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Salary: USD 254,000 - 336,000 / annual
Anduril Industries is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead the technical and programmatic execution of autonomous air vehicle systems. You will own the end-to-end development lifecycle—from white paper conceptual design through detailed design, fabrication, flight test, production transition, and sustainment—for large unmanned aircraft systems at Group 3 class and above.
In this role, you will establish the technical vision for air dominance and strike programs, assemble and lead multi-disciplinary teams of internal and external subject matter experts, and drive strategic direction in competitive landscapes. Key responsibilities include: leading technical and programmatic execution of new and existing air vehicle systems; owning program success by setting vision and assembling expert teams; conducting design trades with technical SMEs and business development to address DOD capability gaps; managing detailed system and subsystem design including requirements, trades, optimization, and risk management; coordinating prototype and low-rate production fabrication and testing; supporting remotely deployed operations; and ensuring adequate resource planning with senior leadership.
You will leverage deep expertise in unmanned aircraft design, systems integration, and mission-critical DOD programs. The role requires hands-on involvement in building execution ecosystems, making programmatic-level decisions, and ensuring design and test steps add measurable value. Travel to customer and test sites is required up to 50%.
Required qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Software Engineering (or equivalent); senior-level experience leading air vehicle programs from concept through test and delivery; proven ability to drive strategic direction and solve complex system optimization challenges under tight constraints; demonstrated collaboration with internal and external stakeholders; strong understanding of vehicle and systems design fundamentals; experience with mission-critical DOD systems; and ability to troubleshoot remotely deployed systems. Eligibility to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance is required.
