Manager, Manufacturing Engineering

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 147,000 - 196,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking an experienced Manager of Manufacturing Engineering to lead a team responsible for turning space-qualified hardware prototypes into full-scale production. You will drive process improvements, collaborate with product teams for manufacturability, and manage equipment, budgets, and training programs to sustain high-quality output.

Ideal candidates will have 5–7 years in manufacturing engineering with 3+ years in leadership, strong project management, and hands-on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering or related field.
• 5–7 years in manufacturing engineering with 3+ years in a managerial/supervisory role.
• Proven track record leading teams and cradle-to-grave ownership of products/processes.
• Experience driving process improvements in manufacturing.
• Strong mission focus, quality, and attention to detail.
• Excellent project management and cross-functional leadership abilities.
• Strong communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to work at all levels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with hands-on hardware fabrication is a plus.
• U.S. Person status due to access to U.S. export controlled information.

Responsibilities

• Lead the manufacturing engineering team from prototype to large-scale production.
• Develop strategic plans to enhance production capabilities and adopt new technologies.
• Own documentation for manufacturing hardware at scale (work instructions, inspection plans, requirements).
• Collaborate with product teams to ensure manufacturability and smooth production transitions.
• Assist in selecting and commissioning new manufacturing equipment.
• Drive continuous improvements to reduce cost and improve quality and throughput.
• Manage budgets and forecast staffing, equipment, and materials.
• Establish training and documentation programs to upskill the team.
• Foster innovation, teamwork, and accountability in the department.
• Serve as technical expert for manufacturing engineering issues and cross-functional support.
• Collaborate with vendors to ensure timely delivery and quality of equipment and materials.
• Analyze production metrics to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional teamwork

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Multiple priorities

Cradle to grave ownership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical or Industrial Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Scripting

Lean Six Sigma

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 experienced and dynamic Manager of Manufacturing Engineering to lead our manufacturing engineering efforts across multiple critical space programs. This pivotal role demands a visionary leader with deep technical expertise in advanced aerospace manufacturing, a proven track record of bringing complex space-qualified hardware from prototype to production, and an unwavering commitment to quality and mission success.

As a Manager of Manufacturing Engineering, you will be responsible for leading and managing a manufacturing engineering team over a subset of Anduril’s products to drive process improvements, ensure the highest quality of production, and support the development and implementation of new products. You will play a crucial role in optimizing manufacturing processes, reducing costs, and increasing efficiencies on existing technologies while also developing new products and scaling to full scale production.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Lead the manufacturing engineering team, setting goals, providing direction, and evaluating performance over a certain product or set of products, from initial prototyping through large full-scale production.
• Develop and execute strategic plans to enhance production capabilities, incorporating new technologies and methodologies.
• Own documentation required for successfully manufacturing product group hardware at scale, such as work instructions, inspection plans & requirements, etc.
• Collaborate with product development teams to ensure manufacturability of new designs and smooth transition from prototype to production.
• Assist in the selection, installation, and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment, ensuring optimal integration into production lines.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that result in cost reduction, quality enhancement, and throughput maximization.
• Manage budgets and forecast future manufacturing needs, including personnel, equipment, and materials.
• Establish and maintain robust training and documentation programs to enhance team skills and promote cross-functional knowledge sharing.
• Foster a culture of innovation, teamwork, and accountability within the manufacturing engineering department.
• Serve as the technical expert and point of contact for manufacturing engineering issues, providing guidance and support to resolve complex problems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful product launches, from initial design through to full-scale production.
• Liaise with vendors and suppliers to ensure the timely delivery of equipment and materials and maintain quality standards.
• Analyze production metrics and performance data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, quality, and regulatory requirements within the manufacturing process.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, with at least 3 years in a managerial or supervisory role.
• Proven track record of leading teams, developing new products and processes, and cradle to grave ownership.
• Experience driving process improvements in a manufacturing setting.
• An attitude of world-class mission assurance, quality, attention to detail, and dedication.
• A genuine interest in manufacturing and thirst for learning.
• Excellent project management skills and experience leading cross-functional projects.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Personal experience physically manufacturing hardware via any means (machining, fabrication, soldering, assembly, etc.). Work on personal or extracurricular projects is a plus.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters degree in engineering, business, or related field.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other process improvement methodologies.
• Proficient in CAD software and familiar with modern manufacturing technologies and automation.
• Software scripting experience in any language.

US Salary Range

$147,000—$196,000 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.

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.