- Robot type
- Drone · Defense
- Location
- IrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Job type
- Hardware
- Posted
- Sep 21, 2026
- Salary
- $166,000–$220,000 a year
Full-time
Systems Engineer, Air Defense
Job description
We're seeking a System Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. This role provides an opportunity for immediate impact on real-world operations. Our focus is on creating groundbreaking technology that operators need and trust, and all your work will feed into this. This engineer will work on time synchronization and navigation accuracy across multiple vehicles (GPS-based timing sync, multi-sensor position fusion), and writes interface specs with an outside manufacturing partner. You will go deep to learn about gaps in existing defense capabilities, engage with users, synthesize feedback, and build the product infrastructure to support our goals.
Job responsibilities
- Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders, external clients, and industry partners to gather insights, align objectives, and secure buy-in for strategic initiatives.
- Technical Ownership: Drive technical outcomes through meticulous understanding of system performance, drive product development through operational learnings and data, own the technical narrative from product deliver…
- Tactical Execution: Bring clarity to the path between engineering development and operational delivery. Whether through sprint planning and execution or on-the-ground support of test events, attack blockers and guide…
- Strategic Planning: Translate strategic business goals and program requirements into actionable project plans, setting clear milestones, and driving initiatives from conception through to successful completion,…
- Execute Autonomously: Execute on broad and/or ambiguous requirements from external clients. Seize the opportunity to shape requirements in favor of the optimal product for the client and the company.
- Enable Cross Team Collaboration: Manage, unblock, and accelerate cross-team projects spanning multiple teams and initiatives.
- Shape Growth Opportunities: Support the drafting of technical proposals, ensuring that potential projects and scaling opportunities with each account are accurately scoped, resourced, and aligned with the…
Job requirements
- Minimum of 4+ years experience as an engineer in an autonomous systems, robotics, or software development environment.
- Proven client-facing technical program management and/or systems engineering experience, preferably in the defense, national security, or aerospace domains
- Direct experience with GNSS/GPS timing, navigation systems, or multi-sensor position/timing fusion - this is a specific technical niche
- Experience writing specs or interfaces that an external partner company builds against
- A strong familiarity with robotics, sensor integrations, or computer vision systems and their architecture preferred.
- Proven experience leading a technical team of peers to field hardware or software products to real operating environments
- Experience working in a rapidly iterating test environment with high levels of integration with software development teams.
- Solid technical aptitude and an ability to understand technical designs, software development lifecycle, challenges and risks; ability to work closely and effectively with engineering teams.