2027 Early Career Flight Test Engineer

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Benefits package

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a Flight Test Engineer focused on software interfaces and diagnostics within its Test and Evaluation team. You will lead end-to-end test programs, coordinate events for mission autonomy, and design plans to validate autonomous systems in varied scenarios.

Ideal candidates will have engineering/CS/robotics degrees, strong communication, and experience with Python/C++/ROS and simulation tools. US work eligibility and willingness to travel are expected.

Qualifications

• Must have or be pursuing a bachelor’s or master's degree in a technical field.
• U.S. Person status may be required for access to controlled information.
• Available to start full-time in 2027.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support end-to-end test programs for mission autonomy capabilities.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute test events using surrogate vehicles.
• Design test plans to challenge autonomous systems across simulations.
• Analyze test data to validate performance and identify improvements.
• Collaborate with software, hardware, and product teams to align requirements.
• Deliver clear, concise test reports to program teams and partners.
• Coordinate with private and government partners to test systems.

Skills

Test planning

Test event coordination

Data analysis

Strong communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in engineering, CS, robotics

Tools

Python

C++

ROS

Simulation environments

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.

The Test and Evaluation team at Anduril plays a crucial role in our mission, ensuring that every product meets the highest standards of performance and reliability. Our team conducts full system level development testing, new production acceptance testing, software qualification testing and much more. This position is looking for a highly motivated Flight Test Engineer with emphasis in software interface and diagnostics. If you are interested in an extremely innovative and fast paced environment, where your work directly makes an impact and difference in the products that are fielded, this is an excellent opportunity for you.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Work on T&E test programs from start to finish and support existing test programs
• Coordinate, plan, and execute test events for mission autonomy capabilities utilizing surrogate vehicles
• Design and implement test plans that challenge and verify the capabilities of autonomous systems in a variety of simulated mission profiles.
• Analyze data from tests to validate system performance and identify areas for improvement
• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, hardware engineers, and product managers, to define test requirements and ensure alignment with system capabilities and mission objectives.
• Drive end-to-end test management by shaping program requirements, designing comprehensive test plans, leading execution efforts, analyzing complex data, and delivering clear, concise reports to cross-functional and program teams.
• Coordinate with private and government partners to test and evaluate systems and software and ensure test objectives are met
• Communicate effectively with government leaders, cross-functional teams, and internal company leadership

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be pursuing or have recently completed a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, robotics, or a related technical field.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities; U.S. clearance eligibility may be required depending on program.
• Able to start full time in 2027.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated ability in developing and executing test plans for complex systems within aggressive timelines.
• Proven experience coordinating and executing complex test events
• Experience developing metrics and performance dashboards
• Proven track record of working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to achieve project milestones and deliverables.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of effectively articulating technical challenges and solutions to a diverse audience.
• Ability to engage and communicate with military and government customers
• Willingness to work flexible hours and travel to various testing locations as required.
• Direct experience in the development, testing, and deployment of autonomy systems in a defense or aerospace context.
• Familiarity with FAA, FCC, and other relevant regulations
• Hands‑on experience with simulation environments and tools used for testing autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with software development practices and experience with programming languages used in autonomy and robotics (e.g., Python, C++, ROS).
• Knowledge of current industry and military standards related to unmanned aerial systems and their operation within national airspace.

US Salary Range

$86,000-$114,000 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.