Air Vehicle Lead, Thunder - Tiltrotor Autonomy Architect

Mosaic.tech; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 253,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa is seeking an Air Vehicle Lead, Thunder to join the Maneuver Dominance team. You will own the technical execution at the co-development interface with a partner, ensuring the air vehicle is optimized for autonomous military missions.

The role requires 8+ years in rotorcraft/VTOL engineering, strong interface management, and experience with hybrid-electric propulsion. Travel ~20% and the ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8+ years in rotorcraft/VTOL vehicle engineering at subsystem or vehicle level.
• Deep understanding of VTOL flight mechanics and how they constrain design.
• Experience owning or negotiating technical interfaces across an external partner.
• Hybrid-electric or electric propulsion architecture familiarity.
• Proven technical project management across multiple teams in a co-development environment.
• Requirements engineering including decomposition, baseline management and change control.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20% to partner sites and test locations.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own the Air Vehicle System Design Document (SDD) baseline and evolve it to drive the partner's air vehicle.
• Represent Anduril in partner engineering design reviews to ensure mission requirements are met.
• Define ICDs and manage the co-development interface: power/thermal budgets, TPMs, structural provisions.
• Make air vehicle configuration decisions impacting payload, antennas, and power architecture.
• Coordinate TPM management and track verification closure across interfaces.
• Oversee architecture decisions balancing acoustic signature, cruise speed, payload, and certification timelines.
• Provide simulation models and support mission trades with the partner's teams.
• Plan capability increments and mission system integration phasing from early flights to full capability.
• Support buildout, milestones, and flight test planning for the TEMP program.
• Own air vehicle certification strategy interface with the partner's certification processes.
• Drive cross-team execution to resolve integration issues and maintain schedule.
• Drive development-to-production configuration evolution for full mission system integration.

Skills

Rotorcraft

VTOL/Tiltrotor

Technical interfaces

Hybrid-electric propulsion

Technical project management

Requirements engineering

Travel ~20%

Security clearance

Job description

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa is seeking an Air Vehicle Lead, Thunder to join the Maneuver Dominance team. You will own the technical execution at the co-development interface with a partner, ensuring the air vehicle is optimized for autonomous military missions.

The role requires 8+ years in rotorcraft/VTOL engineering, strong interface management, and experience with hybrid-electric propulsion. Travel ~20% and the ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance are required.