Configuration Design Engineer

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa, CA, seeks a Configuration Design Engineer for air dominance and strike hardware. You’ll lead early-stage layout and multi-disciplinary design for next‑gen Group 5 UAS and missile platforms.

Develop parametric CAD models in NX, create surface lofts, and perform trade studies on propulsion integration, planform geometry, and weapons layout; provide clean surfaces for CFD/FEA and RF/IR analyses.

Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years in conceptual or preliminary design of aircraft, UAS, or missile systems.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling and advanced surfacing.
• Experience with multi-disciplinary trade studies and rapid development environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the physical layout, sizing, and configuration design of new air vehicles and missile systems from concept to preliminary design.
• Develop parametric CAD models and surface lofts using NX.
• Conduct trade studies on engine selection, propulsion integration, planform geometry, and weapons layouts.
• Support downstream analyses with clean surface models for CFD/FEA and RF/IR evaluations.
• Incorporate survivability considerations into early-stage designs and optimize CG and stability.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

3D CAD modeling

Communication

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

MS/PhD preferred

Tools

Siemens NX

CATIA

Creo

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 Job

We are seeking a highly motivated Configuration Design Engineer for our Air Dominance & Strike hardware engineering organization. In this role, you will be responsible for the early-stage conceptual layout, sizing, and multi-disciplinary vehicle design of next-generation Group 5 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and advanced missile platforms. Operating at the front end of our development cycle, you will bridge the gap between high-level mission requirements and physical execution, turning "clean sheet" concepts into optimized, flight-ready configurations in record time.

What You'll Do

• Lead and execute the physical layout, sizing, and configuration design of new air vehicles and missile systems from concept to preliminary design.
• Develop parametric CAD models, complex surface models, and high-fidelity Outer Mold Line (OML) and Inner Mold Line (IML) lofts using NX pdf.
• Conduct rapid multi-disciplinary trade studies to evaluate engine selection, propulsion path integration, planform geometry, control effector layouts, structural joints, landing gear, and weapons integration.
• Drive spatial integration across subsystem teams, managing keep-in/keep-out zones for avionics, fuel, and payload systems.
• Support downstream engineering analyses by providing clean surface models optimized for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and Electromagnetic (RF/IR signature) evaluations.
• Incorporate survivability principles into early-stage designs, optimizing vehicle shaping, transitions, gaps, and treatments for RF and IR signature reduction.
• Estimate mass properties, center of gravity (CG), and stability margins.
• Partner with Chief Engineers, systems engineers, and customers to translate operational requirements into elegant, affordable, and mission-capable design concepts.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience in conceptual or preliminary design of aircraft, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or missile systems.
• Strong, hands-on proficiency in 3D parametric CAD modeling and advanced surfacing (Siemens NX preferred , CATIA, or Creo).
• Demonstrated experience executing multi-disciplinary trade studies covering aerodynamics, propulsion integration, structures, and mass properties.
• Proven ability to work in rapid development, prototyping, or 'Skunk Works' style engineering environments.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional technical reviews.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
• Strong background in design-for-survivability, including low-observable (LO) shaping, RF/IR signature reduction, and integration of specialized treatments.
• Experience utilizing multi-disciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) methodologies and parametric sizing tools (e.g., MATLAB, Isight, HEEDS).
• Experience with composite/metallic material selection, structural joints, and drafting standards including GD&T.
• Active U.S. Secret or Top Secret Security Clearance.

US Salary Range

$129,000-$171,000 USD

Benefits

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:

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.