Position Title: Sr. Solutions Architect - Defense UAV (Drones) & Unmanned Platforms
Role Description:
Lantronix Compute is a high-growth business unit within Lantronix, delivering embedded compute and Edge AI platforms that power next-generation unmanned systems, including Group 1–3 UAS, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and maritime platforms for defense, public safety, and government customers. Our portfolio of System-on-Modules (SOMs) enables real-time perception, autonomy, and secure mission processing for applications such as ISR, force protection, perimeter security, and contested-environment operations.
We are seeking a Senior Solutions Architect with deep, hands-on experience in defense and UAV platforms, not just component sales. This role is for someone who has worked directly with drone OEMs, defense primes, payload suppliers, and system integrators, understands how unmanned systems are architected end-to-end, and can credibly engage at both the engineering and program level.
This role is highly collaborative, requiring you to partner closely with Sales to build and qualify a robust opportunity pipeline across defense primes, drone OEMs, payload vendors and system integrators. You will scope technical solutions and proofofconcept projects that integrate Lantronix SOMs, sensor payloads (EO/IR, RGB, LiDAR, radar), flightcontrol stacks (e.g., Pixhawk/PX4), ground control systems into customer platforms. You will also play a key role in guiding internal product strategy based on real customer requirements from defense and government programs.
This is a field-facing, technically rigorous role that sits at the intersection of sales, product, and engineering and is tightly aligned with revenue growth in the UAV and unmanned systems market.
Responsibilities:
- Identify, qualify and nurture new OEM, Tier1/2 integrators, and defense prime customers to expand our design win pipeline and grow revenue in the drone and defense market, with a focus on AI enabled UAVs and mission critical unmanned systems.
- Act as the first technical and business point of contact for key drone accounts; build multilevel relationships (engineering, product, program and procurement) and uncover opportunities to increase Lantronix compute content per platform.
- Architect and scope end-to-end unmanned system solutions, including:
- Edge compute / AI SOMs
- Sensor payloads (EO/IR, RGB, LiDAR, radar, SIGINT where applicable)
- Flight controllers and autonomy stacks (PX4/Pixhawk,ArduPilot, custom RTOS/Linux stacks)
- Onboard networking, storage, and secure communications
- Perform market, product and technology research across UAV, edge compute modules, payloadecosystemsand competing drone compute platforms; conduct competitive analysis to inform our compute roadmap andidentifydifferentiated solutions (e.g., NDAA/TAAalignedstacks,lowSWaPEdge AI, secureondeviceprocessing) that increase market penetration.
- Translate customer and program requirements into clear product requirements, reference architectures, and solution briefs for internal engineering and product teams.
- Support marketing and business development efforts, including:
- Technical input for UAV-focused product launches
- Participation in defense and UAV industry events
- Development of technical collateral, demos, and customer success narratives tied to real platforms and deployments
- Drivecrossfunctionalcollaboration with marketing,salesand engineering to continuously improve technical collateral for the drone market (reference designs,DevKitdocumentation, integration guides for flight controllers and payloads, performance benchmarks for ISR and inspection workloads, product web pages, etc.)
Qualifications:
- 8+ years of experience in the Defense/Drone space in either a technical or sales role
- Demonstrated experience working with drone OEMs, defense primes, or system integrators on deployed or program-of-record platforms
- Strong technical understanding of UAV system architecture, including onboardcompute, sensors, flight control, and ground control integration
- Experience supporting design-ins or platform selections for embedded compute,SoMs, or related technologies
- Ability to credibly engage with engineering teams and defense customers on architecture, trade-offs, and performance constraints
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field