VP Autonomy - Autonomous Flying Robots

About the role

Flyability, a Swiss company and market leader in indoor drone inspection, is looking for a full-time VP Autonomy to join its team in Lausanne. The role leads the autonomy strategy and engineering teams across SLAM, navigation, mapping and spatial AI, reporting directly to the VP Engineering. It suits someone who wants to shape the future of autonomous robotics in a company with mature products and thousands of robots deployed.

Key responsibilities

• Hire, develop and retain talent, giving clear feedback, coaching and accountability while removing obstacles to performance.
• Lead and grow the autonomy team, setting governance, accountabilities, processes and team structure.
• Define and drive the strategic vision for the autonomy stack across SLAM, navigation, mapping and spatial AI.
• Own the delivery, deployment and maintenance of the autonomy stack across existing and future hardware platforms.
• Ensure system-level trade-offs between hardware, sensors, software, cloud platforms and autonomy align with product goals.
• Oversee autonomy system risk management, verification and validation across simulation, integration and flight testing.
• Set team priorities and allocate resources to match roadmap commitments and company priorities.

Required profile

• Master's or PhD degree in Robotics or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in robotics or autonomous systems, with strong engineering leadership and team management experience.
• Proven track record of deploying autonomy on real hardware products shipped to customers.
• Genuine drive to coach, develop and grow people and teams.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Professional fluency in English; French is a plus.

Required skills

• Deep expertise in one or more areas such as SLAM, VIO, path planning, 3D mapping or AI perception.
• Autonomous robotics and robotics engineering leadership.

What we offer

• 25 vacation days per year plus public holidays, with additional days off depending on seniority, up to 5 days.
• Comprehensive accident insurance covering medical treatment and hospitalization.
• Flexible schedules and the option to work remotely up to 2 days per week.
• Discounts on gym memberships and sports events.
• Exclusive benefits through the Swibeco platform and team events such as a ski weekend, summer barbecue and after-work gatherings.