Staff Systems Engineer – Payload Lead

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Maneuver Dominance team is building Thunder - an autonomous attack rotorcraft built to fight alongside crewed combat aviation to deliver overwhelming mass effects deep beyond the front lines. 

Autonomy is only as good as the link that carries it. Thunder is a compact airframe with weapons, sensors and radios competing for the same antenna real estate, flying low and in formation, in a spectrum that is actively contested. That is the problem you would own.

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril is seeking a Staff Systems Engineer - Payload Lead to join the Maneuver Dominance team at our Costa Mesa HQ. As the Staff Systems Engineer, Payload Lead, you will own the payloads portfolio across the Thunder platform, leading multiple payload and weapon integration teams and driving cross team architecture, interfaces, and product execution. Work closely with the Mission Systems Lead and Mission Autonomy Lead to align payload capability with vehicle and mission software, and serve as the primary technical relationship owner with external weapon and payload suppliers and integration partners. Own staffing, prioritization, and delivery across the payloads org. This is a unique opportunity to grow your expertise in one of the most challenging and differing engineering domains; large autonomous air vehicles. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Own the overall payloads architecture and roadmap across all weapon and payload systems integrated onto the platform
• Lead and grow multiple payload integration teams, each responsible for a specific weapon or payload module
• Develop program plans, estimates, and schedules across the payloads portfolio
• Drive cross team interface consistency in electrical (1553/1760), structural and mechanical, software, and datalink domains across all payload teams
• Own staffing plans, hiring, and resource allocation across the payloads organization
• Own product execution across payload workstreams, including prioritization, roadmap, delivery tracking, and cross team dependency management
• Partner closely with the Mission Systems Lead and Mission Autonomy Lead to align payload capability, interfaces, and timelines with vehicle management and autonomy software
• Serve as primary technical relationship owner with customers, contractors, and external weapon and payload suppliers, covering commercial terms, technical scope, and delivery commitments
• Own or delegate stores management system (SMS) and fire control architecture standards applied consistently across payload modules
• Drive modular, open architecture standards (MOSA/WOSA) across the payloads portfolio to enable rapid reconfiguration and multi weapon compatibility
• Own safe separation and airworthiness certification strategy across the payload portfolio, coordinating with flight test and certification authorities
• Own requirements generation, Interface Control Documents, Software Requirement Specifications, and Performance Specifications standards across payload teams
• Support ongoing operation and sustainment of fielded weapon systems
• Support proposals and white papers for future payload efforts or capabilities
• Represent the payloads organization in program level technical reviews, customer engagements, and executive reviews
• Escalate and resolve cross team technical and resourcing conflicts across payload workstreams, including conflicting design and development requirements
• Travel up to 25% to test sites, integration facilities, and partner locations

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution, with progressive engineering experience as follows: eleven or more years with a bachelor's degree, nine or more years with a master's degree, or seven or more years with a PhD, including people leadership; equivalent engineering experience may substitute for education
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple engineering teams or a multi team organization
• Hands on background with MIL STD 1553 and/or MIL STD 1760 interfaces
• Familiarity with air to air weapons and logical Interface Control Documents
• Experience integrating weapons, payloads, or avionics onto aircraft
• Experience with weapon or tactical datalinks
• Experience owning staffing, hiring, and resourcing decisions for an engineering organization
• Experience managing customer, contractor, and supplier relationships on integration programs, including commercial and technical scope
• Must be customer focused with the ability to formulate and implement plans to resolve technical engineering problems
• Ability to travel to support program and test events (up to 25 percent)
• U.S. Person status (citizenship or lawful permanent residency) required for ITAR and export controlled work
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience leading weaponization or special mission unit platform conversion programs
• Familiarity with air to ground weapon systems (for example Hellfire, Hydra 70), Air Launched Effects, and laser target designation systems
• Software programming or embedded systems experience (C++, MATLAB, Python, PERL scripting, etc.)
• Experience owning safe separation and airworthiness certification strategy at a program level
• Working knowledge of MOSA/WOSA open architecture standards and their application across multi team portfolios
• Familiarity with MBSE tooling and digital engineering practices (SysML, Cameo, Jama, or similar)
• Experience in NX/Teamcenter or Solidworks
• Understanding of manufacturing methods (machining, sheet metal, composites, 3D printing, injection molding, composite lamination)
• Track record building and scaling engineering teams in a fast paced defense program environment

US Salary Range 191000 - 254000 USD