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

AI Chopping Block; Costa Mesa, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 220,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa, CA is seeking a Mission Systems Engineer to lead the end-to-end development of autonomous air systems, focusing on payload selection, integration, and validation to deliver mission outcomes.

You will model performance, work with vendors and internal teams, and own subcontractor development efforts. This role demands extensive experience and TS clearance, with a strong emphasis on systems engineering and rigorous analysis.

Qualifications

• Active U.S. Top Secret clearance is required.
• Extensive experience in physics-based modeling of system performance.
• 8+ years in payload integration and validation.
• 15+ years in relevant science or engineering fields.

Responsibilities

• Conduct trades for payload and system concepts to meet mission goals.
• Architect autonomous payload and system solution concepts and interfaces.
• Develop physics-based and validated models for mission-level analysis.
• Create and adapt models for use in simulation tools.
• Validate system performance with test and integration teams.
• Coordinate with subcontractors and internal teams to meet schedule.
• Communicate results clearly to internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Top Secret clearance

Physics-based modeling

Payload integration experience

System-level modeling & simulation

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C++

COMSOL

Ansys

Job description

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
• 10+ years in communications, sensors, and effector domain expertise in one or more of Radar, EO/IR, RF, and EW systems
• Physics‑based modeling and analysis of system performance in tool(s) of your choice
• 8+ years in payload integration and validation. The more the better
• 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)
• Experience with missile design & integration

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. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

Data Privacy

To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.

By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third‑party service provider to conduct pre‑employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third‑party service provider provides risk‑intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public‑record information, and other lawful open‑source or commercial data sources. This third‑party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.