Chief Engineer, Hypersonic Missile and Interceptor

The role

The Chief Engineer serves as the technical authority and architectural owner for the Draper Engine Hypersonic program. This person will manage the end-to-end vehicle technical baseline by integrating propulsion, structures, avionics, GNC, thermal, and mission systems.

What you will do

• Own and maintain the vehicle system architecture, technical baseline, and configuration for the Draper Engine Vehicle.
• Serve as the final technical decision authority for vehicle-level design trades, requirements allocation, and risk acceptance.
• Lead vehicle-level systems engineering including requirements flow-down, interface control, verification and validation, and configuration management.
• Oversee cross-disciplinary integration across propulsion, structures, GNC, avionics, thermal, and mission systems.
• Chair technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and FRR.
• Partner with Program Management to balance performance, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Support proposal efforts, customer technical interchange meetings, and design reviews.
• Identify technical risks early and lead mitigation plans.
• Define and approve vehicle-level test strategies including ground testing, qualification, and flight test.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to subsystem leads and senior engineers.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 12+ years of experience in aerospace vehicle development, including system-level ownership
• Prior experience serving as a Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or Vehicle Architect on a flight vehicle or missile system
• Deep understanding of propulsion integration, vehicle dynamics, and system trades
• Demonstrated experience leading vehicles through design reviews, test campaigns, and flight readiness
• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical decisions to executive leadership and customers
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and stay flexible based on customer demands and company priorities along with daily firefighting
• Ability to make sound technical decisions under schedule and performance pressure
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field
• Experience with hypersonic vehicles, missiles, launch vehicles, or advanced propulsion systems
• Familiarity with thermal, structural, and aero integration challenges in hypersonic regimes
• Experience in design and analysis of fluids systems
• Experience operating in ISO 9001 or AS9100 certified organizations
• Experience with SMC-S-016 Test Requirements
• Background working with DoD, DARPA, or classified programs
• Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools
• Experience scaling a vehicle program from prototype to production

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement
• Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)
• Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D
• Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport
• EAP Program
• Retirement Savings Plan - 401k with Company Match

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. Person (this includes U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents)
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance

About the company

Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. The company designs and delivers propulsion and defense systems for national security demands.