Chief Engineer, Space

Company: Anduril Industries
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

ABOUT THE JOB We are looking for a Chief Engineer to to join our rapidly growing space team in Costa Mesa, CA. In this role, you will be responsible for serving as a technical lead on a wide berth of emerging developments geared towards an all-encompassing spacecraft mission focused around dynamic space operations and highly maneuverable satellites. This will include driving technology developments through design, build, test and delivery for on-orbit operations across high dV propulsion systems, optical sensor suites, closed loop guidance and navigation and systems engineering in close concert with new and legacy ground software enterprises. The Chief Engineer will develop a technical strategy and roadmap in conjunction with the Head of Engineering for Space Missions and the Growth/Strategy leads of the Space team that effectively leverages current Anduril technologies and newly developed technologies to serve the customer mission areas. This role will address pre-award demonstrations, early contract phases, and full-contract execution. The Chief Engineer, working with a multi-disciplinary engineering team, will ensure the efficient development and delivery of hardware and software solutions for the customer. These efforts will include leading complex, integrated systems for on-orbit operations and demonstrations to include sub-contracted teammates and strategic partnerships. The chief engineer will need to facilitate effective technical development and integration that spans company-boundaries in an agile development approach in the context of a continuous integration/continuous deployment paradigm. They will need to balance development of new capabilities with the incorporation of several pre-existing Anduril or industry capabilities and need to effectively communicate the development status to internal and external stakeholders. The Chief Engineer will be responsible for technical oversight of all aspects of program execution from proposals to SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR, assembly, qualification testing, and delivery of flight units for launch. The Chief Engineer in conjunction with the Head of Engineering for Space Missions will assist in building out the necessary infrastructure for Anduril to execute on all necessary aspects a space based interceptor consisting of satellite and payload build and test to include working with external vendors for establishing test requirements and pass/fail criteria. The Chief Engineer will also work closely with the Anduril Space C2 team to enable and deliver Space Ground C2 products to both the customer and to further Anduril’s penetration into customer ecosystems. WHAT YOU’LL DO Provide technical expertise across multiple spacecraft subsystems and ground systems Leverage strategic partnerships and teammates for building out new products to satisfy customer requirements in new and challenging mission areas Provide space industry expertise to refine and advance the Anduril Space Based Interceptor strategy for customer engagements and demonstrations Contribute technical inputs to proposals to include engineering execution plans Provider oversight to a multi-disciplinary team of engineers through all phases of program execution up to and including delivery and operation of capabilities on-orbit Perform mission and system level trade studies and analysis to balance risk, cost, and performance REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience in architecting, developing, and delivering defense/IC satellite and space hardware and software systems. Experience in high dV spacecraft, dynamic space operations, space based sensing and understand mission operations for surveillance and reconnaissance at multiple orbits. Understanding of the recent/current technical state of key USSF and IC space systems and mission areas Demonstrated ability to decompose complex systems with competing objectives (e.g., performance, schedule, openness, cybersecurity, MLS) into executable requirements and execution then delivering on those to meet government expectations Experience with spacecraft standards for qualification testing and acceptance testing to include the use of GEVS, SMC-S-016 (MIL-STD-1540), etc. Experience with US government space mission areas and associated CONOPS for successfully executing missions to enable space for the warfighter Design and development of space vehicle and payload architectures and detailed mission solutions to complex space domain challenges Strong technical communication skills, providing the ability to deliver critical technical briefings and conclusions to technical leadership, company leadership, and customers Strong technical fundamentals in space systems, space ground infrastructure, and product development Technical experience leading US Government contracts Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance US Salary Range $254,000 - $336,000 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: Healthcare Benefits US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you. UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents. IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents. Additional Benefits Income Protection : Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees. Generous time off : Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs. Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting. Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available. Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region. Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility. Retirement Savings Plan US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options. UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match. AUS Roles: Superannuation plan. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information. To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind: No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates. Please always verify communications: Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address. Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to contact@anduril.com . Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links. What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to contact@anduril.com . Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts. Data Privacy To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/ .

Keywords: Anduril Industries, Rancho Palos Verdes , Chief Engineer, Space, IT / Software / Systems , Costa Mesa, California