Lead Quality Inspector, 2nd Shift

Anduril; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 51,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a Lead Quality Inspector to join our manufacturing team. In this hands-on, leadership role, you will mentor a team of quality inspectors and help produce advanced UAS and defense assets for national and international customers.

The ideal candidate has a deep aerospace/defense background, hands-on inspection experience, and the ability to read complex drawings with GD&T. You will collaborate across Shipping, Receiving, Production, and Quality Engineering to maintain

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of Quality Inspectors and manage daily activities.

Skills

Aerospace inspection

Team leadership

ASME Y14.5 GD&T

CMM tools

Attention to detail

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Word

CMM equipment

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 TEAM

The Quality team is the frontline guardian of reliability and safety at Anduril. We are responsible for a wide range of activities crucial to the manufacturing lifecycle—from operating specialized inspection equipment and performing rigorous quality control checks, to optimizing workflows and maintaining a safe, world-class production environment. We partner directly with engineering and production to ensure our systems work flawlessly the first time, every time.

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril is seeking a Lead Quality Inspector to join our rapidly growing manufacturing team. In this role, you will work with cutting-edge technology aimed at advancing the state-of-the-possible. You will lead and mentor a team of highly talented Quality Inspectors to produce advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and other defense assets for strategic military and commercial customers.

This is a highly dynamic, hands-on role that requires a unique blend of frontline technical expertise and strong leadership. The ideal candidate will have a deep technical background in aerospace structures, avionics, or propulsion systems, paired with a proven track record of guiding teams in high-stakes environments.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead & Mentor: Coordinate daily team activities, schedules, and workflows. Assist inspectors in understanding work procedures, maintaining accurate work-order clocking, and meeting strict performance and safety standards.
• Collaborate Cross-Functional: Interface directly with Shipping, Receiving, Production, Quality Engineering, and Planning to rapidly resolve bottlenecks and support business needs.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: Ensure clean, organized work areas (5S). Implement training programs to foster a highly skilled, cross-functional inspector workforce.
• Technical Inspection: Perform and oversee in-process, final, and First Article Inspections (FAI) using advanced metrology tools, mechanical drawings, and blueprints.
• Problem Solve: Navigate challenging production situations by leveraging your technical knowledge and quality principles to determine the most constructive path forward.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 3+ years of experience in an aerospace, defense, military, or high-reliability hardware testing environment.
• U.S. Person Status is required as this position needs to access controlled data.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Industry Experience: Background working in fast-paced, high-standard aerospace/defense environments
• Technical Domain Expertise: Hands‑on inspection experience with structural, avionics, or propulsion manufacturing.
• Leadership Background: Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, or guiding teams (either in civilian manufacturing or military aviation/maintenance environments).
• Technical Skillset:
  • Proficient in reading and interpreting complex engineering drawings, blueprints, and specifications using ASME Y14.5 GD&T.
  • Skillful use of precision hand tools (micrometers, calipers, scales, gauges, height gauges) and CMM equipment.
  • Strong understanding of AS9100/ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.
  • Ability to detect design and drawing flaws early in the production cycle.
• Operational Agility: Strong computer skills (Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word) and the ability to seamlessly multitask between production line checks and formal FAIs.
• Communication: Exceptional attention to detail, work efficiency, and the ability to clearly communicate quality standards to influence engineering and production stakeholders.

US Hourly Range

$37—$50 USD

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.

Data Privacy

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

By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre‑employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third‑party service provider provides risk‑intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public‑record information, and other lawful open‑source or commercial data sources. This third‑party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.