Deputy Chief Engineer

Menlo Ventures; Laguna Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 185,000 - 310,000; Full time

Job summary

True Anomaly seeks a Deputy Chief Engineer to lead the technical execution of a next-generation missile defense program, architecting a solution across host vehicle, interceptor, kill vehicle, and ground systems.

You will oversee design reviews, verification planning, and cross-disciplinary integration while mentoring discipline leads and ensuring engineering rigor in a hybrid-work environment near Denver or Colorado Springs.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of aerospace systems engineering, design, and technical leadership.
• Proven record leading multidisciplinary teams through full lifecycle development.
• Deep understanding of configuration management, requirements traceability, and verification processes.
• Strong background in systems, structures, propulsion, GNC, or avionics.
• Excellent communication, decision-making, and leadership skills.
• U.S. Citizen and eligible for DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical execution of a next-generation missile defense program.
• Maintain technical integrity, accuracy, and repeatability of analysis across the program.
• Support the Chief Engineer in maintaining overall technical integrity of the program.
• Act as Chief Engineer when delegated, leading technical reviews and milestone readiness assessments.
• Translate top-level direction into actionable guidance for subsystem teams.
• Lead design reviews, risk boards, and engineering change control processes.
• Ensure interfaces between host vehicle, interceptor, kill vehicle, and ground systems are sound.
• Drive engineering integration across avionics, structures, thermal, propulsion, and GNC.
• Oversee verification planning with traceable, testable, and verifiable requirements.
• Mentor discipline leads; promote cross-functional problem solving and rigorous documentation.

Skills

Aerospace systems engineering

Technical leadership

Multidisciplinary team leadership

Requirements traceability

Configuration management

Strong communication

U.S. Citizen

Education

Advanced degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Eng

Job description

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it.

OUR MISSION

True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors - enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.

OUR VALUES

• Be the offset.We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.
• What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.
• It's the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.

YOUR MISSION

RESPONSIBILITIES

True Anomaly is seeking a highly accomplished Deputy Chief Engineer to lead the technical execution of a next-generation missile defense program. This is a generational opportunity to architect a solution to some of the most challenging mission sets in missile defense, not to mention aerospace engineering as a whole. The Deputy Chief is responsible for ensuring the technical integrity, accuracy, and repeatability of analysis across the program.

Responsibilities include:

Program Technical Leadership

• Support the Chief Engineer in maintaining overall technical integrity of the missile defense program

• Serve as acting Chief Engineer when delegated, leading technical reviews and milestone readiness assessments

• Translate top-level technical direction and risk posture into actionable guidance for subsystem teams

• Lead integrated design reviews, risk boards, and engineering change control processes

Systems Integration and Verification

• Ensure interfaces between major subsystems (host vehicle, interceptor, kill vehicle, ground systems) are technically sound and compatible

• Drive technical integration across disciplines, avionics, structures, thermal, propulsion, and GNC, to maintain system coherence

• Oversee verification planning, ensuring requirements are traceable, testable, and verified across the full lifecycle

• Ensure analytical and test rigor is scaled appropriately to design maturity and risk tolerance

Engineering Discipline Coordination

• Mentor discipline leads, ensuring consistency in standards, modeling assumptions, and data management

• Promote cross-functional problem solving, ensuring issues are rapidly elevated and technically resolved

• Enforce engineering rigor, documentation, and configuration control across the design and analysis functions

• Oversee the engineering review process (ERB, CCB) and ensure technical disposition of non-conformances

Strategic and Programmatic Alignment

• Support the Chief Engineer and Program Manager in balancing technical, schedule, and cost trade-offs

• Coordinate with Systems Engineering and SEIT to ensure cohesive technical baseline and verification closure

• Contribute to technology maturation and risk reduction planning for future phases of the SBI program

• Represent engineering during customer technical interchange meetings, design reviews, and audits

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 8+ years of experience in aerospace systems engineering, design, and technical leadership

• Proven record of leading multidisciplinary teams through full lifecycle development (concept through fielding)

• Deep understanding of configuration management, requirements traceability, and verification processes

• Strong background in one or more core domains (systems, structures, propulsion, GNC, avionics)

• Excellent communication, decision-making, and leadership skills

• U.S. Citizen and eligible for DoD Secret

Desired Qualifications & Experience

• Prior experience as Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer, or IPT Lead on a missile defense, launch, or space vehicle program

• Experience interfacing with government technical authorities and independent review boards

• Demonstrated success in scaling technical processes for rapid prototyping through operational deployment

• Advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering

• TS/SCI clearance

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $185,000-$310,000
• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education and experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location - Successful candidates will be located near Denver or Colorado Springs. While we observe a hybrid work environment, some work must be done on site.
• Work environment - the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands - the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us.