Program Chief Engineer
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Posted on:
Yesterday
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1 Vacancy
Job Summary
About the Role
As a Program Chief Engineer you will be responsible for defining and driving the systems architecture technical roadmap and overall engineering excellence. You will lead a multi-disciplinary team of high-performing engineers ensuring that the system meets stringent performance reliability and mission requirements in challenging maritime environments. This role combines strategic technical leadership with direct hands-on involvement in critical design and integration challenges.
This is a highly visible and impactful role where your deep technical expertise strategic thinking and leadership will directly contribute to delivering transformative capabilities for national security.
What Youll Do
- Technical Leadership & Vision: Define and articulate the technical vision and strategic roadmap for the system ensuring alignment with Andurils broader Dive-XL Core Platform and customer needs. Work directly with the product team (Product Manager EPM Lead Systems Engineer) to ensure tactical development is executed on plan.
- Architectural Design Authority: Serve as the ultimate technical authority for the system architecture design decisions and critical trade-offs across all engineering disciplines (mechanical electrical software autonomy acoustics materials).
- System Integration & Performance: Oversee the end-to-end development lifecycle from requirements definition and conceptual design through detailed design integration test and deployment.
- Test & Evaluation: Define and oversee the test and evaluation strategy including acceptance criteria test readiness reviews and support to customer acceptance testing.
- Technical Problem Solving: Lead the resolution of complex technical challenges acting as a hands-on expert and guiding teams through difficult design integration or operational issues.
- Technical Trade-offs: Drive build vs. buy decisions manage technical debt and balance speed of delivery against long-term system sustainability.
- Team Mentorship & Development: Provide technical mentorship guidance and critical review for engineering teams fostering a culture of innovation excellence and rigorous problem-solving.
- Risk and Opportunity Management: Identify assess and mitigate technical risks throughout the program lifecycle developing contingency plans and advising program leadership.
- Customer & Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a primary technical point of contact for internal stakeholders customers and partners. Clearly communicate complex technical information program status and strategic direction. Manage cross-team technical dependencies to ensure timely delivery of key capabilities and shield the engineering team from scope disruption.
- Cross-Site Coordination: Collaborate closely with the US Chief Engineer counterpart to ensure technical alignment across program variants share lessons learned and maintain architectural consistency.
- Requirements Management: Ensure robust requirements decomposition traceability and verification plans are in place for all subsystems.
- Innovation & Research: Stay abreast of cutting-edge technologies research and industry trends relevant to autonomous underwater systems incorporating best practices and innovative solutions.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelors Masters or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Robotics Computer Science or a related technical discipline.
- 15 years of experience in the design development integration and deployment of complex autonomous systems.
- 5 years of demonstrated experience as a Chief Engineer Technical Director Lead Architect Engineering Fellow or equivalent senior technical leadership role on a major hardware/software program.
- Proficiency in systems engineering principles including requirements management interface control verification and validation.
- Proven ability to lead and mentor highly technical multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
- Exceptional communication presentation and interpersonal skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain an Australian National Security Clearance (NV2 or higher).
Preferred Qualifications
- Deep expertise across multiple AUV sub-domains such as:
- Hydrodynamics & Propulsion: Vehicle dynamics control systems thrusters.
- Power Systems: Battery technologies power management high-voltage systems.
- Underwater Acoustics & Communications: Modems sonar acoustic navigation.
- Navigation & Perception: INS/GPS-denied navigation vision systems object detection/avoidance.
- Autonomy & Control: Mission planning decision-making algorithms real-time control.
- Materials Science & Corrosion: Marine-grade materials anti-corrosion techniques.
- Mechanical Design: Pressure hulls payloads articulation.
- Software Architectures: Embedded systems real-time operating systems distributed systems.
- Active Australian National Security Clearance (NV2 or higher).
- Experience with the full lifecycle of Australian Defence Force (ADF) acquisition programs.
- Demonstrated understanding of Australian defence contracting frameworks (e.g. ASDEFCON) or equivalent international defence acquisition standards particularly as they relate to technical requirements risk management and program execution.
- Experience with system safety engineering practices (e.g. MIL-STD-882) and familiarity with submarine/AUV safety certification processes.
- Familiarity with cybersecurity best practices for autonomous systems.
- Expertise in AI/ML applications for AUV autonomy perception and decision-making.
- Experience with advanced manufacturing techniques for marine systems.
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 Andurils 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.
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