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Salary: USD 191,000 - 253,000 / annual
Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead the technical development of next-generation Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft systems. You will serve as the technical authority for critical Air Dominance and Strike programs, owning the technical baseline and leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams through rigorous development, integration, and flight test.
You will own technical development from concept refinement through detailed design, build, and flight test of new aircraft concepts. This role requires leveraging both technical expertise and leadership skills to set objectives, build teams, and deliver real products on rapid timelines. You will make programmatic-level decisions balancing design rigor, risk management, and execution speed.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading technical execution across multi-disciplinary teams (aerodynamics, structures, guidance/navigation/control, propulsion, avionics, software)
- Owning the technical baseline and guiding critical design trades and system architecture decisions
- Coordinating prototype fabrication and assembly, resolving engineering challenges during build
- Planning and executing comprehensive test programs including ground test, simulation, and developmental flight test
- Serving as technical authority for system safety and airworthiness, partnering with test teams on military flight releases
- Acting as lead problem-solver for integration and test issues, driving root cause analysis
- Supporting production readiness and design-for-manufacturability transition
- Supporting deployed flight test and demonstration activities at customer and test sites
Required Qualifications:
- Experience as Chief Engineer, Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead, or senior technical leader on a Low-Observable ISR and/or strike platform
- Deep, hands-on experience leading a multi-disciplinary team through at least one major phase of aircraft Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), such as detailed design, prototype build, or flight test
- Proven track record taking a complex aircraft system from design into build and successful flight testing
- Strong technical foundation across multiple core aircraft disciplines (aerodynamics, structures, GNC, propulsion, systems integration), with emphasis on survivability and mission systems integration
- Strong understanding of the "why" behind vehicle and systems design
- Experience on mission-critical DoD or advanced development aircraft programs
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering field
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with developmental flight test, including test planning, risk management, and data analysis
- Direct experience leading prototype build of a UAS at Group 3 or above
- Prior experience with DoD technology development organizations (DARPA, AFRL) on advanced flight programs
- Background in "Skunk Works," "Phantom Works," or fast-paced startup environment focused on rapid hardware prototyping
- Experience with manufacturing processes including additive manufacturing, advanced composites, and automated assembly
- "Player-coach" leadership style with willingness to be deeply involved in day-to-day build
- Active Top Secret security clearance
