Director, Advanced Missions Group - Tactical Communications & Networking

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is building the next generation of tactical robotic systems used across defense, national security, and public safety missions. We are building a new center of engineering excellence to design our new category of tactical robotic systems and the industrial capacity to deliver them, bringing decisive airpower into the hands of every operator. We are not here to make promises; we are here to deliver real systems with real capabilities for real missions. 

You will join a team of operators, engineers, and builders who solve hard problems with humility and focus. We design and produce multi-mission aerial systems that operators trust to perform in real-world conditions, reliably, repeatedly, and at scale. Our approach is grounded in operator-centered design, rapid iteration from field use, and U.S.-based manufacturing. We operate by a clear set of values: Mission First, Aim Farther, Own It, Win Together. This is how we build advantage and how we help protect our service members, our communities, and our country. 

Now, we’re entering a new phase of growth and are looking for a Director of Tactical Communications and Networking to join the Advanced Mission Group (AMG). This individual will serve as PDW's internal and external subject-matter expert for tactical communications, data transport, network interoperability, and the integration of unmanned systems into joint and coalition command-and-control ecosystems.

The ideal candidate is a former operational communicator who understands how networks are planned, built, secured, operated, and repaired under real mission conditions. Preferred backgrounds include service as a SOCOM RTO, Special Forces Communications Sergeant, joint tactical communications specialist, or a conventional military signal leader responsible for large tactical or operational networks.

This is not an enterprise information-technology role or a radio-maintenance position. The Director will anticipate changes in the tactical networking market, shape PDW's connectivity strategy, evaluate partners and emerging technologies, and ensure PDW aircraft, payloads, autonomy, and mission applications can exchange the right information across tactical and strategic networks. The role will work closely with AMG's Fires and Electronic Warfare leaders and the Field Software Engineer to turn operational needs and interface standards into field-demonstrable capability.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and maintain a forward-looking tactical communications and networking strategy for PDW unmanned systems, payloads, ground-control equipment, and mission applications.
• Track customer requirements, acquisition priorities, operational lessons, standards, waveforms, commercial technologies, and competitor activity to identify emerging integration needs before they become formal requirements.
• Translate operator workflows and joint-force networking concepts into actionable product requirements, interface-control documents, test criteria, integration priorities, and partner strategies.
• Advise Product and Engineering teams on network architectures that connect PDW systems with other unmanned platforms, tactical radios, command-and-control applications, fires systems, sensors, effectors, and higher-echelon networks.
• Work with AMG Fires leadership to enable reliable sensor-to-decider and sensor-to-effector data exchange through systems and message formats such as AFATDS, JADOCS, Link 16 J-series messages, Variable Message Format, JREAP, TAK or ATAK, and Cursor on Target.
• Work with AMG Electronic Warfare leadership to design resilient communications for congested, contested, degraded, intermittent, and denied spectrum environments, including electromagnetic-signature management, spectrum deconfliction, interference mitigation, and primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency planning.
• Partner with the Field Software Engineer and internal software teams to develop and validate protocol adapters, message translators, gateways, data-routing services, network-management tools, and mission-system integrations.
• Evaluate and integrate line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight transport options, including tactical radios, mobile ad hoc networks, terrestrial relays, airborne relays, SATCOM, commercial satellite services, private cellular networks, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi.
• Assess network performance and mission suitability across bandwidth, latency, jitter, packet loss, range, mobility, scalability, availability, security, size, weight, power, and cost constraints.
• Guide tactical IP design and integration, including addressing, routing, multicast, quality of service, virtual networks, firewalls, virtual private networks, domain-name and time services, and network monitoring.
• Lead technical evaluations of communications vendors and industrial partners; assess interoperability, maturity, integration effort, cybersecurity, supply-chain risk, exportability, and the strategic value of build, buy, or partner decisions.
• Plan and participate in laboratory integrations, field experiments, demonstrations, exercises, and interoperability events; troubleshoot full mission threads from the airborne node through transport, gateways, applications, and command-and-control systems.
• Develop communications concepts of operation, tactical network diagrams, data-flow descriptions, PACE plans, technical briefs, training materials, and after-action reports for internal teams and customers.
• Support Go-to-Market, Account Executives, and Customer Success teams during discovery, technical exchanges, demonstrations, and engagements with operators, program offices, acquisition leaders, and industry partners.
• Ensure communications solutions account for classification boundaries, releasability, coalition interoperability, COMSEC, TRANSEC, cybersecurity, cross-domain constraints, ITAR, export controls, and operational security.

