Chief Engineer
US$220,000 – US$300,000 / yr base salary
Posted 10 Sep 2026
Advertised as “Chief Engineer, Defense”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Expected experience
- 10+ yrs
- Management level
- People management
- Employment
- On-Site
- Contract
- Full-time
| Base salary | US$220,000 – US$300,000 / yr |
|---|
Field of studyAerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering (or related)
Study levelBachelor's
Study levelMaster's or higher
ABOUT US:
Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company developing a scalable technology platform to power critical infrastructure, mission operations, and the future of flight. We apply aerospace engineering and quality standards across our products, delivering high performance, reliability, and efficiency for the most demanding operating environments. Astro Mechanica is backed by leading venture and strategic investors, including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Giant Step Capital, United Airlines Ventures, and Voyager Ventures.
WHO WE ARE:
We’re a team of passionate engineers dedicated to advancing aerospace. We’re generalists with specialist depth, united by a flat structure and a shared obsession with building things that work well. We move fast, stay pragmatic, and let engineering excellence speak louder than hierarchy.
WHO YOU ARE:
We are seeking a Chief Engineer to lead the technical development of applications of our aircraft in direct support of the military. This is a senior leadership role responsible for the integrity, performance, and successful delivery of the aircraft across all engineering disciplines. The Chief Engineer will serve as the top technical authority on this aircraft, balancing rigorous engineering standards with the schedule and budget realities of a fast-moving aerospace development effort.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
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Technical Leadership: Drive aircraft development across all subsystems — propulsion, aerostructures, avionics, flight controls, thermal management, and systems integration — to achieve performance, safety, and mission objectives
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Stakeholder Communication: Communicate clearly and proactively with internal teams and external stakeholders (customers, defense agencies, suppliers, and regulatory bodies) on technical developments, design challenges, risk mitigation, and path forward
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Design Authority: Serve as the final engineering authority on design decisions, ensuring configuration control and technical baseline integrity across the program
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Requirements Management: Translate defense customer and mission requirements into engineering specifications, ensuring traceability from requirements through design, test, and verification
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Risk Management: Identify, track, and mitigate technical risks; lead root-cause investigations and corrective action for critical design or test issues
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Cross-Functional Coordination: Align engineering, manufacturing, quality, flight test, and program management teams around a unified technical plan