Chief Engineer, Tactical Recon and Strike

Anduril Industries•Costa Mesa, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company focused on transforming military capabilities with advanced technology. The Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) division builds autonomous drones and solid rocket motors. This role is for a Chief Engineer within TRS, responsible for driving technical direction, ensuring robust product design, and guiding cross-functional teams to deliver critical capabilities for products like Altius, Anvil, Bolt, and Ghost. The ideal candidate is a tenacious problem-solver with a cross-functional background in electrical engineering, controls engineering, software engineering, mechanical engineering, and small drone systems development, who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about building revolutionary defense technology from the ground up. The position requires eligibility to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance and is located at the company headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA, with relocation benefits provided.

Requirements

12+ years of direct experience in a senior role leading system design and development from initial concept through test and delivery to customers
Basic understanding of Aerodynamics, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), Control Actuation Servos, and how those disciplines relate to overall system performance.
Technical Bachelor’s degree such as Robotics, Physics, Mechanical, Electrical, Software engineering, or equivalent experience in a relevant field
Experience with data analysis, rapid prototyping, and early-stage customer deployment
Hands-on build and prototyping of complex robotic systems
Familiarity with concepts of mechatronic design, firmware + software system design, sensor physics, tracking & calibration, and data-backed decision making.
Ability to engage technically with mechanical, electrical, firmware, sensors, and robotics software leads
Ability to lead a cross-functional team through design trades while meeting program deadlines
High ownership, mission-oriented mentality. Desire to see the product meet the end need of the customer.
Extremely organized and detail-oriented, with strong verbal & written communication skills
A sincere commitment to a positive, inclusive, and collaborative culture
Desire to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret security clearance
Ability to travel as required for test planning and execution

Nice To Haves

Real-world operational experience with small UAS systems in a military context desired

Responsibilities

Lead technical execution from vision & initial design, through fabrication, test and production
Develop systems that support expeditionary operation, intuitive setup and use by warfighters, and modular expansion of sensors
Setup trades to enable exploration of early designs while working closely with technical SMEs and Business Development teams to find the right solution for current and future gaps in capability
Operate at the intersection of software and hardware helping to craft a system level architecture that supports a robust and cost effective design
Define product milestones, lead technical design reviews, guide cross-functional product decisions, manage engineering risk
Coordinate the fabrication of prototype and low-rate production articles and subsystem/system level test efforts
Work with senior leadership to ensure resource plans are adequate for work scope
Support remote troubleshooting and operation of deployed systems
Conduct hands-on, in-field testing
Create and carry out a verification and validation plan for the end to end system