Chief Engineer, Autonomous Airpower

Anduril Industries

Quick summary

Work type
On-site
Location
Costa Mesa, CA
Salary
$254,000–$336,000 / yr
Posted
today

Market check

Salary context

Above market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $186k
This role $295k
$123k most similar roles pay here $359k

This role pays more than 99% of similar roles. Most pay $150,000–$222,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $295k versus about $186k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that builds advanced hardware and software systems for national security, including autonomous drones, surveillance systems, and the Lattice AI command platform.

Anduril Industries currently has 1882 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $146,000–$194,000 across 1696 roles with salary data.

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View all roles at Anduril Industries

At a glance

TL;DR · Chief Engineer, Autonomous Airpower

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The Chief Engineer for Autonomous Airpower is a senior leadership role within the Air Dominance and Strike (AD&S) Chief Engineering Team, responsible for driving technical execution and strategic vision on critical programs. This position involves owning the development of large aircraft from conceptual design through detailed design, fabrication, flight test, production transition, and sustainment. Key responsibilities include leading multi-disciplinary teams to deliver complex air vehicle systems, setting technical and programmatic objectives, and collaborating with subject matter experts both internally and externally. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in unmanned aircraft at Group 3 class or above, experience in senior roles managing air vehicle programs, and a strong understanding of mission-critical DOD systems. Essential skills include strategic decision-making, system optimization under constraints, and the ability to troubleshoot remotely deployed operations.

Skills

Unmanned aircraft Aerospace engineering Mechanical engineering Electrical engineering Software engineering System design Risk management DOD systems Remote system troubleshooting CI/CD

What you'll do

  • Lead technical and programmatic execution of new and existing air vehicle systems.
  • Establish technical vision, assemble expert teams, and communicate project goals.
  • Manage detailed design including requirements development, risk management, and optimization.
  • Explore early conceptual designs through trades with SMEs to find optimal solutions.
  • Support remotely deployed operations and troubleshoot issues in real-time environments.

What we're looking for

  • Deep understanding of unmanned aircraft at and above Group 3 class.
  • Experience leading air vehicle programs from concept to delivery.
  • Proven ability to drive strategic direction in competitive landscapes.
  • Strong collaboration skills with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated technical expertise in vehicle and systems design.
  • Secret security clearance required.
  • Ability to troubleshoot and analyze remotely deployed systems.

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