Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE TEAMThe Air Dominance and Strike (AD&S) Chief Engineering Team is a driving force behind the technical execution and strategic vision of our most critical programs. They are responsible for architecting a vision for product development and guiding multi-disciplinary teams to deliver effectively. They are expected to own the mission and to be deeply involved in building the eco-system that enables execution.
WHAT YOU'LL DOAs a
Chief Engineer focused on Science & Technology, you will act as the senior technical authority guiding
conceptual design, applied research, and experimental development for advanced air systems. You will be expected to be highly creative at the conceptual stage, deeply understand customer mission needs, and personally drive technical execution through modeling, experimentation, build, and test.
Concept Creation & Applied Science- Lead early-stage conceptual design of advanced air vehicle systems, including configuration exploration, trade studies, and performance modeling.
- Apply first-principles thinking across aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, controls, autonomy, and low observables to evaluate concepts.
- Identify and mature key scientific and technical breakthroughs required to unlock new operational capability
- Balance creativity with engineering realism, ensuring concepts are grounded in executable technology paths.
Systems Architecture & Integration- Define system architectures that integrate air vehicle design, mission systems, autonomy, and manufacturing considerations from the outset.
- Lead cross-disciplinary trade studies and modeling efforts to understand subsystem interactions, sensitivities, and failure modes.
- Guide the transition of concepts from exploration to prototype-ready designs.
Customer Understanding & Problem Translation- Partner closely with customers to understand operational problems, constraints, and mission intent at a fundamental level.
- Translate loosely defined or emerging customer needs into technical hypotheses, experiments, and development plans.
- Act as a technical translator between customer objectives and engineering execution.
Technical Leadership & Ownership- Serve as the accountable technical owner for advanced S&T programs or major system elements.
- Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams in ambiguous, fast-moving development environments.
- Communicate complex technical ideas clearly to engineers, leadership, and customers.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field (advanced degree strongly preferred).
- 10+ years of experience in advanced R&D, experimental aerospace systems, or new technology development programs.
- Demonstrated experience leading conceptual design and early-phase system architecture.
- Strong systems-level thinking with the ability to reason across multiple engineering domains.
- Hands-on experience with real hardware, experimentation, or test activities.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- Prior experience working with DOW technology development organizations such as DARPA and AFRL
- Experience transitioning technologies from early research through prototype and operational demonstration.
- Background in experimental or flight test environments, including test planning and execution.
- Experience working on advanced or classified air systems, including low-observable or signature-constrained designs.
- Deep technical expertise in one or more domains (e.g., aerodynamics, flight controls, GNC, propulsion, structures, systems integration).
- Demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-paced, non-traditional aerospace environments.
- Currently obtains a Top Secret level clearance or higher
US Salary Range
$254,000-$336,000 USD
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Healthcare Benefits - US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
- UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
- IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.
Additional Benefits - Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
- Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
- Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
- Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
- Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development
- Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
- Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.
Retirement Savings Plan - US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
- UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
- AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.
The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.
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