

About Wing:

Wing offers drone delivery as a safe, fast, and sustainable solution for last mile logistics. Consumer appetites for on-demand services are increasing, but current delivery methods are inefficient, costly, and contribute to road accidents and air pollution. Wing’s fleet of highly automated delivery drones can transport small packages directly from businesses to homes on-demand, in minutes. We design, build, and operate our aircraft, and offer drone delivery services on three continents. Our technology is designed to be easy to integrate into existing delivery and logistics networks, offering a scalable drone delivery solution for a broad range of businesses. Wing is a part of Google's parent company, Alphabet, and our mission is to create the preferred means of delivery for the planet. If you're ready to do the greatest work of your life, come join us.

About the Role:

Wing is looking for a Head of Design for Excellence (DFX) to join our DFX & Supply chain team. This role will be based in Palo Alto, California. We're seeking a highly accomplished and forward-thinking Head of DFX to spearhead the design and development of our complex hardware systems. In this senior leadership role, you'll lead engineering teams (Mechanical, Electrical, Embedded) and reliability SME to integrate Design for Excellence (DFX) principles across all hardware product lifecycles. Your leadership will ensure our products achieve the highest standards of quality, cost-effectiveness, manufacturability, and sustainability, while driving innovation and reliability.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead DFX Strategy: Define and execute a comprehensive DFX strategy to integrate principles such as DFM, DFT, DFA, and DFR into hardware designs from concept to productionCross-Disciplinary Leadership: Manage and coordinate teams across Mechanical, Electrical, and Embedded Engineering disciplines, ensuring alignment and collaboration to deliver high-quality, manufacturable hardwareDesign for Reliability (DFR): Oversee and guide the Design for Reliability SME, ensuring that reliability strategies are effectively implemented throughout the product lifecycleInnovation in Hardware Design: Drive innovation in hardware design, incorporating new technologies and industry trends. Advocate for and implement design changes that reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance product quality
• Mentoring and Training: Provide leadership, mentoring, and training to engineering teams on DFX best practices and reliability methodologies, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement
• Design Reviews and Continuous Improvement: Lead design reviews and continuously evaluate product designs for adherence to DFX principles. Promote continuous improvement and implement lean and agile methodologies to streamline design and manufacturing processes

What You’ll Need:

• 15+ years of experience in hardware design and development, with a proven track record in managing complex hardware projects
• 7+ years in a leadership role, managing cross-disciplinary teams (Mechanical, Electrical, Embedded)
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Expertise in hardware design and product development processes
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to drive cost-effective, scalable solutions
• Experience managing and mentoring engineers, creating a collaborative, high-performance culture