Mission Operations Product Manager, Group 5 Mission Autonomy

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 166,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Anduril Industries seeks a seasoned professional to lead the development of Mission Autonomy products for Group 5 autonomous air vehicles. You will manage product roadmaps, coordinate across engineering, hardware, software, and program management, and guide autonomy requirements from design through fielding.

The role requires US military flight experience, strong analytical and communication skills, and a willingness to travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Operational experience as a pilot or CSO/NFO of USAF, USN, USMC 4th or 5th gen aircraft or RPAs.
• Self-starter with ownership and mission orientation.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret test data and diagnose system behaviors.
• Organized with strong verbal and written communication.
• Proven track record leading multidisciplinary teams to milestones.
• Experience in system design from concept to delivery.
• Ability to leverage engineering trades when requirements are unclear.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.
• Active U.S. Top Secret security clearance with SAP experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop Mission Autonomy products for Group 5 autonomous air vehicles.
• Drive product development from requirements to fielding.
• Define roadmaps and manage cross-functional product decisions.
• Collaborate with engineering leads and business development to explore early designs.
• Develop autonomy behavior and supporting product requirements.
• Collaborate with software/hardware/test/program management to define test requirements and ensure system alignment with mission objectives.
• Plan, execute, and analyze mission autonomy tests in simulated environments.
• Support business development with customer briefings and demonstrations.
• Create/update product capability templates for customer briefs.

Skills

Pilot experience

Security clearance

Ownership mindset

Analytical testing

Cross-functional collaboration

Diverse team leadership

Willingness to travel

Communications skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Tools

Agile software practices

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

• Develop Mission Autonomy products that support the operation of Group 5 autonomous air vehicles
• Drive product development for the entire lifecycle from initial requirements development to fielding
• Define product roadmaps and timelines, guide cross‑functional product decisions, and manage engineering risk
• Working closely with engineering leads and business development, evaluate trades to enable exploration of early designs
• Develop autonomy behavior and supporting product requirements. Collaborate with engineering teams to implement requirements
• Work collaboratively with cross‑functional teams, including software engineers, hardware engineers, test engineers, and program managers, to define test requirements and ensure alignment between system capabilities and mission objectives in complex operational scenarios
• Plan, execute, and analyze mission autonomy tests in simulated environments that replicate real‑world scenarios to validate system performance and identify areas for improvement, iterating rapidly to refine autonomy behaviors and supporting products
• Support business development teams by being the product voice at the table with customers through customer briefings/demonstrations/exercises
• Support business development in creating and maintain updated presentation templates of product capabilities that can be used as an 80% solution for customer briefs

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Operational experience as a Pilot or CSO/NFO of USAF, USN, USMC 4th or 5th generation fighter/bomber aircraft or RPAs
• Self‑starter with high ownership, mission‑oriented mentality. Desire to see the product meet the need of the end customer
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret test data, diagnose system behaviors, and recommend actionable improvements
• Organized and detail‑oriented, with strong verbal & written communication skills
• Proven track record of working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to achieve project milestones and deliverables
• Experience in leading system design and development from initial concept through delivery to customers
• Ability to leverage operational experience and technical knowledge to make educated decisions and leverage engineering trades in the absence of clear customer requirements
• Willingness to work flexible hours. Up to 25% travel as required for customer engagements and product development activities
• Active U.S. Top Secret security clearance and experience with Special Access Programs

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5th generation aircraft pilot experience preferred
• Weapons school instructor, weapons school graduate, test pilot school graduate, Developmental or Operational Test experience
• Bachelor’s degree in STEM, or equivalent experience in a relevant field
• Direct experience in the development, testing, and deployment of mission autonomy systems in a defense or aerospace context
• Familiarity with agile software development practices
• Knowledge of current industry and military standards related to unmanned aerial systems and their operation within national airspace
• Familiarity with the principles of mission autonomy, unmanned systems, and the integration of multiple assets into cohesive operational frameworks

US Salary Range

$166,000—$220,000 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.