Requirements

• 10 or more years of operational tactical communications, network operations, C5ISR integration, military signal, or closely related defense-industry experience.
• Hands-on experience planning, configuring, operating, and troubleshooting tactical voice and data networks in field, deployed, airborne, or expeditionary environments.
• Strong understanding of tactical and operational network architectures spanning dismounted users, vehicles, aircraft, command posts, and higher-echelon or enterprise services.
• Working knowledge of fires, mission-command, and tactical-data-link ecosystems, including AFATDS, Link 16, Variable Message Format, TAK or ATAK, Cursor on Target, and related gateway or translation requirements.
• Strong understanding of Internet Protocol networking, including IPv4 and IPv6, subnetting, routing, multicast, quality of service, virtual local-area networks, tunneling, network security, and packet-level troubleshooting.
• Experience with line-of-sight, non-line-of-sight, and beyond-line-of-sight communications; MANET concepts; tactical radio networks; SATCOM; and resilient multi-path transport architectures.
• Practical understanding of radio-frequency propagation, antennas, link budgets, waveform behavior, spectrum management, electromagnetic interference, and the effects of terrain, mobility, and contested spectrum on network performance.
• Understanding of COMSEC and TRANSEC principles, encryption, key-management concepts, controlled cryptographic items, and communications security procedures.
• Ability to analyze tactical data flows and interfaces, including message formats, data models, addressing, discovery, time synchronization, position-location information, metadata, prioritization, and bandwidth management.
• Ability to evaluate complex vendor solutions, identify integration risks, and communicate clear recommendations to operators, engineers, executives, and acquisition stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional work without relying on direct authority and to translate operational experience into product and engineering decisions.
• Strong written, verbal, briefing, and technical-documentation skills.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance or higher, as required.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50 percent.

Preferred

• Prior service as a SOCOM RTO, Special Forces Communications Sergeant, Joint Communications Unit member, SOF communicator, signal officer or noncommissioned officer, or equivalent tactical communications professional.
• Experience designing or operating major conventional, joint, special operations, or coalition networks at brigade, division, corps, component, task-force, or theater level.
• Experience with Multi-Tactical Data Link networks, Joint Data Networks, Mission Partner Environments, JREAP, MIL-STD-6016, MIL-STD-6017, and joint or coalition tactical gateways.
• Experience with UAS command-and-control and payload-data architectures, aerial-tier relay, Common Data Link concepts, STANAG 4586 interoperability, software-defined radios, or tactical MANET waveforms.
• Experience integrating TAK ecosystems, mission-command systems, fires networks, ISR feeds, full-motion video, position-location information, or sensor-to-effector workflows.
• Experience operating across NIPRNet, SIPRNet, Mission Partner Environment, and encrypted unclassified enclaves, with working knowledge of cross-domain, releasability, zero-trust, and Risk Management Framework considerations.
• Experience with network and spectrum analysis, packet capture, radio-frequency test equipment, network-management systems, and field-expedient troubleshooting.
• Experience supporting rapid capability organizations, program executive offices, operational test organizations, or field experimentation such as Project Convergence, NetModX, or service-level exercises.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb, and move about regularly throughout the day and lift or carry up to 25 pounds. Must have manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment, tactical communications equipment, computers, network hardware, electronic test equipment, and unmanned systems support equipment. Must be physically capable of the assigned duties.

Work Environment

This position operates across office, laboratory, manufacturing, flight-line, range, command-post, and customer field environments. Work may involve outdoor weather, noise, dust, limited connectivity, non-climate-controlled spaces, irregular schedules, and the use of personal protective equipment. The role requires frequent cross-functional collaboration as well as independent technical leadership during travel and field events.

Benefits

PDW values our team, and we offer a compensation package reflective of your experience and capabilities. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive BCBS medical, dental, and vision coverage; 80% sponsored by the company.
• Safe Harbor 401(K) with company match.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• A work environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
• On-site gym at our Huntsville, AL and Denver, CO locations.
• Employer provided life insurance.
• Robust Employee Assistant Program (EAP).
• Competitive salary, generous paid time off (PTO), and flexible leave options.

EEO Statement

PDW is an equal opportunity employer that upholds all federal and state non-discrimination laws. We ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation for employment for all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position will have an annual salary, equity, and benefits. The salary range provided is a guideline rather than a fixed limit. Individual pay is determined by factors including geography, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.