Erica Hansen

About Erica Hansen

Senior engineering leader with 20+ years of demonstrated results leading the design, development, and commercialization of advanced technology products for multiple customer verticals. Extremely adept at clarifying product vision and leading technical teams through all product roadmap phases from initial R&D and proof-of-concept creation to final production, testing, and sign-off. Additionally have held Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance. Core qualifications include: • Expertise developing breakthrough products and technologies within the Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), Computer Vision, and Robotics ecosystems • Accountable for building, structuring, mentoring, and managing teams of up to 175 distributed staff, as well as administrating multi-year program budgets from $50M -$500M+ in scope • Adept at guiding all product strategy and vision elements including market positioning, roadmap creation, lifecycle management, feature prioritization, and the development of appropriate success metrics • Extensive skills in innovation and market expansion, including success identifying additional markets for Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) technology that doubled client investment from $500M to $1B+ • Leadership philosophy focused on identifying individual/team strengths, putting people in the right places to succeed, encouraging experimentation, and connecting team goals to the end-customer vision Always drawn to leadership roles aimed at tackling new challenges and technical complexity – the harder the better – including roles involving Software, Hardware, Robotics, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Virtual & Augmented Reality (VR/AR), Cybersecurity, Big Data, Modeling Simulation, and Algorithm Design.

Experience

1. Director of Engineering

   Tethers Unlimited, Inc

   Oct 2023 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   Recruited to lead a 45-member team of embedded software, FPGA, controls, and electrical/RF/mechanical engineers.• Created a new culture of ownership, in addition to implementing an Agile JIRA system across all functions to increase work velocity and deadline attainment for project elements• Successfully developed and launched several high-margin publicly available satellite communication and robotics product lines, after years of the company focusing solely on custom development• Landed key sales with both private sector firms such as Blue Origin, General Atomics, and MSS—as well securing contracts with government agencies such as the DoD\'s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)• Provide additional assistance in corporate business development efforts—applying sales engineering expertise to support RFPs, working with customer teams, and managing documentation/requirements• Developed the company’s product roadmap, refocusing the emphasis from customer projects to products to enable more consistent development and reduce costs

Education

• Harvard University

  Master's Degree Program

• University of Rochester

  BS

• Georgetown University

  International Business Certificate.