Lead Mechanical Test Equipment Engineer

Anduril; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 112,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a Staff Development Engineer to join the Internal Capabilities Development team in Costa Mesa, CA. You will design and build large-scale test equipment from concept to commissioned hardware, and lead a small team of engineers and technicians.

This role emphasizes mechanical design, fabrication, and process development for MIL-STD‑810H test systems, with hands-on shop work and strong collaboration with product and test teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (Electrical or Aerospace considered).
• 8+ years designing and building test equipment or complex electromechanical systems.
• 2+ years leading or mentoring engineers or technicians (2–5 people).
• CAD proficiency with SolidWorks/NX; fabrication drawings and GD&T.
• Hands-on fabrication: welding, CNC machining, 3D printing, assembly.
• Designing and integrating hydraulic/pneumatic systems.
• Knowledge of PLC controls, NI DAQ/LabVIEW, electrical enclosures, instrumentation.
• Ability to own ambiguous problems end-to-end and deliver working hardware.
• Experience establishing or improving engineering processes in a fast-paced environment.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of large-scale test capabilities from concept to fabrication and commissioning.
• Own mechanical design and CAD for custom test equipment and subsystems.
• Produce fabrication-ready drawing packages (GD&T, weldments, sheet metal, machined parts).
• Perform and oversee fabrication work (laser cutting, waterjet, welding, machining, assembly).
• Lead, mentor, and set technical direction for a team of 2–5 engineers/technicians/interns.
• Triage capability requests, set priorities, escalate only critical decisions.
• Establish and standardize ICD processes (intake, design reviews, build procedures, documentation).
• Oversee PLC controls integration, LabVIEW/NI DAQ, instrumentation, and enclosures.
• Lead build-vs-buy assessments and justify internal builds.
• Collaborate with ETC and product teams; support design/test readiness reviews.
• Drive safety culture and maintain capital equipment; travel to sites as needed.

Skills

Mechanical design

CAD proficiency

Leadership

Fabrication

Hydraulic/pneumatic systems

PLC controls / LabVIEW

End-to-end ownership

Engineering processes

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

GD&T

Job description

Anduril Industries is seeking a Staff Development Engineer to join the Internal Capabilities Development team in Costa Mesa, CA. You will design and build large-scale test equipment from concept to commissioned hardware, and lead a small team of engineers and technicians.

This role emphasizes mechanical design, fabrication, and process development for MIL-STD‑810H test systems, with hands-on shop work and strong collaboration with product and test teams.