Production Progam Manager, Optics

Anduril Industries; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 194,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking an experienced Optics Production Program Manager to scale and sustain precision optical assemblies for defense systems. You will own the execution rhythm across internal and external value streams, driving tasking, coordination, and accountability to translate production plans into delivered hardware.

You will collaborate with engineering, supply chain, quality, and production teams, including manufacturing partners, to keep complex optical programs on track and

Qualifications

• 5+ years in production or operations program management in optical/precision manufacturing.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional actions to closure.
• Knowledge of optical assembly processes and clean room environments.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP and PM tools.

Responsibilities

• Drive accountability across the optical production value stream; assign tasks, deadlines, and track completion; hold internal and external teams accountable.
• Track build schedules, monitor work-in-progress, and coordinate across teams to resolve blockers.
• Serve as focal point between external optical suppliers and internal supply/production teams to manage material flow and delivery performance.
• Lead internal special projects like line moves, capacity expansion, new tooling, or process qualifications.
• Act as the connective tissue between engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and program leadership to address changes and issues with urgency.
• Oversee transactional material flow, allocate materials, labor and equipment to meet production goals, and monitor budgets.
• Maintain production dashboards and identify risks with mitigations.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional coordination

Scheduling coordination

Communication

Security clearance eligible

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field

Tools

Jira

Smartsheet

MS Project

ERP/MRP systems

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

The Optics Production Program Manager will support the Director of Optics Production play a critical role in scaling and sustaining production of precision optical assemblies for advanced defense systems. This role owns the execution rhythm across the internal and external value stream — driving tasking, coordination, and accountability to ensure production plans translate into delivered hardware. You will work closely with engineering, supply chain, quality, and production teams, both internally and with manufacturing partners, to keep complex optical production programs on track. The ideal candidate brings strong project management discipline, a working knowledge of optical supply chains and production, and the relentless follow-through needed to drive outcomes across multiple workstreams simultaneously.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Drive Accountability: Drive initiatives across the optical production value stream which are aligned with our production and growth objectives to enhance production efficiency, scalability, and cost effectiveness. Assign tasks, set deadlines, track completion, and hold internal teams and external vendors accountable for delivering on commitments. Run regular cadences to ensure follow-through.
• Production Execution & Coordination: Track build schedules, monitor work-in-process, and support the Director of production through coordinating across teams to resolve blockers and maintain on track to the Operating plan.
• Supplier Execution Management: Serve as the focal point between external optical suppliers and internal supply and production teams to orchestrate material flow, ensure delivery performance, action closure, and issue resolution. Track multi-tiered supplier schedules, manage expedites, escalates shortages, and drive vendors to meet production requirements.
• Special Projects: Lead internal special projects as directed — production line moves, capacity expansion initiatives, vertical integration, new tooling or fixture introductions, process qualification efforts, and other cross-functional initiatives critical to scaling optical production.
• Cross-Functional Program Coordination: Act as the connective tissue between engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and program leadership — ensuring that design changes, quality escapes, supplier issues, and capacity shifts are communicated and addressed with urgency.
• Resource & Cost Management: M anage and oversee transactional material flow between multi-tiered supply, ensuring accurate cost accounting and price visibility in coordination with finance. Ensure appropriate allocation of materials, labor and equipment to meet production goals. Monitor project budgets, track progress and ensure we are continually focused on solving the largest problems to improve the bottom line
• Metrics, Reporting & Risk Escalation: Maintain production dashboards tracking on-time delivery, open actions, supplier performance, and work order status. Proactively identify risks to production schedules and flag them early with proposed mitigations, ensuring transparency across programs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in production or operations program management, project management, or manufacturing coordination within optical assembly, precision manufacturing, or an adjacent industry — defense or aerospace experience strongly preferred.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of driving cross-functional action items to closure on time.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex schedules across internal manufacturing and external vendors, holding multiple parties accountable simultaneously.
• Working knowledge of optical assembly processes, clean room environments, or precision electro-mechanical manufacturing.
• Strong command of ERP/MRP systems for production scheduling and material planning; proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project).
• Excellent communication, organization, and follow-through.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance.

US Salary Range

$146,000—$194,000 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.