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Airborne Combat Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Staff Radar Engineer

Fort Collins, CO · On-site

$165K - $218K/yr

... combat operations-from protecting airspace to enabling advanced airborne early warning and fire ... Mentor and guide team members in radar theory, systems engineering, and operational best practices

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Airborne Combat Engineer information

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$31K

$95.8K

$127.5K

How much do airborne combat engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for airborne combat engineer in the United States is $95,796.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,000.00 and $116,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Airborne Combat Engineer vs Combat Engineer?

AspectAirborne Combat EngineerCombat Engineer
CertificationsBasic Combat Engineer, Airborne QualificationBasic Combat Engineer
Work EnvironmentAirborne units, parachute insertion, airborne operationsGround combat zones, construction, demolition
Employer & IndustryMilitary, Army airborne unitsMilitary, Army engineering units

Airborne Combat Engineers specialize in parachuting into combat zones and supporting airborne operations, combining engineering skills with airborne qualifications. Combat Engineers focus on construction, demolition, and obstacle clearance on the ground. Both roles require similar certifications but differ mainly in their deployment methods and operational environments.

How much do airborne combat engineers make?

Airborne combat engineers typically earn a salary ranging from $40,000 to $70,000 annually, depending on experience, rank, and location. They often receive additional benefits such as hazard pay, specialized training, and overtime opportunities due to the demanding nature of their work environment.

What engineers make $500,000?

Highly experienced engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum engineering, aerospace engineering, or software engineering with senior or executive roles can earn $500,000 or more annually. These positions often require advanced skills, certifications, and extensive industry experience, and may include bonuses or stock options. Compensation varies based on location, company size, and individual expertise.

What are some unique challenges an Airborne Combat Engineer faces during deployment, and how are they addressed?

Airborne Combat Engineers often operate in rapidly changing and high-pressure environments, such as establishing obstacles or clearing hazards immediately after parachuting into hostile territory. They must quickly adapt to unpredictable conditions, work efficiently with limited resources, and maintain strong communication with infantry and support units to ensure mission success. To address these challenges, rigorous training focuses on both technical engineering skills and physical readiness, as well as fostering teamwork and adaptability under stress.

What jobs can I get after being a Combat Engineer?

After serving as a Combat Engineer, individuals can transition into roles such as construction manager, civil engineer, safety inspector, or technical specialist, leveraging skills in construction, demolition, and equipment operation. Additional certifications in construction, engineering, or project management can enhance job prospects in related fields.

What are Airborne Combat Engineers?

Airborne Combat Engineers are military personnel who specialize in engineering duties such as constructing fortifications, demolitions, and clearing obstacles, while being trained and qualified to parachute into combat zones. They support airborne infantry units by ensuring mobility, countermobility, and survivability on the battlefield. Their tasks can include building bridges, setting up explosives, and clearing mines, all while operating in rapidly changing and often dangerous environments. Airborne Combat Engineers are part of specialized units and must complete both combat engineer and airborne training.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Airborne Combat Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Airborne Combat Engineer, you need strong physical fitness, mechanical aptitude, and a solid understanding of engineering principles, typically supported by military training and completion of relevant occupational specialty schools. Familiarity with explosives handling, demolition equipment, and parachuting operations is essential, along with certifications like Airborne School graduation. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability under pressure are critical soft skills for effective mission support. These skills and qualities ensure that airborne combat engineers can safely and efficiently support combat operations, overcome obstacles, and enhance unit mobility in challenging environments.

Can combat engineers do airborne?

Combat engineers in the military can be trained to perform airborne operations, which involve parachuting from aircraft into combat zones. This typically requires completing airborne school and obtaining the necessary certifications, and combat engineers often have the skills to support airborne missions with tasks like obstacle clearance and demolition.
More about Airborne Combat Engineer jobs
Infographic showing various Airborne Combat Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $95,796 per year, or $46.1 per hour.
Staff Radar Engineer

Staff Radar Engineer

Anduril Industries

Fort Collins, CO • On-site

$165K - $218K/yr

Other

Posted 12 days ago


Anduril rating

9.4

Company rating: 9.4 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Radar team at Anduril develops state-of-the-art airborne sensing capabilities for air-to-air surveillance, aerial threat detection, and intelligence gathering missions. Our software-defined radars provide persistent, all-weather detection and tracking of aerial targets and ground threats from airborne platforms, seamlessly integrating with Lattice OS to enable autonomous decision-making and multi-sensor fusion. We're building next-generation airborne radar systems that are rapidly deployable, adaptable across multiple aircraft platforms, and designed for modern air combat operations-from protecting airspace to enabling advanced airborne early warning and fire control capabilities.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
  • Lead systems architecture and mode development for airborne radar systems across manned and unmanned platforms
  • Develop and implement advanced radar processing algorithms with focus on DSP, waveform design, and electronic protection techniques
  • Drive end-to-end radar system design from concept through operational deployment, ensuring operationally-focused solutions
  • Design and refine advanced airborne RF sensing modes and algorithms including SAR, ISAR, GMTI, and air-to-air tracking
  • Conduct rigorous system-level analysis and requirements decomposition for airborne radar subsystems
  • Provide technical leadership in software development for radar mode implementation and real-time processing
  • Engage directly with government customers and operational users to understand mission requirements and translate them into technical solutions
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define architectures and concepts of operations for airborne systems-of-systems
  • Create, communicate, and establish consensus for internal development roadmaps for airborne radar capabilities
  • Mentor and guide team members in radar theory, systems engineering, and operational best practices
  • Support programmatic and business leadership with technical expertise for strategic decision-making
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • 12+ years of experience & a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, physics, engineering, or other technical field (advanced degree strongly preferred)
  • Proven experience in a Staff or Principal-level technical leadership role developing operational airborne defense radar systems
  • Deep expertise in airborne radar systems engineering, mode development, and software architecture
  • Strong background in algorithm development, digital signal processing, and electronic protection techniques
  • End-to-end radar systems experience spanning hardware, software, and operational deployment
  • Demonstrated ability to work directly with operational customers and translate mission needs into technical requirements
  • Operationally-focused mindset with experience fielding systems in real-world environments (not purely academic/research focused)
  • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active Secret security clearance
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Experience at Chief Systems Engineer or Technical Fellow level on major radar programs
  • Strong software development skills with proficiency in MATLAB, Python, and C++ for real-time radar systems
  • Expertise in digital beamforming, AESA technology, cognitive radar, or adaptive waveform techniques for airborne applications
  • Hands-on experience as a technical contributor in radar algorithm implementation and mode development
  • Direct experience supporting Air Force, Navy, Army, or Special Operations Command on airborne ISR or weapons systems programs
  • Track record of customer-facing technical leadership and program execution
  • Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility or willingness to obtain

US Salary Range
$165,000-$218,000 USD
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams
Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.
To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:
  • No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.
  • Please always verify communications:
    • Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
    • Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to
  • Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
  • What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

Data Privacy
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit
By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.

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About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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