Energetics / Warhead Integration Engineer

Peregrine Industries, Inc.; Covina (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Peregrine Industries in Covina, CA, is seeking an Energetics / Warhead Integration Engineer to own the integration of effects payloads into Peregrine's autonomous munitions. The role demands hands-on work across warhead selection, interface design, and safety certification, culminating in production readiness for fielded capability.

You will collaborate with fuzing, system safety, mechanical, electrical, GNC, and flight-test teams to mature Kestrel, DRACO, and future Peregrine payloads, while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field.
• 6+ years hands-on energetics, warhead design/integration, munitions engineering, or related ordnance discipline.
• Working knowledge of warhead integration, initiation trains, and payload interfaces within guided or autonomous munitions.
• Familiarity with munitions safety/qualification standards: MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-882, MIL-STD-2105, MIL-STD-331, MIL-STD-810.
• Ability to obtain/maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own payload integration for Peregrine munitions, covering warhead interfaces and payload-to-airframe integration.
• Define payload requirements against targets and constraints; lead trade studies across options.
• Conduct lethality analyses and translate results into requirements, test objectives, and claims.
• Manage relationships with energetics suppliers, government labs, and partner organizations.
• Define and verify initiation-train interfaces per MIL-STD-1316 and fuze-safety requirements.
• Support MIL-STD-882 safety efforts, hazard analyses, and safety-review boards.
• Plan and execute insensitive munitions and hazard classification efforts for storage/fielding.
• Develop test plans for inert integration, static/detonation and live-fire events with ranges.
• Coordinate handling of energetic materials per ATF, DOT, DoD and range requirements.
• Support environmental and qualification testing per MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-331.
• Build data packages and production specs for traceability and scale-up.
• Support customer demonstrations, government tests, and proposals with technical input.

Skills

Energetics knowledge

Warhead integration

Munitions safety

Test planning

Documentation writing

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical Engineering or related field

Tools

MIL-STD-1316

MIL-STD-882

MIL-STD-2105

MIL-STD-331

MIL-STD-810

Job description

Energetics / Warhead Integration Engineer (Covina, CA)

On-Site | Full-Time

Note: Our standards are high, and so are the stakes. We know the strongest candidates rarely match every requirement on paper. If you can learn fast, execute under pressure, and want to build capability that matters for the warfighter, we want to hear from you.

About Peregrine

Peregrine Industries builds affordable, U.S.-made autonomous systems for tactical strike, counter-UAS, training, and defense modernization missions. Our platforms include Kestrel and DRACO, backed by PTEC, our modular tactical effects core.

We move fast, hold ourselves to honest engineering standards, and build hardware that has to work the first time in the field.

About the Role

We are seeking a hands-on Energetics / Warhead Integration Engineer to own the integration of effects payloads into Peregrine's autonomous munitions, from payload selection and interface design through safety certification, qualification testing, and production readiness.

You will work across warhead selection, lethality analysis, payload-to-airframe integration, initiation interfaces, insensitive munitions, hazard classification, and qualification testing. This is not a desk-only role. You will define requirements, work directly with energetics suppliers and government test organizations, plan and support test events, and build the safety and qualification evidence needed to take Peregrine payloads from inert integration to certified live capability.

The ideal candidate understands how the warhead, fuze, safe-and-arm device, airframe, and mission profile work together as one weapon system, and can trace requirements and risks across all of them. You will work directly with our fuzing, system safety, mechanical, electrical, GNC, and flight-test teams to mature Kestrel, DRACO, and future Peregrine effects.

What you'll do

• Own effects-payload integration for Peregrine strike and counter-UAS munitions, including the warhead, initiation interfaces, and payload-to-airframe integration.
• Define payload requirements against target sets, mission profiles, and size, weight, and power constraints, then lead trade studies across candidate warhead and effects options.
• Conduct and coordinate lethality and effectiveness analysis, and translate results into requirements, test objectives, and customer-facing performance claims.
• Manage relationships with energetics suppliers, government laboratories, and partner organizations, including technical interface definition and data exchange.
• Work with fuzing and safe-and-arm engineers to define and verify initiation-train interfaces in accordance with MIL-STD-1316 and related fuze-safety requirements.
• Support system safety efforts under MIL-STD-882, including hazard analyses, safety assessments, and submissions to weapon and fuze safety review boards.
• Plan and execute insensitive munitions (MIL-STD-2105) and hazard classification efforts to support storage, transport, and fielding.
• Develop and execute test plans for inert integration, static arena and detonation testing, and live-fire events in coordination with government ranges and test organizations.
• Coordinate compliant handling, storage, and transportation of energetic materials at partner, supplier, and government facilities in accordance with ATF, DOT, DoD, and range requirements.
• Support environmental and qualification testing of integrated payloads, including MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-331 test series.
• Build documentation, data packages, and production specifications that support lot acceptance, traceability, and scale-up.
• Support customer demonstrations, government test events, and proposal efforts with accurate, defensible technical input.

What we're looking for

• 6+ years of hands-on experience in energetics, warhead design or integration, munitions engineering, or a closely related ordnance discipline.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related technical field.
• Working knowledge of warhead integration, initiation trains, and payload interfaces within a guided or autonomous munition.
• Familiarity with munitions safety and qualification standards, including MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-882, MIL-STD-2105, MIL-STD-331, and MIL-STD-810.
• Experience planning or supporting energetics testing at government or commercial ranges.
• Understanding of safe handling, storage, and transportation requirements for energetic materials.
• Ability to write clear test plans, safety documentation, and technical reports for government reviewers.
• Comfort working directly with inert hardware in the shop and with live payloads at partner facilities and test ranges.
• Willingness to travel regularly to supplier sites, government laboratories, and test ranges.

Strongly preferred

• Experience integrating effects payloads into small UAS, loitering munitions, or other Group 1–3 weapon systems.
• Experience with fuze and weapon safety review boards or the Army Fuze Safety Review Board process.
• Experience with lethality modeling tools and effectiveness analysis methods.
• Experience with insensitive munitions testing and hazard classification submissions.
• Experience working with Army DEVCOM, Picatinny Arsenal, Navy, or Air Force energetics and munitions organizations.
• Experience with lot acceptance testing, munitions production, or transitioning designs to manufacturing.
• Experience supporting counter-UAS effects or proximity-initiated payloads.
• Experience working in a startup or rapid-development environment where engineers take systems from prototype through test and qualification.

An active U.S. security clearance, or the ability and willingness to obtain and maintain one.

Peregrine Industries is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Position is subject to U.S. export-control regulations; applicants must qualify as U.S. Persons under ITAR.Peregrine Industries is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Position is subject to U.S. export-control regulations; applicants must qualify as U.S. Persons under ITAR.