Principal Optical Systems Engineer

About this role

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 TEAM

The Anduril Imaging team develops state-of-the-art imaging systems across both hardware and software, deployed to tackle the most significant security challenges of America and its allies. The team is heavily involved in utilizing computer vision, perception, electro-optical, infrared, and sensor data to give our war fighters and allies an advantage.

ABOUT THE JOB

As the Chief Engineer at Anduril, you will serve as the ultimate technical authority and visionary for our most critical programs and product lines. You will be instrumental in translating complex mission gaps and customer needs into innovative, robust, and manufacturable technical solutions. This role demands a unique blend of deep technical expertise across multiple engineering disciplines, strategic foresight, exceptional leadership, and unwavering accountability for end-to-end engineering execution. You will drive the overarching technical strategy, ensure system integrity, and champion our technological advancements both internally and externally.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Define Technical Vision & Architecture: Strategically understand mission gaps and customer needs to develop overarching Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and system architectures, translating these into compelling technical proposals and Internal Research & Development (IRAD) products.

• Lead End-to-End Engineering Execution: Scope the full engineering effort across all technical teams (hardware, software, production, core tech, etc.), defining critical milestones, identifying and mitigating risks, and owning top-level technical decision-making. You will be fully accountable for engineering cost, schedule, and performance.

• Drive Product Lifecycle from NPI to Sustainment: Provide high-level technical oversight for New Product Introduction (NPI) by coordinating EMD activities with quality and production, ensuring full engineering support, and owning engineering's readiness for Manufacturing Readiness Review (MRR). You will also prioritize and ensure robust engineering solutions for production and field issues, supporting new business integrations as the primary technical expert.

• Champion and Evangelize Technology: Serve as the leading product and technical evangelist, effectively briefing and communicating our technology to internal and external audiences, including customers and partners. Proactively identify new opportunities and cultivate partnerships for existing and developing technologies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.

• 10+ years of progressive engineering experience, including as a chief engineer, principal architect, or senior technical leadership role overseeing complex, multidisciplinary systems.

• Demonstrated experience in developing system-level CONOPS, architectures, and leading technical strategy from concept through sustainment.

• Proven track record of full accountability for engineering execution, including managing cost, schedule, risk, and technical performance for large-scale programs.

• Deep expertise across multiple engineering domains (e.g., hardware, software, mechanical, electrical, firmware, RF, optics) and the ability to arbitrate technical trade-offs across these disciplines.

• Extensive experience with New Product Introduction (NPI) processes, including EMD activities and manufacturing readiness.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, from junior engineers to executive leadership and external customers.

• Strong leadership capabilities, with the ability to inspire, mentor, and guide high-performing engineering teams.

• Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, adapting quickly to evolving requirements and priorities.

• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or technical field.

• Experience in the defense, aerospace, or other mission-critical systems industries.

• Proven experience in technical evangelism, public speaking, and building strategic technical partnerships.

• Strong business acumen, including experience with business case development, financial planning, and understanding market dynamics.

• Active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

US Salary Range $253,000 — $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:

Benefits

At 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 .

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