R&D; - Mech

Navi Mumbai (In office)

Associate

6-10 years

Fulltime

Role Overview:

The Assistant Project Manager manages the delivering UAV product development projects through the end-to-end project lifecycle (M0 to M5). The role takes delegated ownership of defined work packages or sub-tracks – such as prototype builds, V&V; test campaigns, certification tracks, variant / feature developments or Change implementation – and manages them to agreed Quality, Cost and Timeline (QCT) targets. The Assistant Project Manager deputises for the Project Manager when required and may independently manage smaller Category projects under PMO guidance.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Work Package Planning & Execution:

- Build and maintain detailed schedules, Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and dependency maps for assigned work packages in Zoho Projects & Sprints, aligned to the project’s M0–M5 milestone roadmap.

- Drive day-to-day execution with Engineering (Mechanical, Electronics, Software, System Integration), ProtoLab, V&V; and Production teams; plan and track 2-week sprint objectives for the assigned scope.

- Coordinate Pre-Mule, Mule, Prototype and Pilot build readiness – BoM and material availability, test articles and build schedules – with Supply Chain, Quality and Industrialization.

- Plan and track V&V; test campaigns, flight trials and customer demonstrations for the assigned scope, ensuring issues are logged in the issue register and closed with owners and target dates.

2. Certification, Quality & Change Support:

- Track certification deliverables for the assigned scope – e.g., DGCA Type Certification test plans,



lab reports and D1 submission inputs; Blue UAS / FCC compliance where applicable – against plan.

- Ensure work package deliverables meet delivery milestone requirements and AS9100 QMS documentation standards; prepare deliverable checklists and inputs for milestone reviews.

- Log and track changes and Target Change Requests (TCR) for the assigned scope; assess schedule and cost impact and present to the Project Manager for decision.

3. Project Controls, Risk & Reporting:

- Monitor schedule adherence, milestone progress and material / spend for assigned work packages; highlight variances and recovery options early.

- Maintain the RAID log for the assigned scope, identifying technical, supply-chain and timeline risks with mitigation actions and owners.

- Prepare weekly sprint review inputs and status reports (progress, critical path items, blockers, escalations); issue MoMs and track action closure.

4. Stakeholder Coordination & Team Support:

- Act as the working-level point of contact for cross-functional leads and vendors on assigned deliverables.

- Deputise for the Project Manager in standups, sprint reviews and stakeholder meetings when delegated; guide Project Coordinators on data, reporting and documentation standards.





- Contribute lessons learnt and improvement ideas to PMO templates, checklists and processes.

Key Performance Indicators:

- Work package milestones delivered on time against the agreed QCT baseline.

- V&V;, trial and build issues closed within agreed timelines.

- Accuracy and currency of schedule, RAID and status data in Zoho.

- Early, evidence-based escalation of risks and slippages.

Qualifications & Requirements:

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electronics, Electrical, Mechatronics or related discipline); a PG qualification in Project / Operations Management is an advantage.

- 6 to 10 years of total experience, including 5+ years in project management / project execution roles in engineering product development – UAV, aerospace, defence, automotive or electro-mechanical hardware preferred.

- Working knowledge of stage-gate product development, prototype build and V&V; cycles; exposure to regulatory certification (DGCA, Blue UAS, FCC or equivalent) is desirable.

- Proficient in scheduling, critical path method (CPM), Earned Value basics (SPI / CPI), risk management and change control; hands-on with Zoho Projects, MS Project or Jira, and MS Excel / PowerPoint.

- CAPM, PMP or Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification is desirable.

- Willingness to travel to flight-test, trial and customer sites as required.

Skills

Project Management

Project

Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)

UAV

Defense Acquisition

Business Acumen

Aerospace Manufacturing

📌 Project Manager (Navi Mumbai)
🏢 IdeaForge
📍 Navi Mumbai