Crew Chief
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Huntington Beach, California, United States
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- C level
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Not specified
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Significant hands-on experience maintaining, integrating, testing, or operating aircraft, unmanned aircraft, robotics, prototype vehicles, or comparable electromechanical systems
- Demonstrated ability to independently own the readiness of a complex vehicle or asset
- Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical, avionics, structural, and integrated vehicle systems
- Working knowledge of propulsion systems and their associated inspection and maintenance requirements
- Experience performing field repairs on aircraft, vehicles, robotics, or comparable systems
- Experience troubleshooting complex technical problems and performing structured root-cause analysis
- Experience working with prototype or developmental vehicles
- Experience supporting first-article builds, integration activities, or new vehicle configurations
- Experience developing or improving vehicle checkout processes, checklists, or work instructions
- Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, schematics, work instructions, and technical documentation
- Familiarity with 3D CAD tools such as Siemens NX or an equivalent platform
- Experience working within configuration-control, quality, or nonconformance processes
- Ability to determine whether equipment is safe, properly configured, maintainable, and ready for operation
- Ability to direct the work of technicians and maintain accountability for vehicle readiness
- Strong technical communication, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Sound judgment and willingness to delay or stop an operation when the vehicle is not ready
- Ability to travel frequently and support multi-day deployments in field conditions
- Ability to meet applicable security, export-control, and customer-access requirements
Full description
About Mach Industries
Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 350 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition.
Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security.
The Role
Mach Industries is seeking a Crew Chief to serve as the primary operational owner and technical authority for an assigned autonomous aircraft or vehicle family. The Crew Chief is responsible for the condition, configuration, maintainability, and deployment readiness of the asset.
The Crew Chief answers the fundamental questions surrounding vehicle readiness: Is the vehicle healthy? Is it configured correctly? Is it maintainable? Can it survive another deployment? Should this aircraft fly?
You will work directly with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Flight Test, Flight Operations, and Logistics to prepare vehicles for testing and deployment, resolve technical issues, coordinate repairs, and improve vehicle reliability. This is a hands-on role requiring both deep familiarity with the assigned vehicle and the judgment to make clear, risk-informed readiness recommendations.
Candidates who demonstrate the broader organizational leadership capabilities described in the Preferred Qualifications may be considered at the Principal level.
Key Responsibilities
Vehicle Ownership and Readiness
- Own the condition, configuration, maintenance, and operational readiness of assigned vehicles
- Determine whether an aircraft is properly configured, maintainable, and ready for continued test or deployment
- Conduct or oversee vehicle checkout, systems testing, inspection, preflight, and post-flight activities
- Maintain awareness of open discrepancies, maintenance actions, configuration changes, limitations, and readiness risks
- Make clear recommendations regarding whether an aircraft should fly
- Escalate risks that cannot be resolved within established procedures or available authority
- Maintain assigned vehicles in a condition that supports rapid testing and deployments
Configuration and Documentation