Project Engineer

Natilus•San Diego, CA

17d•$110,000 - $165,000

About The Position

Natilus is seeking a Project Engineer to join its engineering team in San Diego, California. The role supports planning, coordination, and execution of engineering activities across multiple disciplines as the company develops its blended-wing-body aircraft. The Project Engineer works closely with engineering leadership and cross-functional teams to coordinate technical deliverables, manage schedules, track milestones, and identify risks that could affect development objectives. The position requires a strong technical engineering background, organizational and communication skills, and the ability to connect work across teams and drive projects from concept through integration and testing. The role coordinates aircraft-development work across structures, aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, mechanical systems, and integration. It also supports aircraft integration, ground testing, and flight-test preparation; engineering change management and configuration control; and improvement of engineering workflows. Occasional travel and on-site work at the local hangar may be required. The expected salary range is $110,000 to $165,000 annually. Actual compensation depends on qualifications, relevant experience, skills, and business needs. Natilus offers a health care plan (medical, dental, and vision), a 401(k) retirement plan, unlimited PTO, and onsite gym access. Natilus Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and hires based on qualifications, merit, and competence.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of aerospace engineering experience in a technical project engineer or project management role.
Experience supporting aircraft development, integration, testing, or certification.
Strong understanding of engineering processes, technical requirements, and project execution.
Experience coordinating suppliers, manufacturing teams, and external engineering partners.
Ability to develop and manage engineering schedules, milestones, and technical deliverables.
Strong technical understanding and ability to collaborate across multiple engineering disciplines.
Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and drive results independently.
Build trust through ownership, transparency, and follow-through.
Communicate clearly, directly, and respectfully across teams.
Lead by example and model expected behaviors.
Ability to give and receive direct, constructive feedback.
Comfort operating in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with evolving priorities.

Nice To Haves

Experience in an early-stage aerospace company or prototype development environment is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate engineering projects across aircraft development, including structures, aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, mechanical systems, and integration.
Manage technical deliverables and timelines with suppliers, manufacturing teams, and external partners.
Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, engineering requirements, and documentation.
Collaborate with engineering leadership to establish priorities, allocate resources, and track progress toward program objectives.
Identify project dependencies, technical challenges, and schedule risks, and proactively drive solutions.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, design reviews, technical meetings, and project updates.
Support engineering change management, configuration control, and technical documentation.
Coordinate and support aircraft integration, ground testing, and flight-test preparation activities.
Improve engineering workflows and processes to support efficient project execution.
Take ownership of assigned engineering workstreams and ensure milestones and deliverables are completed.