Senior Defense Construction Project Lead

Anduril-1; McHenry (MS); On-site; USD 128,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in McHenry, Mississippi, is seeking a Senior Construction Project Manager to lead design and construction of advanced facilities supporting defense technologies. You’ll manage budgets, timelines, and cross-functional teams across design, security, and facilities operations to enable cutting-edge autonomy and AI-enabled systems.

The role demands 10+ years in construction management, strong CPM and contract experience, and willingness to travel up to 25% with a U.S.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in construction management.
• Experience with energetics and/or process gas pressure testing requirements and facilities
• Strong background in design advisory, pre-construction, and project kickoff/setup
• Extreme orderliness when it comes to document control
• Excellent project management skills, with a proven track record of delivering large-scale projects on time and within budget
• In-depth knowledge of construction means and methods, materials, MEP systems and building codes
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Competency in CPM scheduling methods, construction document review, and contract administration
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

Responsibilities

• Preconstruction and design: Gather (and help define) user requirements for nascent construction projects.
• Generate accurate cost estimates at all stages of a project lifecycle (concept, test fits, schematic designs, construction drawings, etc.).
• Manage relationships with consultants, regional contractors, and suppliers as needed to support individual project cost estimates.
• Perform early site due diligence to assist executive go/no-go decisions as needed.
• Assemble and lead project design teams (architects and consultants).
• Develop and manage budgets for construction and maintenance projects: everything from large greenfield projects to small one-day capital improvements.
• Work closely with Finance/FP&A for cash flow forecasting.
• Prepare and present financial reports to senior executives.
• Develop and implement creative contracting structures that align incentives, reduce change order disputes, and set up projects for success.
• Establish commercial terms that drive transparency, predictability, and fairness throughout the project lifecycle.
• Structure contracts to appropriately allocate risk, protect the company’s interests, and minimize potential disputes.
• Stakeholder management: Serve as the primary point of contact for all construction-related matters.
• Advise in all phases of any given project: programming, design, pre-construction, closeout, and operations - not just construction.
• Communicate project progress, challenges, and solutions to senior management and other key internal stakeholders.
• Work cross-functionally with non-constriction functions like Security, Network Engineering, Facilities Management, Marketing, Kitchen Operations, Manufacturing, EHS, Legal, and many others.
• External project management and coordination: Maintain strong relationships with contractors, consultants, vendors, and authorities having jurisdiction.
• Collaborate closely with external project management teams to ensure alignment of construction activities with overall project objectives.
• Facilitate regular meetings with external project managers to discuss project updates, resource allocation, and potential challenges.

Skills

Construction management

Energetics testing

Pre-construction planning

Document control

CPM scheduling

Contract administration

Travel readiness

U.S. Person export control

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or related field

Tools

Construction management software

Excel

Job description

Anduril Industries in McHenry, Mississippi, is seeking a Senior Construction Project Manager to lead design and construction of advanced facilities supporting defense technologies. You’ll manage budgets, timelines, and cross-functional teams across design, security, and facilities operations to enable cutting-edge autonomy and AI-enabled systems.

The role demands 10+ years in construction management, strong CPM and contract experience, and willingness to travel up to 25% with a U.S.