Production Program Lead - Defense Hardware & Scale

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company seeking a senior Production Program Manager for Barracuda. The role oversees manufacturing and production lifecycle, partnering with engineering, supply chain, operations, quality and leadership to deliver programs on time, within scope, and on budget.

You will drive efficiency, manage schedules, mitigate risks, and ensure programs transition from development to full-scale production with rigor and strategic impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in operations program management, production, manufacturing in defense/aerospace/complex hardware.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, supply chain and production workflows.
• Experience launching new products with condensed timelines.
• Experience with project management methodologies (Agile, Lean, TPS, Six Sigma).
• Proficiency in project management tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project, Gantt charts).
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical and organizational skills.
• Strong communication and leadership abilities to influence cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environment with evolving priorities.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Drive process optimization to improve production efficiency, scalability, and cost during development and pre-production phases.
• Monitor budgets and track progress to enable smooth transition to full-scale production.
• Provide regular updates to internal teams and leadership on status, risks and solutions.
• Ensure proper allocation of materials, labor and equipment to meet readiness goals.
• Identify and mitigate risks that could impact timelines or readiness.
• Coordinate across engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, program management and leadership to align pre-production with business objectives.

Skills

Operations program management

Cross-functional leadership

Manufacturing knowledge

Project management (Agile/Lean)

Cost control

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations Management or related field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

MS Project

Gantt charts

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company seeking a senior Production Program Manager for Barracuda. The role oversees manufacturing and production lifecycle, partnering with engineering, supply chain, operations, quality and leadership to deliver programs on time, within scope, and on budget.

You will drive efficiency, manage schedules, mitigate risks, and ensure programs transition from development to full-scale production with rigor and strategic impact.