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Skunkworks Jobs (NOW HIRING)

General Matter

General Application

Paducah, KY · On-site

$70K - $250K/yr

About This Role If you seek high impact and ownership and are excited by fast-paced, intense, Skunkworks-style projects, we encourage you to apply to join our team. If you don't see anything posted ...

General Matter

General Application

Paducah, KY

$70K - $250K/yr

About This Role If you seek high impact and ownership and are excited by fast-paced, intense, Skunkworks-style projects, we encourage you to apply to join our team. If you don't see anything posted ...

General Matter

General Application

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$70K - $250K/yr

About This Role If you seek high impact and ownership and are excited by fast-paced, intense, Skunkworks-style projects, we encourage you to apply to join our team. If you don't see anything posted ...

General Matter

General Application

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$70K - $250K/yr

About This Role If you seek high impact and ownership and are excited by fast-paced, intense, Skunkworks-style projects, we encourage you to apply to join our team. If you don't see anything posted ...

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Skunkworks information

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$36.5K

$109.4K

$182K

How much do skunkworks jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for skunkworks in the United States is $109,393.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $85,000.00 and $125,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a skunkworks?

A Skunkworks job typically refers to working on a highly secretive or innovative project within a company, often with a small, autonomous team. These projects aim to develop breakthrough technologies or products outside the constraints of standard corporate processes. Skunkworks teams prioritize speed, agility, and creative problem-solving to push the boundaries of what is possible. The term originates from Lockheed Martin’s advanced development programs and has since been adopted across various industries.

What are the unique challenges and expectations when working on a skunkworks team?

Working on a Skunkworks team typically involves tackling highly confidential, high-impact projects with tight deadlines and shifting priorities, often requiring flexibility and resilience. You will be expected to work in a small, cross-functional group of experts who collaborate intensively to rapidly design, prototype, and iterate solutions. The work environment is usually dynamic and somewhat unconventional, with a strong emphasis on creativity, speed, and results over rigid process. This setting provides unique opportunities to shape industry-leading innovations, but also demands comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to challenge existing norms.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the skunkworks position, and why are they important?

To thrive in a Skunkworks role, you need advanced technical expertise in engineering or product development, a track record of innovative problem-solving, and experience managing confidential or experimental projects. Familiarity with rapid prototyping tools, CAD software, project management systems, and sometimes specialized security clearances is common. Strong collaboration, adaptability, and creative thinking are crucial soft skills for navigating ambiguity and complex challenges. These capabilities enable effective progress on breakthrough projects in high-stakes, fast-paced environments where pioneering solutions are developed under tight deadlines.

What are the requirements to work at Skunkworks?

To work at Skunkworks, candidates typically need a strong background in engineering, science, or technology, along with relevant experience in research and development. Security clearances and the ability to work in classified or confidential environments are often required, as well as proficiency with specialized tools and a high level of innovation and problem-solving skills.
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Skunkworks jobs near you
Infographic showing various Skunkworks job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $109,393 per year, or $52.6 per hour.

AI Product Engineer - Venture Studio (Startup Incubator)

Manhattan, NY • On-site

The D. E. Shaw Group
See more jobs at The D. E. Shaw Groupexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 13 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
The D. E. Shaw Group is seeking an AI Product Engineer to join its DESCOvery team’s venture studio. This role involves translating business needs into technical solutions, prototyping innovative products using AI technologies, and collaborating with various teams to develop robust MVPs.
Responsibilities:
• Partner with internal leads to translate business pain points into actionable technical solution paths.
• Prototype solutions using tools and technologies such as OpenAI APIs, LangChain, Llama Index, vector DBs, and orchestration frameworks.
• Develop simple, user-friendly front-ends to demonstrate product viability.
• Collaborate with engineers and external vendors to evolve prototypes into robust MVPs ready for broader adoption.
• Work across multiple problem areas—including internal tools, process automation, and workflow enhancements—supporting both DESCOvery and portfolio companies.
Qualifications:
Required:
• A bachelor’s degree or higher is required, as is an impressive record of academic and professional achievement.
• Three to six years of relevant experience, including at least two years developing technology products alongside development teams and at least one year building workflow products that support business activities and processes.
• Excellent intuition for creatively applying LLMs and modern AI tools to solve business problems, with comfort using off-the-shelf components, open-source tools, and APIs, and a drive to keep up with emerging AI/ML technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to translate vague or high-level prompts into scoped plans and working solutions with minimal oversight; experience shipping code or working closely with developers in high-trust environments is essential.
Preferred:
• Experience in startups, internal tools, R&D, or skunkworks-style teams is a plus; individuals who have leveraged LLMs to build features, tools, or products independently, thrive in zero-to-one contexts (MVPs, early-stage startups), and enjoy acting as a translator between businesses and technical teams will excel in this role.
Company:
The D. E. Shaw group is trusted by investors across the world to seek an optimal balance of risk and reward. Founded in 1988, the company is headquartered in New York, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

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