Senior Systems Engineer, Payload Module Lead

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 TEAMThe 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. The team in London builds the Mission System and the autonomy that makes aircraft like Thunder work.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 JOBAnduril is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the design, integration, verification, and validation of a specific payload or weapon module for the Thunder platform. Directly lead, or provide technical direction to, a multidisciplinary team of 6 to 8 engineers spanning software, electrical, and mechanical and structural disciplines, and drive hands on technical execution from requirements through test, fielding, and sustainment.This is a high-visibility leadership position that directly dictates how versatile and mission-effective the aircraft platform will be in the field.WHAT YOU’LL DOLead integration, verification, and validation of a specific weapon or payload module onto the Thunder platformDirectly lead, or provide technical direction to, a team of 6 to 8 engineers across software, electrical, and mechanical and structural disciplinesDevelop program plans, estimates, and schedules for the moduleDevelop system and architecture designs, perform system level analysis, and generate requirements for the moduleTroubleshoot conflicting design and development requirementsDrive design and implementation of MIL STD 1553 and 1760 interfaces, structural mounts, and support installs (wiring, cooling, power) for the assigned moduleOwn stores management system (SMS) and fire control logic specific to the module, including arm, select, and release state machines and safety interlocksOwn safe separation analysis and testing for the module, covering trajectory clearance, jettison envelope, and captive carry and flight test supportRun day to day agile execution for the team, including sprint planning, backlog management, and technical decision makingDevelop and maintain Interface Control Documents, Software Requirement Specifications, Performance Specifications, and review test plans and proceduresDevelop and present technical material for reviews and meetingsSupport lab, ground, and flight test eventsCoordinate with the Payloads Lead on cross module interface consistency and shared standards (MOSA/WOSA)Coordinate and interface directly with customers, contractors, and external payload and weapon supplier engineering teams on module specific integration issuesDrive development of module specific test fixtures, bench setups, and SITL/HITL simulation environmentsSupport ongoing operation of the fielded weapon system for the moduleSupport proposals and white papers for future efforts or capabilities related to the moduleProvide hands on technical mentorship and direction to team engineers across disciplinesTravel up to 25% to test sites and integration facilitiesREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONSBachelor's, Master's, or PhD in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution, with progressive engineering experience as follows: nine or more years with a bachelor's degree, seven or more years with a master's degree, or five or more years with a PhD; equivalent engineering experience may substitute for educationSoftware programming or embedded systems experience (familiarity with C++, MATLAB, Python, PERL scripting, etc.)Familiarity with air to air weapons, MIL STD 1553, and logical Interface Control DocumentsExperience integrating weapons, payloads, or avionics onto aircraftExperience with weapon or tactical datalinksExperience directly leading or technically directing a small multidisciplinary engineering team (software, electrical, mechanical)Experience designing or validating safety critical state machines and interlock logic (arm and fire sequencing, consent based release)Must be customer focused with the ability to formulate and implement plans to resolve technical engineering problemsAbility 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 workMust be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearancePREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSDirect hands on experience integrating a named weapon system (for example Hellfire, Hydra 70), Air Launched Effects, or laser target designation systemsExperience with weapon and store carriage structural design, including mounting, load analysis, and jettison and separation clearanceExperience with safe separation analysis, captive carry testing, or flight test support for weapon release clearanceExperience with stores management systems (SMS) or similar weapon interface controllersFamiliarity with bus analyzers and test tooling for 1553/1760 (for example Astronics/Ballard, DDC)Experience on special mission unit or SOF platform weaponization and conversion programsExperience in NX/Teamcenter or SolidworksExperience designing mechanical parts and test equipment (CAD)Understanding of manufacturing methods (machining, sheet metal, composites, 3D printing, injection molding, composite lamination)Familiarity with MBSE tooling (SysML, Cameo, Jama, or similar)US Salary Range$166,000—$220,000 USDThe 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: BenefitsAt 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.Protecting Yourself from Recruitment ScamsAnduril 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 View email address on click.appcast.io. 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 View email address on click.appcast.io. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.Data PrivacyTo view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit . 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.