Principal Mission Systems Engineer, Air Dominance & Strike, Active Clearance

Anduril; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 290,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Top-tier benefits

Job summary

Anduril Industries seeks a Mission Systems Engineer to deliver autonomous air system solutions from payload selection through integration and validation. You will own mission outcomes, work with multiple internal teams, and engage with subcontractors to ensure system performance meets requirements.

The role requires leading modeling, simulations, and validation activities across AdaS teams, with emphasis on integration of advanced communications, sensing, and effector systems.

Qualifications

• Active U.S. Top Secret clearance.
• 2+ years at Architect level or Chief Engineer.
• 15+ years in relevant Science and/or Engineering field.
• Owning full scope of new aircraft design.

Responsibilities

• Conduct trades for communications, sensing, and effector systems to deliver mission outcomes.
• Architect autonomous payload and system concepts, requirements, layout and interfaces.
• Develop or adapt physics-based models of payload performance with SMEs.
• Develop validated models for mission-level simulation tools.
• Validate system performance with test and integration engineers.
• Collaborate across AD&S teams to deliver high-performance systems.
• Manage subcontractors or internal teams to meet subsystem requirements and schedule.
• Communicate results clearly to internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Architect level experience

Security clearance

Systems engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C++

COMSOL

Ansys

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting‑edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril’s Air Dominance and Strike (AD&S) team is seeking a Mission Systems Engineer to join our team. The AD&S team is responsible for developing end‑to‑end “mission‑ized” autonomous air systems capable of delivering exceptional warfighter outcomes to our customers.

As a Mission Systems Engineer, you will be responsible for delivering mission outcomes within Anduril programs through the judicious selection, sourcing, and validation of mission relevant payloads and systems. The right person for this role will have experience in payload conceptual development, selection, integration, and validation. You will begin with mission‑level outcomes and drive to solutions through appropriate modeling, domain expertise, and vendor engagement. This will require taking ownership of subcontractor and/or internal technical development efforts and working across various Anduril internal teams to appropriately integrate capabilities. If you are someone who enjoys building and delivering compelling next‑generation autonomous capabilities through rigorous modeling and exploration of system trades followed by actual vehicle integration, then this role is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Conduct trades for communications, sensing, and effector systems to deliver successful mission outcomes working closely with the broader AD&S team
• Architect autonomous multi-function, multi-mode payload and system solution concepts, requirements, layout, interfaces, & employment
• Adapt or derive physics-based models of payload system performance working closely with subject matter experts
• Adapt or develop validated effects-based models for use in mission-level modeling & simulation tools
• Validate system performance in close cooperation with test & integration engineers
• Work closely with AD&S teams to successfully integrate & deliver high-performance systems to our customers
• Manage subcontractors and/or internal development teams to define subsystem requirements and drive technical performance on schedule
• Communicate results in multiple forms internally and externally

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance
• 2+ years of experience at the Architect level, or Chief Engineer
• Owning full scope of new aircraft design
• RF and IR expertise
• Broad depth of experience
• Understands more than just the first order of physics behind the systems they are building
• 15+ years in relevant Science and/or Engineering related field

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of current and next-generation advanced communications, sensing, and effector systems and platforms
• Platform-level system trade and integration experience
• Advanced proficiency in analytical toolchains or languages (e.g., MATLAB, Python, C++, COMSOL, Ansys)
• Advanced communications experience (e.g., secure LPx line-of-sight, beyond line-of-sight, tactical data links)
• Advanced sensing domain experience (e.g., EO/IR, ESM, EA, EW, LIDAR)

US Salary Range $220,000—$290,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full‑time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.