Chief Engineer

Job title: Chief Engineer

About the Role Stratolaunch seeks a Chief Engineer to be a high-impact technical leader for hypersonic air vehicle programs. The Chief Engineer will serve as the top technical authority and conscience on the development program, lead people, and translate technical strategies into actionable plans while managing risks and communicating with customers and stakeholders.

What You'll Do

• Partner with Program Directors/Managers and support functions to ensure successful customer program execution.
• Act as a program integrator/prime contractor and lead trade studies, making final technical decisions across disciplines (aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, structures, controls, and aero-thermodynamics).
• Apply Systems Engineering principles to control scope, manage risk, and drive quality execution.
• Support test planning and execution (ground and flight) and assist with business proposals and planning.
• Facilitate technical meetings and reviews (Engineering Review Board phase-gate reviews such as SRR, PDR, CDR).
• Create engineering staffing plans and identify skill gaps; collaborate across the enterprise to meet business objectives.

What We're Looking For

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven experience as an engineering team leader balancing cost, schedule, and technical performance.
• Front-line manager experience of technical staff.
• Experience maintaining, modifying, or testing aerospace platforms.
• Experience recruiting and hiring engineers; ability to interact with customers/external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking to solve multi-disciplinary, open-ended problems.
• Ability to work independently in a dynamic environment to achieve business goals.
• US citizenship with ability to obtain a DOD security clearance.

Nice to Have

• Demonstrated success as Chief Engineer of development programs.
• Experience with hypersonic and supersonic vehicle development.
• Experience supporting defense contracts and working on classified programs.
• Hypersonic/high-speed tactical missile experience (multi-stage systems, hot structure airframes, launch platform integration).
• Experience with rocket propulsion systems.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• Experience with Siemens NX/Teamcenter.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary ranges: Staff-level $157,000-$206,000; Principal $181,000-$237,300; Sr. Principal-level not disclosed.
• Base compensation is USD and offered on a case-by-case basis considering location and experience.
• Benefits include 9/80 schedule, healthcare (medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs), paid maternity and parental leave, 50% 401(k) match up to $11,500, and tuition reimbursement.
• On-site work preferred; hybrid arrangements acceptable at 75-80% on-site for well-qualified candidates. Travel