{"id":245331,"url":"https://alion.io/job/ursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor","title":"Chief Engineer, Hypersonic Missile and Interceptor","company":{"id":58870,"name":"Ursa Major","domain":"ursamajor.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/ursa-major","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":92,"open_postings":9,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.111,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":67,"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"head","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Berthoud, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":175000,"max":230000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":230000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":12,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AS9100","optional":true},{"name":"MBSE","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-06T20:58:05Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-06","last_verified_at":"2026-10-21T23:10:16Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":76,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":76},"description":"The future of aerospace and defense starts here. \n\nUrsa 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. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands. \nRole Overview\nUrsa Major is seeking a Chief Engineer, Hypersonic Missile & Interceptor to serve as the technical authority and architectural owner for the Draper Engine Hypersonic program. This individual will be accountable for the end-to-end vehicle technical baseline, ensuring the successful integration of propulsion, structures, avionics, GNC, thermal, and mission systems into a flight-worthy, scalable vehicle solution.\nAs Chief Engineer, you will provide technical leadership across the full lifecycle-from requirements definition and trade studies through design, integration, test, and flight operations-while partnering closely with Program Management, Manufacturing, Mission Assurance, and Business Development. This role is critical to delivering reliable, high-performance systems to government and commercial customers on aggressive schedules.\nKey Responsibilities\nTechnical Authority & Architecture\nOwn and maintain the vehicle system architecture, technical baseline, and configuration for the Draper Engine Vehicle.\nServe as the final technical decision authority for vehicle-level design trades, requirements allocation, and risk acceptance.\nEnsure propulsion (Draper engine) is fully integrated into the vehicle system with appropriate margins, interfaces, and operational envelopes.\nSystems Engineering & Integration\nLead vehicle-level systems engineering, including requirements flow-down, interface control, verification & validation (V&V), and configuration management.\nOversee cross-disciplinary integration across:\nPropulsion\nStructures & airframe\nGNC\nAvionics & software\nThermal & TPS\nMission & flight systems\nChair technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and FRR.\nProgram Execution Support\nPartner with Program Management to balance performance, cost, schedule, and risk.\nSupport proposal efforts, customer technical interchange meetings (TIMs), and design reviews with government and commercial customers.\nIdentify technical risks early and lead mitigation plans through test, analysis, or design iteration.\nTest, Qualification & Flight Readiness\nDefine and approve vehicle-level test strategies including ground testing, qualification, and flight test.\nEnsure data-driven decisions using analysis, modeling, and test results.\nProvide technical sign-off for vehicle readiness and flight authorization.\nTeam Leadership & Mentorship\nProvide technical leadership and mentorship to subsystem leads and senior engineers.\nFoster a culture of engineering rigor, accountability, and rapid execution.\nHelp scale engineering processes and standards as programs mature.\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s or PhD strongly preferred).\n12+ years of experience in aerospace vehicle development, including system-level ownership.\nPrior experience serving as a Chief Engineer, Lead Systems Engineer, or Vehicle Architect on a flight vehicle or missile system.\nDeep understanding of propulsion integration, vehicle dynamics, and system trades.\nDemonstrated experience leading vehicles through design reviews, test campaigns, and flight readiness.\nAbility to clearly communicate complex technical decisions to executive leadership and customers.\nAbility to work in a fast-paced environment and stay flexible based on customer demands and company priorities along with daily firefighting\nAbility to make sound technical decisions under schedule and performance pressure\nStrong written and verbal communication skills\nPreferred Qualifications\nMaster’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field\nExperience with hypersonic vehicles, missiles, launch vehicles, or advanced propulsion systems.\nFamiliarity with thermal, structural, and aero integration challenges in hypersonic regimes\nExperience in design and analysis of fluids systems\nExperience operating in ISO 9001 or AS9100 certified organizations\nExperience with SMC-S-016 Test Requirements\nBackground working with DoD, DARPA, or classified programs.\nFamiliarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools.\nExperience scaling a vehicle program from prototype to production.\nActive or ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.\nColorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $175,000 - $230,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy. \nClassification: Full-time Exempt\nBenefits Include: (Please note, Interns are not eligible for benefits)\nUnlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement\nPaid Parental and Adoptive Leave\nMedical, Dental and Vision Insurance\nTax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)\nEmployer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D\nAdditional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport\nEAP Program\nRetirement Savings Plan - 401k with Company Match\nHow To Apply: \nInterested candidates are encouraged to apply by filling out the application below and clicking \"Submit Application\". This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will remain open until filled or adjusted based on the volume of applicants.\nNOTE: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.\nMust be a U.S. Person (this includes U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents).\nEligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance. \nWe’re an equal-opportunity employer. You will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.\nNo outside recruiters, please.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6232,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":12,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Retirement plans","Unlimited PTO","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Aerospace Manufacturing","Defense Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-05T10:43:18Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":39,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.89,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":75,"expected_fill_days":67,"reasons":["conf:1","urgency","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":230000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/ursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/ursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-22T01:08:36Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":122,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-23T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58870},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58870"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/ursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fursa-major-chief-engineer-hypersonic-missile-and-interceptor"}]}