Systems Engineering Lead, Air Vehicle Systems

Anduril Industries

Quick summary

Work type
On-site
Location
Costa Mesa, CA
Salary
$191,000–$253,000 / yr
Posted
today

Market check

Salary context

Above market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $172k
This role $222k
$133k most similar roles pay here $266k

This role pays more than 90% of similar roles. Most pay $150,000–$193,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $222k versus about $172k 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 · Systems Engineering Lead, Air Vehicle Systems

The Systems Engineering Lead role at Anduril involves leading a team of engineers to support the development of a Group 5 autonomous aircraft, requiring extensive experience in air vehicle systems and unmanned aerial systems. The ideal candidate will shape customer needs into detailed requirements, develop comprehensive system engineering artifacts using digital thread methodologies, and collaborate with safety, software, and other disciplines to ensure robust architecture and certification compliance. Key responsibilities include managing program risks and working closely with the Chief Engineer and Program Management. Candidates should have a B.S., 10+ years of UAS experience, and at least three years leading systems engineering teams. Familiarity with standards like MIL-HDBK-516C and DO-178C is essential, along with hands-on experience using Cameo MagicDraw or similar tools. The role demands a high level of autonomy and ownership throughout the entire systems engineering lifecycle, ideally culminating in airworthiness certification for mature aircraft programs.

What you'll do

  • Shape customer needs into detailed air vehicle and subsystem requirements.
  • Develop system engineering artifacts, including models that trace from stakeholder inputs to design.
  • Manage program risks in coordination with the Chief Engineer and Program Management.
  • Lead a team of systems engineers working on complex unmanned aerial systems.
  • Ensure compliance with relevant standards for airworthiness certification.

What we're looking for

  • 10+ years of engineering experience in UAS lifecycle, focusing on aircraft systems.
  • 3+ years of leading a systems engineering team for air vehicle systems.
  • Experience with system safety and software engineering standards (MIL-HDBK-516C, ARP-4761).
  • Developed subsystem requirements and interfaces for mission-critical systems.
  • Familiarity with airworthiness certification processes in mature aircraft programs.
  • Active U.S. Secret security clearance required; Top Secret preferred.
  • Experience using Cameo MagicDraw or similar systems engineering software tools.

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