Chief Engineer, Autonomous Underwater Systems

Anduril; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 254,000 - 336,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Anduril in California seeks a Program Chief Engineer to define and drive the Dive-XL system architecture, leading a multi-disciplinary team to meet stringent maritime requirements. You will bridge hardware and software, oversee end-to-end design, integration, testing, and deployment, and communicate technical status to stakeholders.

A senior, hands-on leader with 15+ years in autonomous systems is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Robotics, CS, or related field.
• 15+ years designing and deploying complex autonomous systems.
• 5+ years in Chief Engineer/Technical Director/Lead Architect on a major hardware/software program.
• Proficiency in systems engineering: requirements mgmt, interface control, verification & validation.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor multi‑disciplinary engineering teams.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a US Secret Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Define and articulate the system's technical vision and roadmap across the Dive-XL platform.
• Serve as the ultimate technical authority for system architecture and critical trade-offs.
• Oversee end-to-end lifecycle from requirements to deployment and support.
• Define and oversee test and evaluation strategy and criteria.
• Lead resolution of complex technical challenges with hands-on guidance.
• Drive build vs. buy decisions and manage technical debt while balancing delivery speed.
• Mentor engineers, foster innovation and rigorous problem-solving culture.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks and develop contingency plans.
• Engage internal stakeholders, customers and partners with clear technical updates.
• Coordinate with AU Chief Engineer to align architectures across variants.
• Ensure robust requirements decomposition, traceability, and verification plans.

Skills

Technical leadership

System architecture

Stakeholder communication

Mentorship

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in a related field

Tools

MIL-STD-882

NAVSEA processes

Job description

Anduril in California seeks a Program Chief Engineer to define and drive the Dive-XL system architecture, leading a multi-disciplinary team to meet stringent maritime requirements. You will bridge hardware and software, oversee end-to-end design, integration, testing, and deployment, and communicate technical status to stakeholders.

A senior, hands-on leader with 15+ years in autonomous systems is required.