About this opportunity
Eleven Recruiting lists this Head of Engineering - Missile Systems opportunity in orange county, California. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Eleven Recruiting is seeking a Head of Engineering for a growing aerospace and defense company developing supersonic munitions, multi-mission missiles, and autonomous vertical launch systems. This role will own system architecture, technical decisions, and engineering execution across multiple sites and programs, guiding products from development through testing and production.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone with deep experience in complex hardware, embedded software, and systems integration. You will lead multidisciplinary teams, resolve critical technical trade-offs, and build the engineering capabilities needed to scale. The company’s approach emphasizes rapid iteration, operational feedback, and production through a distributed network of manufacturing partners.
Responsibilities
Own system architecture and technical baselines across airframe structures, propulsion, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), embedded software, and avionics.
Serve as the final technical authority for architecture decisions, requirements allocation, and technical risk acceptance.
Lead requirements flow-down, interface control, subsystem integration, and verification and validation.
Oversee the integration of embedded guidance, controls, and mission software with vehicle hardware.
Guide systems from prototype through qualification and production, addressing manufacturability and scalability early in development.
Provide technical sign-off at key readiness gates, including ground testing, qualification, and flight/live-fire testing.
Align engineering leaders across sites around shared architectures, technical standards, and program priorities.
Build and mentor multidisciplinary engineering teams, identify capability gaps, and develop staffing plans.
Establish engineering processes that support rapid development and continuous improvement while maintaining technical rigor.
Partner with software and data platform teams to incorporate operational performance and cost-per-effect data into design decisions.
Communicate technical trade-offs, risks, and recommendations to executives, government customers, and program partners.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or software engineering, or a related technical field.
12+ years of engineering experience, including system-level ownership of a complex hardware/software product.
Experience as a Chief Engineer, Head of Engineering, Systems Architect, or equivalent technical authority.
Demonstrated technical depth in systems architecture, embedded software, and hardware integration.
Experience leading a vehicle or weapon system through design reviews, test campaigns, and readiness gates.
A first-principles approach to problem-solving, with the ability to challenge assumptions and make sound technical decisions.
Strong leadership and communication skills, including experience guiding multidisciplinary teams and explaining technical decisions to executives and customers.
U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a Department of Defense security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree or PhD in a related technical field.
Experience with missiles, guided munitions, or hypersonic/supersonic vehicles.
Experience transitioning hardware/software products from prototype to production, ideally through a distributed manufacturing model.
Background in embedded real-time systems, GNC, or avionics software.
Experience supporting DoD, DARPA, or classified programs.
Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and formal systems engineering practices.
Experience applying continuous deployment or iterative development methods to hardware programs.
Active TS/SCI or a previously held security clearance.
Salary: $230,000 - $250,000
Your safety matters to us. To protect yourself from potential scams, remember that Eleven recruiters only contact you from @elevenrecruiting.com email addresses. Be cautious of emails from other domains. Legitimate Eleven recruiters will never ask for money, fees, or banking information before your first day. If you're ever unsure about a communication, don't click any links—visit directly for confirmed position openings.
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.