Position Summary

Neptune Technology Group is seeking a Director of Systems Verification & Validation (V&V) to own the end-to-end quality gate between our engineering organization and customer-facing deployments. This is a senior engineering leadership role built for someone who thrives on building - establishing the rigor, processes, and infrastructure Neptune needs to ensure our full solution stack performs flawlessly before it reaches any customer field trial or pilot.

This role sits at the critical intersection of engineering and customer success. You will own system-level validation of the complete Neptune solution - meters, gateways, communication nodes, and the Neptune 360 software backend - as an integrated system. This is not a DVT function; it assumes hardware and firmware teams have completed component-level validation. You are accountable for what happens when it all comes together.

Initially you will operate as a strong cross-functional leader, directing internal firmware, software, and systems engineering resources in a matrixed environment. Over time, as the function matures, you will define the headcount model and build a dedicated V&V team reporting directly to you. You will report directly to the Chief Technology Officer and serve as a peer to the Director of Hardware and other engineering directors.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end validation of the full Neptune solution stack as an integrated system, establishing acceptance criteria that reflect real-world utility operating conditions.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive V&V strategy including test plans, traceability matrices, test case libraries, and formal pass/fail gates.
• Define and enforce V&V phase entry and exit criteria that clearly separate DVT completion from field readiness.
• Serve as the independent quality gate between engineering and customer-facing deployments, collaborating across firmware, software, mechanical, and electrical teams.
• Own the vision, architecture, and requirements for Neptune's end-to-end automated test harness, acting as technical product owner with organizational authority to prioritize this work.
• Direct and oversee execution of system-level performance, scalability, and feature validation testing, surfacing integration defects before they reach the field.
• Communicate V&V status, risks, and readiness decisions clearly to the CTO and executive team.
• Define the business case and criteria for transitioning from a matrixed resource model to a dedicated V&V team, then recruit, hire, and develop that team over time.

Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related field required; Master's degree a plus.

Experience:

• 10+ years of engineering experience with at least 5 years in a systems validation, systems integration, product development, or quality engineering leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience validating complex, multi-layer hardware/software systems - ideally in IoT, smart metering, utilities, industrial, or telecommunications domains.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional engineering teams in a matrixed environment.
• Experience as a technical product owner for test infrastructure: defining architecture requirements, driving tooling decisions, and managing a test automation roadmap.
• Experience defining and executing test plans, traceability matrices, and formal acceptance criteria for integrated systems.

Skills:

• Deep understanding of the distinction between component-level DVT and system-level V&V, and the ability to design processes that bridge both.
• Strong executive presence - comfortable holding engineering teams accountable to V&V gates and escalating readiness risks directly to the CTO.
• Excellent communication skills, able to translate technical V&V findings into clear risk and readiness assessments for executive stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure), water metering, or utility technology products.
• Familiarity with RF communication protocols (e.g., 900 MHz ISM Band, LoRaWAN, Mesh, Bluetooth, Cellular), embedded firmware validation, and cloud-based SaaS backend testing.
• Background in regulated or utility-adjacent industries where formal V&V documentation and audit trails are required.
• Experience building V&V organizations and lab infrastructure from the ground up.
• Formal training or certification in systems engineering, quality management, or related disciplines (e.g., INCOSE, Six Sigma, ISO/IEC 29119).

Location: Duluth, GA & Tallassee, AL

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