Chief Engineer, Space Vehicle

About the position True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build innovative technology that solves the next generation of engineering, manufacturing, and operational challenges for space security and sustainability. OUR MISSION The peaceful use of space is essential for continued prosperity on Earth—from communications and finance to navigation and logistics. True Anomaly builds innovative technology at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance the capabilities of the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners. We safeguard global security by ensuring space access and sustainability for all. OUR VALUES Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together YOUR MISSION True Anomaly is seeking a highly accomplished Chief Engineer to lead the technical execution of a next-generation space vehicle program. In this role you will play a critical role in defining, analyzing, and ensuring the successful implementation of mission requirements across complex, mission-critical space systems, supporting national defense initiatives, and advancing technologies in autonomous space operations. You will serve as the top technical authority for the vehicle, accountable for engineering performance, risk management, and system integration. You will lead multi-disciplinary teams through design, development, analysis, test, and fielding phases while ensuring the vehicle architecture, requirements, and design decisions align with system-level objectives and mission success criteria. You must impedance match rigor and analysis depth to the maturity and risk posture of the program. You will drive design and technical readiness reviews, technical baseline management, and design assurance. RESPONSIBILITIES The Chief Engineer is part of the Systems Engineering team. In addition to the responsibilities above, as a member of this team, you will:

Responsibilities

• Have ownership over the technical baseline for the program
• Be accountable for program technical budgets
• Assists program manager in scope, cost, and schedule decisions
• Collaborate with customers, stakeholders, and internal teams to define and document mission objectives, system requirements, and operational concepts.
• Translate customer and mission needs into actionable engineering solutions, ensuring alignment with technical and programmatic constraints.
• Lead system trade studies, performance evaluations, and feasibility assessments to ensure optimal system architecture design.
• Coordinate with subsystem teams to troubleshoot and resolve integration challenges, ensuring mission readiness.
• Support mission operations teams during testing and real-time mission execution.
• Assess mission success criteria and operational risks and propose mitigation strategies.
• Develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans for safe and reliable mission execution.

Requirements

• 15+ years full lifecycle experience, including leading a vehicle through design, test, and verification
• Strong technical leadership and systems architecture experience
• Proven leadership in design, analysis, and verification on a major aerospace program
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with ability to lead technical trades
• Demonstrated ability to balance technical rigor with schedule and program realities
• Strong systems engineering and technical leadership background across mechanical, electrical, and software domains
• Strong background in systems engineering practices: requirements, verification, trade studies, interface control, and failure analysis
• Ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and coordinate across hardware and software boundaries
• Bachelors Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field
• S. Citizen and eligible for DoD TS/SCI or TS/SAP U.S. government security clearance.

Nice-to-haves

• Advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering
• Strong track record leading cross-functional engineering teams and managing design-to-delivery cycles
• Demonstrated expertise with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
• Background in range certification, test readiness reviews, and safety boards
• Active TS/SCI clearance
• Experience in defense or classified space missions.
• Familiarity with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA mission standards and processes
• Experience working with government agencies, primes, or subcontractors on space missions.

Benefits

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

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