Senior Drone Engineer (UAS)

Location: San Diego, United States; hybrid. Candidates must be U.S. Persons—U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents—with the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.

Salary: $150,000–$180,000 per year, plus equity and bonus opportunities.

Company

hirify.global develops software-defined hardware and all-domain collaborative autonomy systems for military and commercial applications across sea, air, and land.

What you will do

• Lead structural design and analysis of Locust airframe components, including static, fatigue, and crashworthiness assessments.
• Transition prototype designs into repeatable, production-ready hardware through DFM and DFA reviews, material selection, composite manufacturing, and supplier qualification.
• Develop and execute structural test programs covering coupons, components, and full vehicles to support airworthiness certification and LRIP milestones.
• Manage the airframe configuration baseline, engineering change orders, drawing releases, build-to-print packages, work instructions, and inspection criteria.
• Integrate propulsion, avionics, and payload subsystems while maintaining structural integrity and weight targets; support flight-test campaigns and corrective actions.
• Lead production schedules, technical reviews, manufacturing acceptance activities, and a small team of engineers and technicians.

Requirements

• 8–12 years of experience in UAS or aerospace structural design, analysis, testing, and product development.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software such as CATIA, SolidWorks, Siemens NX, or equivalent, and FEA tools such as Nastran or ANSYS.
• Experience transitioning aerospace systems from prototype TRL 5–6 through production readiness or LRIP.
• Experience with airworthiness documentation, structural substantiation reports, or DoD Airworthiness Authority submissions.
• Experience managing technical schedules and communicating program status to leadership and government customers.
• Active Secret Security Clearance and U.S. Person status required.

Nice to have

• Experience with a DoD UAS Program of Record or LRIP effort, especially Group 2–4 UAS.
• Familiarity with MIL-SPEC requirements, MMPDS, and DoD Airworthiness Authority processes.
• Experience designing small UAS or attritable/expendable aircraft with affordability and manufacturability as primary drivers.
• Experience supporting formal government engineering reviews such as SRR, PDR, CDR, and PRR.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.

Culture & Benefits

• Mission-driven work developing autonomous systems for demanding defense environments.
• Employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and families, plus employer-paid life insurance.
• 401(k) program with matching, equity package, and home office stipend.
• Unlimited PTO with an enforced two-week minimum, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, and a monthly health and wellness stipend.
• Culture focused on innovation, integrity, ownership, forward-looking engineering, and servant leadership.