Full-Time
Project Engineer
Zone 5 Technologies
201-500 employees
End-to-end UAS development for DoD
Compensation Overview
$106k - $145k/yr
No H1B Sponsorship
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
In Person
On-site role located in San Luis Obispo, California.
 Business & Strategy (2) |
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- Bachelor's degree in a technical field or 5-8 years of applicable experience in a similar setting
- 3-5 years of experience in project management
- Scheduling proficiency
- Detail oriented and organized
- Excellent communicator and experience in problem deconfliction among teams
- Ability to use MS Project, SmartSheets, and Excel
- Secret clearance a plus
- U.S. Citizenship
- Preparing, scheduling, coordinating and monitoring all assigned projects
- Communicating effectively during daily interactions with clients to interpret their requirements and needs
- Maintaining quality control in every area, including team dynamics, personnel performance, planning, scheduling and budget
- Submitting reports on project status
- Monitoring compliance in all aspects of the project
- Communicating effectively with the program manager and other team members to provide assistance and technical support
- Reviewing engineering deliverables and initiating appropriate corrective actions throughout the project lifecycle
- Decreasing supply chain risk through added vendors or suggesting alternate solutions
- Be the communication hub between the program team and all supporting functions, internally or externally
- PMP certification
- US Government contract experience
- Proposal experience
- Resource Management
Zone 5 Technologies designs and builds unmanned aircraft systems for the U.S. Department of Defense as a prime contractor. Its products include air-launched effects, counter-UAS interceptors, next-generation munitions, and low-cost cruise missiles. The PALADIN multi-mission UAS can autonomously intercept drones and deploy munitions, while the Open Weapon Platform provides a modular system to rapidly add new capabilities. The company focuses on vertically integrated development from concept to production and aims for digitally engineered, attritable, affordable aircraft that can scale through a DoD-approved deployment path via the DIU Blue UAS program.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
San Luis Obispo, California
Founded
2011
Get referred to Zone 5 Technologies
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Rusty Dagger gained a $12 million Air Force manufacturing contract in June 2026.
- Paso Robles expansion targets 200 hires in a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing site.
- Kongsberg acquisition gives Zone 5 access to larger defense channels and production discipline.
What critics are saying
- Government-contract concentration makes any program delay immediately hit revenue and hiring.
- Rusty Dagger remains pre-production through September 2027, with industrialization risk still unresolved.
- Blue UAS compliance failures would directly block Paladin procurement across DoD buyers.
What makes Zone 5 Technologies unique
- Zone 5 is a vertically integrated UAS prime contractor for DoD programs.
- Paladin is DIU Blue UAS listed, enabling NDAA-compliant DoD procurement.
- Open Weapon Platform enables rapid third-party integration across flight hardware and software.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Paid Holidays
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 18%1 year growth
↑ 26%2 year growth
↑ 26%Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (‘KONGSBERG’) has signed an agreement to acquire the California-based missile company Zone 5 Technologies LLC, which designs and produces affordable, mass producible long-range strike and anti-drone missiles. The value of the transaction is undisclosed.
Norwegian defence company Kongsberg Gruppen has agreed to acquire 90 percent of US-based Zone 5 Technologies, which develops and produces low-cost missiles in large volumes. The purchase price was not disclosed, and the deal requires regulatory approval. Zone 5's management will retain the remaining shares. The company generated over $100 million in sales in 2025 and is profitable. It will operate as an independent subsidiary under Kongsberg. "The acquisition of Zone 5 is an important strategic step for Kongsberg. Zone 5 is at the forefront of developing affordable missiles that can be produced in large volumes," said Geir Håøy, CEO of Kongsberg Gruppen.