Range Instrumentation & Trajectory Tracking Engineer

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); Hybrid; USD 112,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Health coverage

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a permanent, full-time Range Instrumentation & Trajectory Tracking Engineer to own the end‑to‑end optical data pipeline for high‑velocity defense systems. You will deploy, calibrate, and operate multi‑camera high‑speed systems in the field and lead post‑flight 3D trajectory reconstruction in the lab.

The role is a hands‑on, field‑oriented position within the Test and Evaluation team, offering the chance to influence flight test planning, data capture, and analysis

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a cinematographer or similar role with a strong capture portfolio.
• Familiarity with high-speed cinematography, long lenses, and cinema drones (FAA Part 107).
• Experience with long-range video transmission solutions and field tests.
• Ability to coordinate with teams and manage time effectively.
• Hands-on, field-focused approach with travel as required.

Responsibilities

• Field Operations: set up, align, and calibrate high-speed tracking mounts and SWIR sensors on the test range.
• Perform multi-camera calibrations to tie coordinates to absolute earth/range frame.
• Process raw video with Xcite 3-D FlightPath or TrackEye to derive 3D trajectory data.
• Develop custom data analysis scripts (MATLAB or Python) to clean and transform results.

Skills

Cinematography

High‑speed filming

Camera calibration

Data analysis

Field operations coordination

Tools

Xcite 3-D FlightPath

TrackEye

MATLAB

Python

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.

We are seeking a permanent, full-time Range Instrumentation & Trajectory Tracking Engineer to own the end-to-end optical data pipeline for high-velocity defense systems. This unique hybrid role requires a hands‑on engineer who will deploy, calibrate, and operate multi‑camera high‑speed optical systems in the field, as well as lead the post‑flight 3D trajectory reconstruction and data reduction back in the lab.

The Test and Evaluation team at Anduril works across the entire spectrum of products and business lines, as well as all flight operations and test range management. Our team conducts full system level development testing, new production acceptance testing, sub‑component qualification testing and much more. In short, if it involves test, we support it. If you are interested in working in an extremely innovative and fast‑paced environment, where your work directly makes an impact and difference in the products that are fielded, this is a fantastic opportunity.

What you’ll do

• Support Flight test engineers with planning and executing system level T&E of hardware and software with emphasis placed on conducting ground and flight test, and initial issue investigation.
• Video capture of product test exercises using a variety of techniques and equipment, including high-speed cameras, long lenses, and cinema drones.
• Work closely with Test & Evaluation, Energetics, and Business Lines to develop and prepare detailed capture plans that align with the goals of each exercise and marketing needs
• Development of ground, air, and sea capture solutions for efficient and repeatable results.
• Maintain and manage camera gear and other related equipment, ensuring functionality and readiness
• Work closely with T&E and other engineering departments to understand requirements, support mission planning, and discuss test results to include collected data and observations
• Work in a safe manner in accordance with established operating procedures and standard practices

Key Responsibilities

• Field Operations: Set up, align, and calibrate high-speed opto‑mechanical tracking mounts, Short‑Wave Infrared (SWIR) sensors, and high-speed video cameras on the test range.
• Multi‑Camera Calibration: Perform field spatial orientation calibrations to ensure all camera coordinates tie back precisely to the absolute earth/range coordinate system.
• Data Reduction & Analysis: Process raw multi‑angle video frames using Xcite 3‑D FlightPath or TrackEye to calculate 3D missile trajectory, pitch, yaw, roll, and acceleration.
• Algorithm Development: Write custom data analysis scripts (MATLAB or Python) to smooth data, filter atmospheric noise, and resolve anomalies in spatial coordinate transformations.

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience as a cinematographer or similar role, with a portfolio demonstrating expertise in various capture techniques.
• Familiarity with high‑speed cinematography, long lens operation, and the use of cinema drones (FAA Part 107 required)
• Familiarity with bespoke long‑range video transmission solutions
• Strong ability to coordinate with teams and manage time effectively
• Exceptional problem‑solving skills and the ability to adapt to new situations quickly and efficiently.
• A hands‑on approach and the willingness to engage in fieldwork across diverse and challenging environments
• Ability to travel as required by the job
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities
• In this role, you will be subject to pre‑employment and randomized substance screening, as required by the Company.

US Salary Range: $112,000 — $149,000 USD

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.