Senior Development Test Engineer - Drones

Anduril; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril is seeking a Senior Development Test Engineer to join our team in Costa Mesa, CA. You will perform hardware testing on drones, missiles, and spaceflight hardware, manage test campaigns, develop procedures, and troubleshoot systems with safety as a priority.

You will mentor junior engineers, coordinate with design teams, lead TRRs, and automate test operations to improve efficiency and reliability across development and qualification phases.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional engineering experience
• Experience in interdisciplinary technical projects
• Experience in hardware automation and software-hardware integration
• Strong first-principles engineering understanding
• Engineering degree (BS, MS or PhD)
• U.S. Person for access to U.S. export controlled information
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs

Responsibilities

• Execute structural, dynamic, and environmental testing on drones, missiles and spaceflight hardware
• Plan and run hardware test campaigns across development and qualification phases
• Mentor junior test engineers and review procedures
• Coordinate with engineers to define test objectives and risk prioritization
• Lead Test Readiness Reviews with engineering teams
• Communicate test status and results to program leadership
• Lead test campaigns from plan to data review and fabrication
• Create work instructions for technicians on test articles and equipment
• Operate data acquisition, wiring, instrumentation, and environmental chambers
• Automate repetitive test operations to improve efficiency

Skills

Test engineering

Hardware testing

Automation

Root cause analysis

Programming (Python/MATLAB)

Education

BS/MS/PhD in engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

PLM

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

TheDevelopment Test Team designs and executes unique tests for components and subsystems on an accelerated schedule, providing diverse engineering challenges in a dynamic hands-on team.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are looking for a Senior Development Test Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Costa Mesa, Ca. In this role, you will be responsible performing hardware testing on a variety of systems and structures. You will manage test campaigns, develop procedures, sequences, and software. This role requires operating and troubleshooting various systems, automating test operations, and collaborating with design engineers to resolve system anomalies, all while maintaining high safety standards.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Execute structural, dynamic, and environmental testing on drones, missiles and spaceflight hardware
• Plan, develop, and execute hardware test campaigns across development and qualification phases, ensuring test scope and methodology align with product requirements and program milestones
• Mentor and provide technical oversight to junior test engineers, including reviewing test procedures, guiding root cause analysis, reviewing test setup
• Coordinate cross-functionally with responsible engineers (REs) from respective programs to define test objectives, acceptance criteria, and risk prioritization for hardware builds
• Establish and lead Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs) with engineering teams, ensuring test articles, instrumentation, facilities, and procedures are fully vetted before execution
• Communicate test status, risks, and results to program leadership and cross-functional stakeholders through regular briefings and written summaries
• Lead test campaigns including test plan creation, system activation, test operations, data review, and equipment design/fabrication.
• Generate work instructions to direct and instruct technicians in the fabrication and integration of test articles and equipment.
• Operate and troubleshoot data acquisition and control systems, wiring, and instrumentation, as well as thermal chambers, electrodynamics shakers, and fluid power systems
• Automate repetitive test operations to improve efficiency and safety

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of professional experience in a related engineering field
• Experience in an immersive interdisciplinary technical project (collegiate project teams or professional settings)
• Experience in hardware automation and software-hardware communication/integration
• High competence with, and fluid use of engineering first principles
• BS, MS or PhD in an engineering discipline
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities
• Must be able to perform physical efforts including standing for extended periods and lifting and carrying material or equipment up to 25 lbs unassisted

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of hazardous or pressurized systems (cryogenics, hydraulics, jet fuels, and energy storage systems)
• Familiarity with instrumentation and control components (accelerometers, load cells, thermocouples, pressure transducers, strain gauges, RTDs, and others)
• Familiarity with industry-standard test guidance - MIL-STD-810, SMC-S-016, NASA GEVS
• Proficiency in at least one coding language (Python, Matlab, etc)
• Experience with 3D modeling software and PLM (Siemens NX, Teamcenter, etc)
• Ability to integrate electronic components into mechanical designs (motors, controllers,