Deputy Chief Engineer, Autonomous Airpower

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 191,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Generous PTO and holiday leave

Income Protection insurance

Professional Development reimbursement

Relocation Assistance

Job summary

A defense technology company is seeking an experienced individual to own aircraft subsystems from design to production. This role requires over 7 years of engineering experience and expertise in leading technical projects, along with strong communication skills. The ideal candidate will have a relevant engineering degree and must secure U.S. security clearance. This position offers a competitive salary range from $191,000 to $253,000, with extensive benefits including healthcare, professional development, and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of technical engineering experience in a professional environment.
• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own vehicle subsystems from design through production.
• Coordinate design trades with engineering teams.
• Manage technical and programmatic risks.

Skills

Experience developing large aircraft subsystems

Strong oral and written communication skills

Technical project leadership

Education

Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical or Software Engineering Degree

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.

What You’ll Do

• Own vehicle subsystems / design scope from conceptual design phase through detailed design, build, test and productionization.
• Establish program plan/vision and communicate to team while ensuring they stay on track.
• Coordinate and execute design level trades working with various functional engineering teams.
• Incorporate expert knowledge of first principles aircraft design, design standards, system safety, test methodology and risk reduction across team.
• Establish requirements, design review entrance/exit criteria, etc.
• Own interfaces between subsystems.
• Manage technical and programmatic risks for systems you are responsible for.
• Negotiate workflows with functional engineering leaders.
• Develop budgetary estimates and schedules working with functional engineering teams.
• Develop staffing estimates, and work with functional engineering and operations teams to recruit top talent and integrate them into the team.
• Monitor budget and schedule performance to ensure appropriate performance.
• Coordinate transitions between engineering and manufacturing, test, and production.

Required Qualifications

• Experience developing, building, and testing large aircraft subsystems.
• 7+ years of technical engineering experience in a professional environment.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Experience leading technical new‑start development projects.
• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. security clearance.
• Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical or Software Engineering Degree.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aviation passion demonstrated through FAA pilot license, Airframe and Powerplant license, Experimental Aircraft/Homebuilding etc.
• Demonstrated ability to take designs from concept to flight.
• Unmanned aircraft development experience.
• Strong hands on technical skills – both professional and hobby.

US Salary Range

$191,000—$253,000 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.

Healthcare Benefits

• US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
• UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
• IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.

Additional Benefits

• Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
• Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
• Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work‑life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
• Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development.
• Commuter Benefits: Company‑funded commuter benefits based on your region.
• Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.

Retirement Savings Plan

• US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after‑tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
• UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
• AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.

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.

• 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: Our recruiters will only email you 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 [e-mail].
• 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 [e-mail]. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

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To view Anduril’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.