Technical Lead - Mission Modules

About Forterra

At Forterra, we are unleashing autonomy at scale to transform the battlefield. Our mission is to build the foundational platforms that enable an intelligent ecosystem to coordinate, adapt, and execute with speed and precision even in the uncertainty and disruption of modern conflict. In an era marked by rapid technological change and evolving threats, we design for flexibility, survivability, and operational dominance.

Forterra delivers weapons, sensors, and battlefield effects through integrated autonomous networks reaching operational areas faster, safer, and without placing human lives at risk. Our systems operate with distributed control, dynamic routing, and real-time responsiveness, enabling sustained advantage across complex mission environments.

About the role

Forterra is seeking a hands-on Technical Lead to drive execution of advanced mission module development on autonomous ground systems. You’ll work at the intersection of autonomy, power, comms, and weapon systems to deliver payloads such as Counter-UAS, combat engineer, and other mission critical payloads capabilities. This is a deeply technical leadership role requiring system-level thinking, cross-functional coordination, and direct execution accountability. 

You will serve as the Mission Module technical owner, architect, and lead engineer—ensuring delivery of field ready capabilities that integrate seamlessly with Forterra’s autonomy stack and platform architecture. This role carries full accountability for technical outcomes from concept through integration and delivery. The Technical Lead will interface directly with government customers, external partners, manage internal 

engineering execution, and ensure delivery of a fully integrated, mission-capable system. This position is not a coordination role — it requires deep technical judgment, direct problem-solving, hands-on leadership of multidisciplinary teams, and decision-making under pressure. 

What you'll do

Program Technical Leadership 

• Lead the technical development and integration of payloads (e.g., Counter-UAS, EW, ISR, kinetic) into Forterra’s vehicle platforms 
• Lead technical execution across multiple engineering disciplines (software, electrical, mechanical, autonomy, systems, and systems integration) 
• Manage and mitigate technical and programmatic risks through proactive design and schedule control 
• Own the engineering schedule and ensure alignment with overall program milestones and delivery dates 
• Collaborate directly with defense customers, partners, and vendors to align on technical solutions and delivery milestones 

Systems Engineering & Integration 

• Lead development and decomposition of system requirements and interface definitions for the program (Accountable but will have support from the broader org and dedicated resources within the division). 
• Ensure compliance with program-specific standards including MIL-STD-882E, NIST 800-53, amongst others. 
• Define, manage, and own the logical and physical system architecture for the specific program across software and hardware domains 

Cross-Functional Influence 

• Operate with full accountability, even in the absence of direct authority or guidance. 
• Resolve technical and organizational conflict across functions to maintain execution velocity. 
• Ruthlessly prioritize tasks and resources to maximize team output in a fluid environment. 
• Represent the program at technical reviews, demonstrations, and key stakeholder engagements. 

Artifact & Compliance Management 

• Drive creation and management of all required engineering artifacts: systems requirements, interface control documents, cyber compliance packages, safety analyses, etc. 
• Conduct or supervise integration, verification, and validation of mission modules in lab and field environments. 
• Travel: Moderate (up to 30%). Expect time in office, though flexible based on customer engagement, test campaigns, and platform bring-up travel. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical field required. Relevant disciplines include Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Software, Mechatronics, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or similar 
• 5+ years of experience in systems integration, robotics, embedded systems, or defense payloads 
• Demonstrated experience owning cross-functional systems from architecture through deployment 
• Familiarity with MIL standards, safety-critical systems, and software/hardware integration best practices 
• Demonstrated leadership of cross-functional engineering teams in high-stakes environments 
• U.S. Persons and ability to obtain a Secret clearance 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on robotics and autonomous systems for Department of Defense applications
• Advanced degree (M.S., Ph.D.) in engineering preferred 
• Experience integrating weapon systems, sensors, or comms into autonomous platforms
• Experience in DoD acquisition programs or direct collaboration with military end-users
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-882 and joint services safety guidance (e.g., JSSSEH) 

US Salary Range
 $160,000—$190,000
 

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.  
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption. 
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires. 
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.  

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances: click here.   

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

To see Forterra’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit Forterra Legal | Job Applicant Privacy Notice. 

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