Senior Leadership Recruiter (Hardware)

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa, CA is seeking an experienced senior recruiter to lead executive searches across hardware platforms. You will advise founders and engineering VPs, map markets, and deliver a high-touch experience from outreach through onboarding.

The role emphasizes discretion, collaboration with leadership, and strategic talent planning. You will design compensation structures and close complex offers while aligning with Anduril’s product roadmap and culture.

Qualifications

• Experience leading, guiding, and advising C-suite and founders in hiring strategy.
• Proven ability to map markets and identify top leadership talent.
• Strong assessment skills for leadership potential and cultural fit.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end leadership and executive searches (Director/VP/Principal).
• Advise C-suite and engineering leaders on hiring strategy and market realities.
• Negotiate complex executive compensation and close offers.

Skills

Executive search

Stakeholder management

Talent sourcing

Discretion & confidentiality

Communication

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.

As a key member of Anduril's Hardware Platform recruiting team, you will be responsible for the company's leadership talent management as we continue to rapidly scale. Your work will be highly strategic and hands-on, involving close collaboration with executive leadership, founders, and VP-level engineering stakeholders to define and execute on the leadership needs of the company. To achieve this, you will be given the autonomy and tools to build and develop Anduril's world-class leadership team across our Hardware disciplines (including Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, and Manufacturing Engineering).

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Own and execute end-to-end leadership and executive-level searches (Director, VP, and Principal-level individual contributors) across Hardware Platform teams.
• Establish deep trust and act as a strategic talent advisor to C-suite executives, Founders, and engineering VPs to influence organizational design and leadership talent strategy.
• Conduct comprehensive market mapping, competitor analysis, and talent intelligence to identify and engage passive, top-tier leadership talent.
• Deliver an elite, high-touch, and highly personalized "white-glove" experience for leadership candidates from initial outreach through onboarding.
• Design, negotiate, and close complex executive compensation packages, including base, equity structures, and performance-based incentives.
• Deeply understand Anduril's product positioning, technical roadmap, and culture to effectively pitch our mission and leadership opportunities to passive market leaders.
• Track and analyze executive pipeline metrics, market trends, and search progress to provide regular high-level updates and data-driven narratives to executive stakeholders.
• Leverage executive networking, referral campaigns, warm introductions, and advanced sourcing methodologies to engage highly coveted, passive industry leaders.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of recruiting experience, with 3+ years specifically focused on full-cycle executive, leadership, or principal-level technical search (internal executive search or top-tier executive search firm experience preferred).
• Proven track record of successfully hiring leadership talent (Managers, Directors, VPs) within complex engineering domains (e.g., Hardware, Aerospace, Robotics, Systems, Mechanical, Electrical, or Manufacturing Engineering).
• Demonstrated experience partnering closely with and advising C-suite, VP, and Founder-level stakeholders on hiring strategy and market realities.
• Deep understanding of executive compensation models, including equity valuations, vesting schedules, and complex offer negotiations.
• Exceptional assessment skills with the ability to evaluate leadership capability, strategic thinking, cultural alignment, and technical depth.
• Clear, highly professional, and discreet communication style with the ability to build immediate rapport with high-profile candidates.
• Experience managing highly confidential searches with extreme discretion.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in high-growth startups, top-tier technology companies, or aerospace/defense sectors (UAS, AAV, AUV, or related hardware systems).
• Self-sufficient and highly comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with little direct supervision.
• Resilient and creative – Flexible enough to navigate complex executive search obstacles, troubleshoot, and pivot strategies on the fly.
• Exceptional active listening and communication – Direct, succinct, and influential. Capable of communicating complex business narratives effectively to high-level candidates.
• High ownership – Be accountable for your universe and in tune with the business. We take full responsibility for helping Anduril achieve its mission by continuously leveling up our leadership talent.
• Low ego, high curiosity – Value learning over being right. Welcomes candid feedback and sees every search challenge as an opportunity to iterate and improve.

US Salary Range: $160,000 — $210,000 USD

Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

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. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

Data Privacy

To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.

By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk‑intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.