Program Chief Engineer

About the Role As a Program Chief Engineer you will be responsible for defining and driving the system's 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 You'll Do

• Technical Leadership & Vision: Define and articulate the technical vision and strategic roadmap for the system, ensuring alignment with Anduril's 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

• Bachelor's, Master's, 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 Anduril's 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.

Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams Anduril 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 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 .
• Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: . click apply for full job details