Chief Engineer, Kill Vehicle

A new space race has begun. 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 an exceptional Chief Engineer, Kill Vehicle to architect, develop, and lead advanced flight sciences across our next-generation missile defense program. This is not an incremental improvement effort—this is a generational technical challenge requiring breakthrough innovation in hypersonic flight control, terminal intercept dynamics, and autonomous engagement against evolving threats. 

You will be the chief technical authority responsible for building the analytical and experimental backbone that ensures our interceptors achieve precision, survivability, and mission success. Beyond architecture and design, you will lead the full program lifecycle—from rapid prototyping through continuous flight test campaigns to production transition and fielded capability. 

This role demands the caliber of technical leadership found on programs like Starship, SM-3 Block IIA, or Mars EDL—where first principles thinking, hardware-rich testing, and flawless execution are the only path to success. 

What Makes This Different 

Traditional missile defense programs take 12-15 years from concept to first intercept. We're moving at 1/3 that timeline while maintaining defense-grade rigor. This requires: 

• Commercial speed with no compromise on mission criticality—we test early, iterate rapidly, and learn from hardware 

• Continuous flight test cadence—multiple tests per year, not one per decade; we build learning into the program plan 

• Production-ready from day one—designs that can scale from prototype to rate production without fundamental redesign 

• First principles problem-solving—we're not bound by legacy approaches or incumbent architectures 

• Software and AI-first philosophy—autonomy, digital twins, and intelligent systems are core to our approach, not afterthoughts 

• Technical ownership without bureaucratic constraint—you define the architecture, test strategy, and production approach, not a committee 

• CI/CD software discipline for hardware programs— iteration, automation, and version control are first-class design tools, collapsing build-test-learn cycles the same way modern software teams do. The future of hardware development looks more like software: CI/CD pipelines, disciplined version control, and rapid iteration baked into the program.  

If you've been frustrated by the pace of traditional defense acquisition, this is your opportunity to prove there's a better way. 

Responsibilities 

Technical Authority & Architecture 

You will serve as the final technical authority across the missile defense portfolio, establishing and maintaining the technical baseline for all models, performance criteria, and test objectives. This includes: 

• Defining the flight sciences architecture spanning aerodynamics, guidance, navigatio