Program Director, Air Dominance & Strike

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 292,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health benefits

Equity grants

Recovery and wellness programs

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a Program Director to lead significant development programs focusing on defense technology. The role involves overseeing complex technical systems, developing strategies with the Department of Defense, and ensuring successful project delivery on time and within budget.

Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business and at least 8 years of experience managing technical projects. A competitive salary, starting at $220,000, offers a robust benefits package.

Qualifications

• Eligible for a Top Secret security clearance.
• 8+ years of experience in managing complex systems.
• Proven track record with multi-million-dollar projects.

Responsibilities

• Own the development and deployment of technologies for the Department of Defense.
• Manage program progress across cost, schedule, and resources.
• Develop and implement tools for program management.

Skills

Technical project management

Strong communication skills

Analytical problem-solving

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration

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

The Air Dominance and Strike Division is one of Anduril’s fastest growing, most technically complex divisions. We develop and build collaborative combat aircraft, missiles, and the software that powers these autonomous weapons. We are looking for a Program Director to lead one of Anduril’s largest development programs across various stages of the contract lifecycle from early R&D to contract capture and close. As a Program Director you will lead the development and integration of Anduril products and technologies alongside the Chief Engineer and will be directly responsible for all elements of cost and schedule to ensure successful delivery of the program.

About the Job

Success in this position hinges on three key facets:

• Systems and engineering mindset - the ability to understand and assess technical concept. Identifying system dependencies, interfaces, technical risks and the impact of key architectural decisions with the engineering team.
• Execution focused - digging into the details, charting the path and owning the outcome. You will be expected to utilize your technical aptitude in conjunction with your program management, and leadership skills to deliver the best outcome for Anduril and the customer.
• Collaborative partnership - managing customer relationships and shaping the future of the program with the government.

What You’ll Do

• In partnership with the Chief Engineer, own the development and deployment of Anduril’s Air Dominance & Strike technologies to meet the operational needs of the Department of Defense.
• Develop strong, trusting relationships with Anduril’s DOD customers, ensuring we have tight feedback loops that enable us to shape solutions, rapidly iterate, and ultimately field solutions faster.
• Autonomously execute on broad and/or ambiguous requirements from internal engineering, customers, and third party corporate partners to own successful delivery of outcomes on multiple programs simultaneously.
• Monitor and manage program progress across cost, schedule, and resource allocation, making tradeoffs that enable us to deliver best‑in‑class solutions to our customers on‑time and on‑budget.
• Develop and implement lightweight processes, tools, and metrics for program planning, scope management, risk management, and customer communication to enable Anduril to move rapidly.
• Be high ownership on all pieces of work and become a trusted partner and advisor to Anduril’s engineers.
• Foster a creative, high-performance culture within the team, and proactively assess team skills versus needs, identifying personnel development or recruitment opportunities to strengthen the team’s capabilities.
• Collaborate with finance and business development teams to develop novel pricing strategies for proposals that set Anduril up for long term financial and operational success.
• Collaborate with senior management to develop and refine the strategic roadmap for Anduril Air Dominance & Strike R&D investments that underpin the success of our programs.

Required Qualifications

• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field (technical background preferred).
• Minimum of 8 years experience managing the development of complex technical systems throughout the product lifecycle.
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex, multi‑million‑dollar projects and driving their on‑time, on‑budget completion.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem‑solving abilities with the ability to move seamlessly between tactical and the 30,000 ft level.
• Experience coordinating multiple internal and external teams within a complex engineering or technology‑focused organization.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.

US Salary Range

$220,000—$292,000 USD

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 comprehensive health benefits, recovery and wellness programs, and other benefits at little to no cost to employees to ensure they’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.