CareerPlan

Principal Engineer, cUAS Lead, Omen

Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00)Full-time$220k2026-09-30 → 2026-11-11
Security clearance required

Core

Own the airborne counter-UAS effector payload end-to-end for the Omen autonomous air vehicle, from prototype to production, including design, testing, and team leadership.

Role type

Principal Engineer, Hardware Systems Lead

Builds

Counter-UAS effector payload, firing systems, and steering hardware for autonomous air vehicles

Domain

Defense, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), Electromechanical Systems

Required skills

electromechanical hardware design, mechanical design under transient loads, actuator sizing, vibration and shock isolation, sensor characterization, hardware test and validation, design for manufacturability, CAD proficiency, team leadership

Preferred skills

weapon/effector/launcher systems experience, counter-UAS engagement experience, VTOL/rotorcraft payload environment knowledge, stabilized pointing/gimbals, fire control solutions, environmental qualification testing, airworthiness, MATLAB/Simulink, C++/Python for test automation

Technologies

NX, SolidWorks, Radar, Lidar, EO/IR, Laser rangefinders, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461

Responsibilities

Design effector and firing system including mounting and recoil management; size actuators and design isolation for steering hardware; manage pointing error budget; select and characterize ranging sensors; lead multidisciplinary team hiring and technical direction; define payload roadmap; manage payload interface control with vehicle systems; plan and execute ground and flight test campaigns; drive production readiness including supplier selection and acceptance testing; ensure safety and compliance with range safety and export controls

Seniority

Principal, hands-on IC with team leadership