Principal Mission Systems Engineer, IPT Lead

Description

The company builds defense products on a proprietary distributed network platform, aimed at warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams who need to act faster and respond to changing threats.

Founded in 2022, the company has raised $1 billion from investors including 8VC, Accel, and Valor Equity Partners. It is based in Los Angeles and has offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, and London, with more than 500 employees.

This role leads mission systems architecture and operational employment concepts for the Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) program. The aim is a platform built to carry out real U.S. Air Force (USAF) missions the way operators use them.

The work turns USAF concepts of operations, tactics, techniques, procedures, and mission planning workflows into mission systems requirements that guide payload, sensor-to-shooter, sensor-to-decision, mission planning, and command-and-control (C2) interoperability decisions. The ideal candidate has hands-on USAF mission experience, whether as a former operator, a mission systems engineer supporting operational units, or a developer working closely with operational USAF customers, and can connect operational needs to engineering choices.

Responsibilities

• Own the mission systems architecture for the MMA platform, covering payload and sensor employment, mission planning, mission execution logic, and the data flow that supports the mission.
• Turn USAF CONOPS, TTPs, and employment concepts into traceable mission systems requirements and architecture decisions.
• Define mission system interfaces with onboard avionics, the Ground Control Station (GCS), payload and sensor subsystems, and relevant C2 networks.
• Lead mission-level trade studies, such as sensor coverage, endurance, payload employment timing, and autonomy level, weighing operational effectiveness against cost, weight, and producibility for a modular, mass-producible platform.
• Act as the engineering team's main contact for USAF operational stakeholders, including operational units, Air Combat Command or other MAJCOM representatives, and government mission systems leads, so design decisions match real employment needs.
• Take part in or lead mission utility analysis, wargaming, and operational employment reviews to confirm the design supports intended mission outcomes.
• Build and maintain mission threads and vignettes that drive requirements, test planning, and design verification.
• Find gaps between stated requirements and real operational needs, and resolve them through systems engineering and requirements management.
• Define mission planning system requirements and workflows that follow USAF mission planning practice and tools.
• Make sure the architecture works with relevant USAF and joint C2 systems, data standards, and tactical data links, as the operational concept requires.
• Work with the Avionics and GCS engineering team to ensure mission requirements show up correctly in the air-ground interface and GCS operator workflows.
• Help develop mission-level cybersecurity and information assurance requirements for the operating environment.
• Define the mission systems verification approach, including mission-level test scenarios, thread verification, and realistic test conditions.
• Support developmental test (DT) and operational test (OT) planning so test events exercise real mission employment.
• Work with USAF test organizations and operational evaluators to plan and run mission systems verification.
• Review test results against mission effectiveness criteria and drive design changes where performance falls short.
• Serve as the senior technical authority for mission systems on the program, representing the discipline at Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), and government technical interchange meetings.
• Work with systems engineering, avionics, structures and mechanical, software, program management, and the government customer to keep mission systems maturity aligned with schedule and cost targets.
• Identify and manage mission systems risks, including operational employment, interoperability, and mission performance risk against stated requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 15 years of mission systems engineering experience, with hands-on USAF mission operations experience, such as prior USAF operational service, mission systems work supporting operational units, or long-term program work with operational USAF customers.
• A record of turning operational CONOPS and TTPs into engineering requirements and design decisions.
• Solid understanding of mission planning, sensor and payload employment, and C2 interoperability as they apply to USAF operations.
• Experience supporting developmental and/or operational test planning and execution with operational stakeholders.
• Direct experience with unmanned aircraft system (UAS) mission operations, including remotely piloted or autonomous employment concepts.
• Preferred: An advanced degree.
• Preferred: Background as a former USAF operator, such as pilot, sensor operator, or intelligence or mission planning specialist. This is strongly preferred.
• Preferred: Familiarity with relevant USAF and joint tactical data links and C2 systems.
• Preferred: Experience supporting DOW or DoD proposal efforts, including mission utility analysis and CONOPS development.
• Preferred: Experience with modular, attritable, low-cost, or mass-producible aircraft programs, and with mission employment issues specific to mass concepts, such as distributed operations and attrition tolerance.
• Preferred: Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret, Top Secret, or SCI clearance.

Conditions

The posted pay range covers base salary only and does not include bonus, equity, or benefits. It is an estimate, and the actual offer may differ based on factors such as experience, education, training, critical skills, and business needs.

You are welcome to apply even if your pay expectations fall outside the posted range.

This role is onsite.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, with premiums paid 100% by the company.
• 401k with a 50% company match on up to 6% of pay, plus FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more.
• Free lunch every workday when you are onsite, a fully stocked kitchen, unlimited PTO, and a casual dress code.
• Competitive base salary, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, and relocation assistance.
• Annual bonuses are coming soon.