Mission Operations Engineer

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare benefits

Generous time off

Mental health resources

Professional development reimbursement

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Anduril is seeking a Mission Operations Engineer to manage customer accounts and ensure successful deployment of advanced technology products. The role involves leading the deployment of product solutions, establishing strong customer partnerships, and coordinating with internal teams. The position is based in Costa Mesa, California, requiring significant travel (up to 75%). Ideal candidates will have experience in military operations and a strong technical skill set. Competitive salary range is $129,000 to $171,000 with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Experience with US Army maneuver formations at multiple echelons.
• Will require relocation to Costa Mesa, California, and travel up to 75%.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and deployment for Anduril's products in support of customer missions.
• Establish partnerships with customers to foresee future opportunities.
• Collaborate across various Anduril teams for effective deployment.

Skills

Technical aptitude

Problem-solving

Customer relationship management

Team collaboration

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

Anduril’s Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) is a division with two missions: 1) build highly capable autonomous drones, and 2) build solid rocket motors at scale. We transform products like Ghost, Anvil, Bolt, and Altius from early concepts into fully operational capabilities by partnering closely with specialist engineering, operations, and production teams. Through our Anduril Rocket Motor Systems (RMS) team, we design and manufacture solid rocket motors using advanced materials, proprietary formulations, and high-volume production methods—delivering safe, reliable propulsion systems that support a wide range of mission requirements. TRS hires software engineers & hardware engineers, who are excited to build across a diverse and powerful portfolio—from autonomous aerial systems to high-performance solid rocket motors. Our teams contribute to highly capable autonomous robotics systems and propulsion products that operate reliably in the most demanding mission environment.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Mission Operations (MOPs) team is responsible for managing the execution, growth, and success of our customer accounts. Working across product, engineering, sales, and logistics teams, our Mission Operations Engineers own the customer relationships and develop, plan, and deploy Anduril products in support of their missions. They work side-by-side with customers to understand their specific problem sets and then shape Anduril's offerings alongside our engineering teams to fit the mission needs. Because the problems we solve are uniquely challenging, our Mission Operations Engineers naturally gravitate toward finding solutions and are adept at navigating organizational hurdles. They are ultimately responsible for customer and mission success and therefore play a critical role in the shaping and future of Anduril Industries.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Orchestrate the deployment of Ghost-X. Lead the planning and deployment for one of Anduril's flagship hardware and software products in support of customer missions. This position is in-office and will be located in Costa Mesa, CA, but will require nationwide and international travel to service and manage forward deployed accounts (up to 75% travel). Through collaboration with our engineering, logistics, and technical operations teams, Mission Operators are in charge of deploying our products to the field, training end users, and ensuring the high performance of our products. We are obsessed about engagement and keeping our finger on the pulse of how customers interact with our products. This helps us improve the user experience and evolve their operational tactics and techniques. And if something isn't quite right, we work with product teams to quickly address the issue on behalf of our customer.
• Grow your business through customer success. In addition to the operational and executive relationships you own, you will be responsible for meeting commercial targets that drive top line growth. This requires establishing committed and trust-based partnerships with our customers to not only help them solve their immediate problems, but also to foresee future opportunities where Anduril's technology can make them more effective. Understanding Anduril's value proposition and articulating how we can have an impact on a customer's problem set, from the executive level to the end user, is critical to positioning Anduril for the future.
• Shape our products to meet mission needs. Work side-by-side with our customers to understand their specific mission challenges and represent the customer as you work with Anduril engineers to shape products that solve critical national and international security challenges. Anduril engineers rely on Mission Operators to understand the lay of the land and bring a perspective that informs the product development process.
• Collaborate across nearly every Anduril team. Successfully deploying our complex hardware and software products requires collaborating with nearly every internal Anduril team - business development, engineering, product, logistics, finance, legal, contracting, technical operations, and many more. You'll be responsible for ensuring each party is engaged and informed, and will therefore become well-versed in what it takes to really bring the best of Anduril to our customers.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Mission First Mindset. We put the needs of the mission and our customers first and understand that the US and its allies have no preordained right to victory in any future conflict. We actively seek out opportunities to better understand our customers' mission needs, with a goal to build the best possible products for the warfighter and radically evolve our national and international defense capabilities. We push ourselves and the limits of our capabilities in the pursuit of this goal.
• Ownership Mentality. We’re looking for owners; those who have a natural bias to assume responsibility, a healthy dose of skepticism, and contribute to a culture of performance. We empower our Mission Operators to quickly assume high levels of responsibility and entrust them to actively own their account and shape its success. Our Mission Operators are just as comfortable helping to shape a proposal or pitch a new customer as they are working with engineers on new features or deploying products in the field.
• Technical Aptitude and Intellectual Curiosity. We are first and foremost a technology company, working at the leading edge of capabilities like machine learning, autonomy, distributed networking, and multi-modal sensor fusion. Do you have a natural desire to see beyond simple cause and effect relationships to really understand how complex systems operate? Do you actively seek out opportunities to educate yourself? These capabilities form the foundation of our product offerings, so we are looking for those who are comfortable communicating technical concepts and can articulate them in the context of the customer's mission.
• Structured Thinker and Problem Solver. Leading technical programs requires clear communication and well thought-out plans. We are looking for assertive communicators who bring a thoughtful perspective and honest dialogue. A solution-driven approach, the ability to distill complexity into its essential, digestible components, and the ability to supervise execution are critical to ensure mission success.
• High Value Team Member. Do you enjoy working as part of a team? At Anduril, the path to success weaves through the organization - account teams, engineering, logistics, technical operations, and more. It requires humility, an eagerness to learn, and empathy toward your fellow team member. We assume best intentions and empathize with customers just as we do with our colleagues. Can you develop rapport at both the user and executive levels? Do you enjoy sharing successes? We are a low ego group that promotes teamwork and collaboration to bring about success.
• 360 Degree Leader. We are a flat, non-hierarchical organization with a matrix structure that is dynamic and evolving. We expect you to be self-aware enough to recognize your position of unstated leadership within the company. You should have a demonstrated ability to lead an and influence people through both formal and informal constructs and in situations where there is lack of clarity across teams. Finally, we need people who identify gaps and breakdowns and solve them immediately, rather than point them out and step back. You should also seek 360 feedback to help inform your growth trajectory as a leader.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with US Army maneuver formations at multiple echelons
• Travel up to 75%
• Willing to re-locate to our HQ location in Costa Mesa, California

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Secret/Top Secret Clearance a plus

US Salary Range

$129,000 — $171,000 USD

Compensation & 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:

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.

Additional information about compensation and benefits may be provided by the recruiter during the hiring process.