Head of Hardware Engineering

First Principle has been engaged by a fast-moving, early-stage startup at the intersection of aerospace and defense, developing a new class of high-performance vehicle, built from the ground up to address one of the most consequential capability gaps in national security today.

With core technology demonstrations already underway and a first prototype in build, the company is now moving into a critical phase: translating clean-sheet vehicle architecture into flight-qualified hardware, ready for production at a pace and scale the industry has not previously attempted.

To lead this effort, we are seeking a Head of Hardware Engineering to own the design, integration, and delivery of the vehicle's core hardware systems, including structures, fluid/pressurized systems, and mechanisms, from first concept through to test and rate production. This is a foundational leadership hire, reporting directly into the executive team, with a mandate to build and scale a substantial department beneath them.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the technical architecture of the vehicle's primary hardware systems. Leading the full development lifecycle for flight hardware from concept and detailed design through build, test, and qualification on an aggressive timeline.
• Build, mentor, and scale a team of engineers, instilling the technical judgment and risk discipline needed to move fast without compromising flight readiness.
• Act as the senior technical authority for hardware trade studies, design reviews, and cross-system risk decisions, working closely with propulsion, avionics, and guidance disciplines to keep the vehicle integrated as a whole.
• Champion manufacturability and producibility from the earliest design stages, ensuring hardware is built to scale from prototype into serial production.

Success Criteria

• A strong track record delivering flight-critical or mission-critical hardware from concept through qualification, ideally within aerospace, defense, or another high-consequence engineering environment.
• Direct people leadership experience, having built or run a team of engineers with accountability for their technical output and development.
• A combination of technical fluency in mechanical design, structural analysis, and fluid/pressurized systems with the judgment to make fast, well-reasoned trade-offs under real pressure.
• You've operated in an environment where speed of iteration is a competitive advantage, and can bring that same intuition for buying down risk quickly through smart test and analysis choices.
• You are comfortable being both the strategic voice in the room and the person still willing to get into design details when it matters.
• U.S. person status is required

This is a rare opportunity to define the hardware foundations of a next-generation vehicle system, with real authority over architecture, team, and execution from day one. The company is well-capitalized, already generating revenue through government contracts, moving fast, and building a team passionate about dominating their field.